Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs have fallen into a 1-0 series hole and will look to punch back against the New York Knicks in Friday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
This is a pivotal matchup, as NBA teams that take a 2-0 series lead go on to win 92.6% of the time. Wembanyama struggled to shoot the ball in the opening matchup, being limited to 6-for-21 from the field and 2-for-9 from beyond the arc. Still, he finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds. The Spurs will need better from their star tonight, as they attempt to even up the series before heading to New York.
The Spurs enter as 6.5-point favorites with -225 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Knicks are +185 underdogs, with the game total set at 216.5 points.
Let’s dive into my favorite Victor Wembanyama player props for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Best Victor Wembanyama prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 Rebounds (-127)
The outlook for the Spurs starts with Victor Wembanyama’s production. Standing 7-foot-4 with an eight-foot wingspan, no one in the NBA can match his towering frame. Wembanyama finished the opening matchup with 12 rebounds, despite largely struggling throughout. He left plenty of room for production on the table, with Josh Hart recording 15 rebounds, Karl-Anthony Towns grabbing 12 boards, Julian Champagnie grabbing 10, and Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle combining for 17. Wembanyama is capable of pulling in just about any rebound he sets his mind to, and he should head into Game 2 with extra intensity given the weight of the matchup.
Wembanyama averaged 11.5 rebounds per game during the regular season, clearing 11.5 boards in 32 of his 64 games. Since the playoffs started, his rebounding output has slipped to 10.8 rebounds per game. However, excluding the opening-round matchup, in which he suffered a concussion, and the second-round game in which he got ejected, this number increases to 11.7 rebounds per game. The unanimous Defensive Player of the Year has tallied over 11.5 rebounds in nine of his 18 playoff games overall.
Wembanyama sets the tone on both sides of the ball for San Antonio. It was pretty miraculous for him to end up with 12 rebounds in Game 1, despite not making his expected impact. Fatigue appeared to be a bit of a factor following the grueling seven-game war with Oklahoma City. The Game 1 loss should be the wake-up call he needs. Count on Wembanyama to inhale rebounds in the early stages of this game, pulling in over 11.5 rebounds for the second straight game.
Victor Wembanyama 30+ Points (+203)
The standard scoring prop for Victor Wembanyama is set at 27.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Game 2 matchup. While I am backing this number as well, I like his chances of pushing this number to 30+ with the +203 odds in mind.
Wembanyama averaged 25 points per game during the regular season, eclipsing 30 points in 18 games. Since the playoffs kicked off, his average has slipped to 23.3 points per game. Excluding the pair of matchups he was limited to below 13 minutes of game-time, Wembanyama is averaging 25.7 points per game. He has scored 30-plus points in four games across San Antonio’s postseason run.
The two-time All-Star finished with 26 points in Game 1, despite being limited to 6-for-21 shooting and 2-for-9 from beyond the arc. Wembanyama did a nice job getting to the free-throw line, shooting 12-for-13 at the charity stripe, which should be a recurring theme in Game 2. New York leaned on Karl-Anthony Towns to guard Wembanyama at a frequent rate, and this is a matchup the Spurs should be looking to capitalize on. Towns does not need much help getting in foul trouble, and the size and skillset of the Spurs star only maximizes the concern.
Wembanyama has risen to the occasion in multiple games this playoff run. Facing a 0-2 series hole, expect all-out desperation from the Spurs star in Game 2. The Knicks deserve credit for Wembanyama’s poor shooting, though he failed to capitalize on several convertible opportunities. Expect San Antonio to go back to the well on Monday, and for its franchise centerpiece to produce better results.
