Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers Prop Pick: Can Bobby Portis Jr. Step Up in Game 3?
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers Prop Pick: Can Bobby Portis Jr. Step Up in Game 3?
The Milwaukee Bucks travel to Indiana tonight to take on the Pacers in Game 3 of the first round of the NBA playoffs from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Bucks and Pacers split the first two games of the series, with the Bucks coming out hot in Game 1 and the Pacers responding in Game 2. We are also getting a treat with an early start time here, with tipoff at 4:30 PM central time. What should we expect in this early game tonight?
BUCKS VS. PACERS GAME 3 DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: April 26, 2024
- Start Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN
MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS. INDIANA PACERS GAME 3 PREDICTION
The Bucks have been holding up well without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Damian Lillard has been doing well as the leading score, scoring 35 and 34 points across Games 1 and two2 Khris Middleton has also been big for the Bucks, going for 23 points in Game 1 and now averaging 19 points per game over the first two.
However, Khris Middleton is banged up for this game and is questionable with an ankle injury. The sole burden of scoring cannot fall on just Damian Lillard without Giannis Antetokounmpo and now a banged-up Khris Middleton. Someone else will have to step up. I think that will be Bobby Portis Jr. tonight. Bobby Portis Jr. has been playing well over the first two games but has not stood out very much on the stat sheet. He had 15 points on 7-15 shooting in game one and 14 points on 6–16 shooting in Game 2. He also had 11 rebounds in both games. However, I like him to get going in game three and go over his points total of 17.5 tonight.
Portis has been effective on the court when he stayed out of foul trouble in this series so far, even though he’s not exploded points-wise. He did not have a turnover and only committed one foul in Game 2, while also playing great defense in both games. With him playing 30+ minutes presumably once again tonight, I think he can clear his points prop for the first time in the series. Portis has done well without Giannis this season, especially when he gets good minutes. In the nine full games Bobby Portis has played 25+ minutes without Giannis this season, he is 6–3 at hitting 18+ points. That includes going under the first two games of this series. He went 6-1 on this over getting 25+ minutes during the regular season.
With Khris Middleton also banged up, Portis should see 30+ minutes once again and be able to easily clear this line. The Pacers are not that big of a defensive threat as they have struggled on defense all season, and with both teams looking to play a faster pace, as they have all season, this is a great spot for him to break out in Game 3.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS. INDIANA PACERS GAME 3 Prop Pick
Pick: Bobby Portis Over 17.5 Points -115 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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Article Author
Ben Rajavuori is a handicapper out of Minneapolis, MN. He has been creating sports content for almost four years now and is an expert in all things NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, and NCAAB. Ben thrives on diving deep into statistics to find the best angle on every bet. You can follow him on Twitter @WeBeatTheSpread.