UPDATE: Fox (ankle) will not play in Game 1.
Last winter, De’Aaron Fox requested a trade to the San Antonio Spurs for moments just like this: the Western Conference Finals. The series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Spurs has been widely-anticipated for months; now, it’s finally here.
Game 1 will tip off tonight at 8:40 p.m. ET at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The Thunder will have a significant rest advantage after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.
San Antonio is a 6.5-point underdog for tonight’s clash at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set to 221.5. Below, I’ve detailed my favorite prop bet centered around Swipa.
Best De’Aaron Fox Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
De’Aaron Fox 2+ Three-Pointers Made (+109)
Fox didn’t have a particularly impressive second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging merely 17.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, but at least he was mostly unafraid to let it fly from beyond the arc, and with some improved efficiency, he should climb back towards two makes per game. He made at least two threes in three of his five games in the first round, as well as in 39 of his 72 regular season games, making +109 odds an extremely friendly proposition. His perceived importance to the franchise’s future might’ve dropped below that of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, but that’s more a result of his age and contract status than his current play; he still averages the most minutes per game on the roster.
Oklahoma City’s playing style incentivizes Fox to fire away from deep. The Thunder have been excellent at walling off the paint, allowing the third-fewest shots per game within five feet so far these playoffs and the second-lowest accuracy on such shots. Instead, Oklahoma City incentivizes midrange jumpers and threes, so it allowed the league’s most corner threes during the regular season, as well as among the most catch-and-shoot looks during both the regular season and the playoffs. Though he’s not an elite shooter, Fox did shoot 37.5% on catch-and-shoot looks during the regular season, as well as 48.9% from the corner on limited volume. He made at least two threes in three of his five games against the Thunder during the regular season.
