At long last, the NBA regular season is over. However, we aren’t quite at playoff basketball just yet. The play-in tournament is set for this week, starting with a pair of #7 vs. #8 matchups. In the East, Southeast Division rivals will clash when the Magic host the Hawks. Later, Ja Morant and the Grizzlies will visit Stephen Curry and the Warriors.
With a pair of can’t-miss contests, there are several bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are two player props catching my eye tonight.
Franz Wagner over 6.5 rebounds (+105)
The first game of the night presents an intriguing matchup of polar opposites. Atlanta plays an up-tempo, score-first style of basketball, led by point guard Trae Young. Orlando prefers to grind out wins, allowing the second-fewest points per game in basketball (103.5). In short, something has to give on Tuesday. If the Magic are going to keep up, they’ll need a big game from Franz Wagner. The German emerged as a true difference-maker this season, averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists.
For all of Wagner’s skill as a scorer, he’s underrated on the glass. That should come in handy against a Hawks team missing several big bodies, including Clint Capela (hand) and Jalen Johnson (shoulder). Orlando’s young star has recorded at least seven rebounds in five of his previous six games vs. Atlanta. At plus money, the wing is one of the best values available on Tuesday’s select slate.
Zach Edey over 19.5 points + rebounds (-115)
The Grizzlies made a shocking decision to fire Taylor Jenkins less than three weeks ago. Since then, interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo has made a few notable changes. That includes giving more minutes to rookie Zach Edey. The 7’4 behemoth has enjoyed a solid first season in the NBA, posting 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 58.0% from the field. Over his last six games, the Canadian has played at least 28 minutes, an upgrade from his year-long average of 21.5.
As good as the Warriors have been recently, this is still a team that lacks height. There should be plenty of available rebounds on Tuesday, especially considering Memphis’ league-leading pace on offense (103.69). When these two squads last met on April 1st, Edey recorded ten points and 16 rebounds. The center has notched at least 20 points + rebounds in five of his last six outings. Expect another double-double caliber performance in this pivotal Western Conference clash.
