NBA Player Props and Best Bets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, James Harden & More Picks for NBA Playoffs on Tuesday

The NBA Playoffs are diving into the second round by kicking off two new series on Tuesday, and I’ve picked my favorite player props from the matchups.

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks trounced the Philadelphia 76ers in yesterday’s opening duel, finishing 39 points ahead of their Eastern Conference rivals. The night concluded with the Minnesota Timberwolves shockingly taking down the San Antonio Spurs on the road despite a playoff record 12 blocks from Victor Wembanyama.

Today’s matchups will see the Los Angeles Lakers, the largest underdogs in round two, visit the title favorite Oklahoma City Thunder, after the Detroit Pistons open their series at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Here are my best NBA player prop picks today for the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, May 5.

Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, May 5

Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Create a FanDuel account today and claim your welcome promo offer: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

Read more about FanDuel Promo Code here.

If you are in a state where FanDuel is not yet legal, we recommend trying Kalshi, one of the best prediction markets in the US. Sign up using Kalshi promo code WSN to get a $10 bonus after making 100 contracts.

Jalen Duren Over 10.5 Rebounds (-110) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Nobody is quite sure what happened to Duren, who pulled a disappearing act in Round One against the Orlando Magic. The 22-year-old, who averaged 10.5 rebounds per game, did not get past nine rebounds in the first six games of the series until he delivered 15 in the all-important Game 7.

Duren went over in two of three regular-season matchups with the Cavaliers, grabbing 14 and 16 boards the last two times that they met. He and the Pistons are facing a team that is much less physical than the one they just took to seven games, and I expect that grittiness to reveal itself on the boards.

Win a $5 Wager at FanDuel, Get $150 in Bonus Bets

James Harden Under 2.5 Threes (-118) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Ah, here comes playoff Harden! Although he hasn’t capitulated like in previous playoffs, he only averaged 11.5 field goals and 4.5 threes per game in Games 6 and 7 against the Toronto Raptors, and he shot worse than 35 percent from the floor in those games. He has now gone under this line in three of his last four outings.

Harden went under in two of three matchups with the Pistons, including a 2-9 (22.2 percent) showing in their only face-off during his Cavaliers tenure. The Pistons ranked ninth in made threes allowed per game during the regular season and held the Magic to 32.8 percent shooting from deep in the first round.

Get $150 in Bonus Bets at FanDuel With a $5 Winning Wager

Austin Reaves Under 20.5 Points (-112) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Reaves struggled against the Thunder during the regular season, going under in all three matchups and never scoring more than 16 points. He suffered an injury the last time they played, and he scored 22 and 15 points in two games since he returned to the lineup.

The Thunder don’t just have one of the best defenses in basketball—they are also physical and will bother players like Reaves, who are more about craft than brawn. The Thunder are also at home and the more rested team, seeing as they finished their first-round series in two fewer games than the Lakers did.

Bet $5 at FanDuel, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins

Rui Hachimura Over 12.5 Points (+104) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Hachimura is the NBA all-time leader in three-point percentage in the playoffs and is borderline automatic from the mid-range. He went over this line in all but one game in the first round and split the over/under during the regular season, although he only played 18 minutes in one of his unders, whereas he averaged 38.5 minutes of action during the playoffs.

The absence of Luka Doncic means that there will be more shots available, but there will also be more possessions where the offense breaks down, and someone ends up with a “grenade.” Hachimura is often that player, and he has the size and strength to shoot over the Thunder’s wing defenders.

Grab $150 in Bonus Bets With a $5 Correct Bet at FanDuel

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 6.5 Assists (-154) at FanDuel Sportsbook

The Lakers don’t have enough on-ball defenders to keep someone in front of Gilgeous-Alexander, which will force them to show heavy help on drives and send double-teams. That means that they will be in rotation on the back end, and other members of the Thunder will end up with open shots.

This approach did not bode well for the Lakers during the regular season, as Gilgeous-Alexander hit the over in all three matchups, and his team never won by less than 29 points. He also hit the over in every game of the first round, which makes me confident in his prospects tonight.

Bet $5 at FanDuel and Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Wager Hits