NBA Player Props, Picks: Bets for Paul George & Devin Booker (June 22)

by Sloan Piva (SloanPiva) Last Updated 2021-06-22 17:08:05

The Western Conference Finals kicked off Sunday evening, and it did not fail to entertain. Despite the absence of Suns floor general Chris Paul due to COVID protocols, as well as Kawhi Leonard’s continued absence due to a strained knee, the game was an instant classic.

Read more: Clippers vs. Suns Game 2 Preview

Game 1 of the WCF saw Devin Booker record his first career triple-double, and finish with 40 points. It also featured Paul George engaging in a duel with Booker throughout the contest, including an 18-to-15 third-quarter shootout prevailed by Booker. Ultimately, Phoenix outlasted LA, due in large part to the Suns’ 12-2 fourth quarter run.

If you bet Booker on the OVER for just about any player prop Sunday, chances are you finished your betting week on a high note. Let’s take a look at our favorite player props and picks for Clippers vs. Suns Game 2, and keep the good times rolling.

NBA Player Props & Picks

Devin Booker, Over 6.5 Assists (-120)

With Paul out for the Suns in Game 1, Booker became the primary ball-handler and play-maker for Phoenix coach Monty Williams. The result was legendary, with the young phenom tallying 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. And while I don’t expect another 40-burger, or for that matter another 13 boards, another assists total around 8-12 seems highly probable.

LA coach Ty Lue will undoubtedly try to put more pressure on Booker, and make him less comfortable as a scorer. The priority will most likely be to keep the young stud from getting to his spots offensively. But Booker is so wise beyond his 24 years, that even if teams double him, or converge on him when he drives, he will find the open teammate for an easy score.

Booker played the CP3 role perfectly Sunday, and I have the utmost confidence that he can deliver an encore performance at home in Game 2. We are all witnessing a superstar blossoming in front of our eyes in his first postseason, providing us with tremendous entertainment value—we might as well profit off his emergence financially, as well.

Paul George, Over 3.5 Three-Pointers (+135)

Widely regarded in the past as a postseason choke artist, George has shed that label and gone bananas as of late. With Leonard missing the last three games due to a sprained knee, the perennial All-NBA selection has turned it up a few notches. His massive scoring contributions recently have included high volumes of long-range takes—and makes. PG13 might be called PG3 before we know it—he has attempted 49 treys over the course of LA’s past five games, converting a whopping 22 of those attempts (44.9%, 4.4 treys per game).

With Phoenix’s offense continuing to play a high level of team basketball, the Clippers will need
George to remain vigilant with the ball in his hands. As I mentioned in my Suns-Clippers Game 2 betting preview, Phoenix has gone 30-7 as home favorites (81.1 winning percentage). If George doesn’t continue stroking it from distance, this series could be over as quickly as the Suns bounced Denver.

I expect PG13 will continue to heavily utilize the deep ball, as no Phoenix defender has been able to slow him down all season. George averaged 32.9 points against the Suns over their three regular-season meetings, where he combined to shoot 17-of-28 from three-point land. He nailed seven treys in two of those three games, needing 10 or fewer attempts in both. He’s locked in right now, and he seems to love playing against Phoenix—I think the OVER here is a fantastic value bet.

Player Props — Clippers-Suns Parlay

FanDuel Sportsbook allows bettors to package a plethora of different player props into a parlay, increasing the fun (and potential payout) of your prop betting picks. For Game 2, I am particularly interested in points scoring, so I’ve put together a seven-player scoring parlay. I picked Booker and George to reach at least 30 points, and picked five other players to reach 10 points or more. Here’s the full parlay, consisting of seven individual player props for the Clippers-Suns:

• Paul George to Score 30+ Points: -150
• Devin Booker to Score 30+ Points: -168
• Reggie Jackson to Score 10+ Points: -4500
• Deandre Ayton to Score 10+ Points: -750
• Mikal Bridges to Score 10+ Points: -300
• Jae Crowder to Score 10+ Points: -220
• Marcus Morris to Score 10+ Points: -215

|TOTAL ODDS: +964|BET: $50 |TO WIN: $481.89|

Imagine hitting this seven-player banger to start your NBA betting week!? It would almost assuredly put you in a good place for the remainder of the week. And let’s face it, none of these props are far-fetched. This Same Game Parlay is, by all accounts, totally attainable.

George and Booker are practically guaranteed volume without Paul and Leonard active. PG has averaged 23.6 shot attempts per game over the course of LA’s past five contests, and he has converted an average of 10.6 shots per game in that span. And as we mentioned in the last prop, he has a combined total of 22 three-pointers in those five games (4.4 per game).

As for Booker, the 24-year old has eclipsed 30 points six times in the Suns’ 11 playoff games, including Game 1 of this current series and Phoenix’s Game 4 semifinals elimination of Denver. He missed the 30-point echelon by a bucket in Game 3 of the Denver series—the Suns won by 14 and didn’t need any more from him than he already provided. But Booker’s field goal numbers the past three games are a sight to behold: 11-of-23, 11-of-25, and 15-of-29.

PG and Book are great players to bet on here, because they both have smooth strokes, they both play intelligent basketball, they both see high volume and usage, and they both crush it at the free throw line. So, lock them in, and let’s look at the ‘others’ who we like to reach or exceed 10 points.

Clippers point guard Reggie Jackson is an easy throw-in here. He’s been one of LA’s x-factor guys this entire postseason, and he has averaged 24.3 points over LA’s past three games. His -4500 is absurd, but it’s such a lock that it’s worth tossing in. Deandre Ayton also should be a shoo-in for 10 points, as he’s so active down low and on the boards, especially against the inferior Ivica Zubac. The Suns big man has finished the last five games in double-digits.

Phoenix’s Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder, while not high-volume guys, are smart, efficient, and see plenty of playing time. And Marcus Morris, who seems to explode every two to three games, should be able to contribute 10 or more points after going just 1-of-9 from long distance over LA’s past two games. The Clippers will need Morris to step up offensively to have any shot in this series, and I like his chances to capitalize on some mismatches with his size and strength.

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