NBA Finals Props Tonight: Player Props to Target for Nuggets vs. Heat Game 1 (6/1)
NBA Finals Props Tonight: Player Props to Target for Nuggets vs. Heat Game 1 (6/1)
Summer basketball is finally here. It's the first day of June, and tonight, we'll get the first-ever NBA Finals game in Denver.
The Denver Nuggets are incredibly well-rested for tonight's series opener, entering as 8.5-point favorites over the visiting Miami Heat. Nikola Jokic has been the best player in basketball this postseason, and we'll be counting on the Joker to show up this evening.
Let's jump into tonight's picks!
NBA Finals Props Tonight - Thursday, June 1
Nikola Jokic 14+ Rebounds -110 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
Nikola Jokic 16+ Rebounds +220 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
We're doubling down on the two-time MVP to go nuts on the glass in his Finals debut tonight. Nikola Jokic has been playing huge minutes this postseason. And he's enjoyed a boost to his rebounding numbers when playing at home. Against a small Heat roster, he should be incredibly active as a rebounder in Game 1.
The Joker grabbed 12 rebounds in each of his two regular-season matchups against Miami this year. But he did so in just 34 and 36 minutes of action. After sweeping the Lakers, Denver was gifted nine days of rest before today's tip-off, so we should expect Jokic to see all the minutes he can handle on the sport's biggest stage.
The Serbian center has logged at least 38 minutes in 19 games this season. He reached this over in 12 of these 19 games, averaging 14.5 RPG. And, he cashed this over in every single one of his ten home games, seeing 38+ minutes, averaging 18.4 RPG – he also grabbed 16+ boards in nine of these ten games.
Hopefully, we get a somewhat close game tonight, which is certainly possible considering how well Miami has performed in Game 1s over the last few postseasons. In that case, Jokic should be guaranteed more than 40 minutes of playing time if he can avoid foul trouble. He has at least 14 rebounds in 18 of his 26 games, seeing 40+ minutes since 2021 (averaging 15.0 RPG). So, if the playing time is there, this is an excellent spot for the best player in the world to dominate inside.