The NBA Play-In Tournament comes to a close on Friday with a do-or-die battle in Atlanta. The Hawks, led by All-Star point guard Trae Young, will take on the Heat. Whoever wins will face the top-seeded Cavaliers, while the loser will have their season come to an end.
The Hawks enter tonight’s contest as one-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 221 points. Here’s the best Trae Young prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook before Friday’s game tips off.
Trae Young O 11.5 assists (+105)
It’s been another stellar year for Young, who led the Hawks with 24.2 points per game. Despite his poor efficiency (41.1 FG%), the four-time All-Star demands the ball on nearly every possession. That ensures gaudy counting stats, not just points, in most matchups.
Young’s long distance shooting garners most of the attention from casual fans. However, a 34.0% three-point percentage doesn’t match his reputation. It’s Trae’s passing that sets him apart from most other point guards. This season, the 26-year-old dished out an NBA-best 11.6 assists per game. Young led all guards with 51 double-doubles this season; the next closest player was James Harden (38).
Under head coach Erik Spoelstra, the Heat have been one of basketball’s best defensive units. That’s continued this year, as Miami held opponents to the sixth-fewest points per game (108.9). Over Young’s last five meetings vs. the Heat, he’s averaged 19.6 points on dreadful 37.8% shooting.
It’s clear that Miami’s tenacious perimeter defense causes problems for Trae. However, Atlanta’s face of the franchise hasn’t been a total non-factor against the Heat. In four of those five games, Young accounted for at least 12 assists. Assuming more double-teams are in store tonight, the ‘other’ Hawks should expect several passes from their leading man.
It’s not easy to back any playmaker against this Heat defense. Still, Young has shown a knack for dropping dimes even when his shot isn’t falling. At plus money, this Play-In Tournament bet offers plenty of value.
