Best NBA player prop bets to consider for Thursday, April 21

The 2022 NBA Playoffs continue with three more games tonight as the first round heads into Game 3. The action gets started with the Grizzlies and Timberwolves, tied at 1-1, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Also tied at 1-1, the Mavericks take on the Jazz at 9:00 p.m., followed by the Warriors vs. Nuggets with a 2-0 advantage to Golden State at 10:00 p.m.

Prop bets may be a little harder to choose during the playoffs since there aren’t as many games each night, but there are still some great options to bet on. We’ll go through a few of our favorites here, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Nikola Jokic, over 29.5 points (-125)

The Joker has had a rough start to the playoffs, logging just 25 and 26 points through Games 1 and 2 on the road. The Warriors have caused him an awful lot of trouble on the inside, though he’s still managed to log double-doubles in both games. He’ll look to build on that as he heads to Ball Arena to play in front of his home crowd. I’m expecting him to drop at least 30, regardless of whether the Nuggets pull off the win or not.

Jaren Jackson Jr., over 6.5 rebounds (+105)

The Grizzlies fired back in Game 2 in a big way, and the catalyst seemed to be the decision to bench Steven Adams for the majority of the game. Enter Jaren Jackson Jr., who slotted in at center and played 27 minutes. He didn’t go too huge offensively, shooting 5-for-12, though he did drop 16 points in the process. He grabbed seven boards in Game 2 and if Adams is going to be a non-factor again for the foreseeable future, then expect Jackson to pick up the slack on the glass in Game 3.

Donovan Mitchell, over 28.5 points (-125)

Mitchell is well known for turning up the heat in playoffs, averaging 29.1 points per game throughout his playoff career. Last season he averaged 32.3 ppg, and even that was a step down from his 36.3 ppg in the 2020 playoffs. So far in the series against the Mavs, he’s scored 66 points — 32 in Game 1 and 34 in Game 2. That likely won’t slow down anytime soon, so expect Mitchell to drop at least 30 tonight in Game 3 in front of his home crowd.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.