The 2024 NBA play-in tournament concludes Friday with the No. 8 seed game in the Eastern Conference as the Chicago Bulls will visit the Miami Heat. The winner advances to the playoff bracket to face the No. 1 Boston Celtics in the first round. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game will air on ESPN.
There are plenty of opportunities to hit on player props courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook and we’ll go over some of our favorites for this elimination game below.
Alex Caruso over 8.5 points (+105)
Caruso is listed as questionable with an ankle injury but should suit up for tonight’s win-or-go-home game against Miami. The veteran guard averaged 10.1 points per game during the regular season and was especially effective from downtown, shooting 40.8% from three. There’s an opportunity for the Bulls to take advantage of Jimmy Butler being out and if Caruso can pop just a few shots from downtown, he can easily walk past his point total for tonight.
Tyler Herro assists leader of the game (+235)
Along with Bam Adebayo, Herro must step up and shoulder the burden for this Miami team if it wants to keep its season alive. That means he’ll have to set the tone on offense and set his teammates up for easy baskets. He notched nine assists in Wednesday’s loss to Philadelphia and I think he can touch double-digits and lead all players in assists for this do-or-die matchup.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. over 1.5 3-pointers (+150)
With Butler gone, everyone else in Miami’s lineup has to step up, including Jaquez. The rookie had a solid showing in his first career postseason game against the 76ers on Wednesday, producing 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists in just 22 minutes of action. An increased workload means more opportunities for looks from downtown, so I’ll pencil him in for at least two threes tonight.
Nikola Vucevic under 0.5 steals (+100)
Vucevic has been a difference maker for Chicago, but not in the steals department. The veteran big averaged just 0.7 swipes per game and he’s recorded just two in his last six games combined. Going under on Vucevic’s steal total here seems like a layup, so I’ll take it.