NBA Player Props Today: Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell & More Picks

The second of two conference finals series is about to get underway, and I have my top NBA player prop picks today from the upcoming matchup.

The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off the third round of the postseason with a historic double-overtime thriller, dominated by Victor Wembanyama’s 41 points, 24 rebounds, and ridiculous game-tying three from the logo near the end of overtime.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks ready to take the floor for the first time in a series that will determine who advances to the NBA Finals, the stakes are as high as they could possibly be. This highly anticipated clash has already seen massive action in the NBA Eastern Conference predictions, and tonight's outcome will undoubtedly trigger a major shakeup in the overall NBA Championship odds.

Here are my top Cavaliers vs. Knicks NBA Game 1 player prop picks and bets today for Tuesday, May 19.

Best NBA Player Prop Bets for Tuesday, May 19

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Donovan Mitchell Under 3.5 Assists (+114) at FanDuel Sportsbook

At first glance, I hated this line — but after thinking it through, I see the potential for serious value. The Knicks were only 0.2 assists per game away from allowing the same amount as the Detroit Pistons, who just held Mitchell under in five of seven games last round.

The Knicks also held their opponents to 31.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc, limiting Mitchell’s ability to get drive-and-kick assists to shooters. With the Knicks being the much more rested team, and the Cavaliers coming off an emotional seven-game series only to head back out on the road, I am growing more fond of this pick by the minute.

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James Harden Over 18.5 Points (-130) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Depending on Harden in the playoffs is never a fun time, which he proved once again by dropping nine points on 20 percent shooting in the all-important Game 7 against the Pistons. That aside, he went over in five of seven games in the last round and in four of seven games in the Cavs’ playoff opener against the Toronto Raptors.

While the Knicks allowed the fewest points per game in the playoffs, Harden can be an offense unto himself. He scored 20 points in his only matchup with the Knicks shortly after he was traded mid-season, and he should take enough shots to get over, even if he does so inefficiently.

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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 Points (-130) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Alright, it’s hard to defend what Towns did recently. He scored 17, 20, eight, and 17 points in the last round, while averaging 17.4 points per game in the playoffs, the lowest of his career since 2017-18. However, he never played more than 27 minutes in the last round and was often in foul trouble.

The Cavaliers held Towns under this number in two of three regular-season games, but he also played more than 29 minutes just one time and never got into foul trouble. Cleveland should be a little lethargic, given the circumstances, while Towns has the skill to punish the Cavs’ bigs on the interior and from the perimeter.

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OG Anunoby Over 5.5 Rebounds (-114) at FanDuel Sportsbook

From a broader perspective, if I believe that the Cavaliers will be tired, they should then miss more shots and create more rebounding opportunities. Anunoby might’ve gone under in two of three matchups with the Cavs, but he also had 14 rebounds in one of those meetings, and he went over in six of eight playoff appearances.

The Cavs’ bigs are inconsistently aggressive on the glass, while Anunoby is always looking to get his hands on the ball. He dealt with a hamstring injury in the last round, but if he’s healthy, he should play close to, if not more than 40 minutes tonight.

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Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 Threes (+110) at FanDuel Sportsbook

The Cavaliers let their opponents shoot 37.3 percent from beyond the arc in the playoffs, which ranks 13th of 16 teams that made it into the bracket. They also let Brunson cash the over the last two times he saw them, as he went 9/19 (47.4 percent) in those contests.

Brunson sank at least three three-pointers in three of four games in the previous round and in seven of 10 games in the playoffs. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell are not great perimeter defenders, and Brunson only needs a sliver of space to splash from deep, especially while shooting 40.9 percent from range in these playoffs.

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