There are some critical games on tap in the NBA Playoffs tonight, and some of the league’s biggest stars will need to perform at their best if they want to help their teams get back in their respective series.
That includes both Jalen Brunson and Nikola Jokic, who I expect will help their teams climb out of their respective 2-1 deficits.
Let’s take a closer look at these and other spots basketball bettors might want to target today in my NBA player props and NBA picks for Saturday, April 25.
Best NBA player props today
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Chet Holmgren |
Over 1.5 made threes | +115 |
 Jalen Brunson |
Over 27.5 points | -110 |
 Nikola Jokic |
Record a Triple-Double | +100 |
Prop #1: Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 made threes
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been as advertised so far, the Thunder continue to benefit from their depth of outstanding players to overwhelm opponents.
That includes center Chet Holmgren, who is averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds against the Suns so far.
Holmgren has fired away from 3-point range in this series, hitting twice from beyond the arc in Game 1 and three times in Game 2. That continues a late season trend in which the former Gonzaga standout shot 56.3% from deep during April and hit 3+ 3-pointers in two of his final three regular season contests.
The Suns are one of the better teams in the league at chasing teams off the 3-point line, allowing only 12.3 made threes per game. But that hasn’t helped much against Oklahoma City, likely due to the way the Thunder can deploy threats all over the floor.
I’m expecting Holmgren to continue his barrage from deep and hit the Over.
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: NBC
Prop #2: Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points
The New York Knicks desperately need someone to step up in Game 4 of their series against the Atlanta Hawks, and it's logical to assume that will be Jalen Brunson.
Brunson led the Knicks with 26.0 ppg in the regular season, and has averaged 27.7 ppg so far in the first three games of this series. He’s been remarkably consistent both in usage — shooting between 22 and 26 times per game — and output, scoring between 26 and 29 points in each contest.
Atlanta has played excellent defense throughout the series, punctuated by forcing Brunson into a turnover at the end of Game 3. But that hasn’t prevented Brunson from being productive, and New York is far too strong offensively to not break out, as it ranked second in offensive efficiency in the NBA this year.
I can’t see the Knicks going down 3-1 in this series without a fight, so I’m backing Brunson to hit his scoring total tonight.
- Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: NBC
Prop #3: Nikola Jokic to record a Triple-Double
It’s hardly a reach to bet on Nikola Jokic to put up a triple-double in any given game. He accomplished the feat a league-leading 34 times this season, averaged a triple-double in the regular season, and even recorded one in Game 1 of this series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jokic hasn’t been quite as effective in the last two games of the series, with Rudy Gobert doing a fairly good job of locking down the center, holding Jokic to 32.6% shooting from the floor and 3-for-17 from 3-point range over the last two games.
That's led to a lot of "think pieces" about how Gobert has solved Jokic. But the Denver Nuggets star has still averaged 25.5 points and 15 rebounds over the past two games, and it’s hard to imagine Jokic won’t come up with a response — perhaps even moving the ball around more if he can’t be as efficient as he’d like to be in his scoring.
At even money, I like Jokic to get back to his all-around excellence by recording a triple-double tonight.
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: ABC
These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout!
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
