NBA Best Bets Today (Prediction for Trae Young, Back Two Favorites in Tuesday's Playoff Games)

Monday’s NBA playoff action delivered a few things, including a sweep of my picks in the daily NBA Best Bets column.

While Jalen Brunson and Jordan Poole stole the show once again on Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers rolled over the Toronto Raptors once again to take a 2-0 series lead.

Tonight, we get a few more Game 2s between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns. 

With the two No. 1 seeds in action tonight, how should we bet on the NBA? I got you with tonight’s picks: 

All odds via WynnBET:

NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• NBA Best Bets Record: 198-174-5 (+7.1167 units)

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record in the NBA this season here.

NBA Best Bets Today

• Trae Young OVER 38.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-125)
• Memphis Grizzlies -6.5 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (-110)
• Phoenix Suns -9.5 vs. New Orleans Pelicans (-110)

Trae Young OVER 38.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-125)

UNDERREACT!

Trae Young had arguably his worst game of the 2021-22 season in Game 1, scoring just eight points while shooting 1-for-12 from the field. 

The Hawks were blown out, obviously, but I think the movement in Young’s props isn’t justified because of one game. Are we forgetting he had 35 points, eight dimes and two boards against Miami 11 days ago? 

Trae had cleared this line in eight straight games prior to Game 1, counting the two play-in matchups, and I think he bounces back in a big way in this one. Young really struggled from deep (0-for-7) in Game 1, but he’s going to be well-rested since Atlanta was out of the game in the second half. 

Villain Trae returns tonight. 

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies: Grizzlies -6.5 (-110)

The Wolves punched the Grizzlies in the mouth in Game 1, coming out on fire from the field and finishing the game shooting 16-for-41 from beyond the arc. 

Memphis shot just 7-for-27 from deep, and it was uncharacteristically bad on the defensive end of the floor, in part because Jaren Jackson Jr. was in foul trouble. 

The Grizzlies are the second best team in the NBA against the spread following a loss, going 17-9, and they are also the best in the league at home (27-15 ATS). 

I’m not going to overreact to the Wolves’ Game 1 win, as I’m not sure they’ll be able to push the ball as easily in Game 2. Minnesota also had 25 points off of 19 turnovers in Game 1. The Grizzlies can clean things up to flip the script in Game. 

Plus, Ja Morant posted this video on his Instagram ahead of this matchup. 

Yeah, the Grizzlies are going to roll. 

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Phoenix Suns: Suns -9.5 (-110)

I am surprised that this line moved down to Suns -9.5 after closing at -10.5 in Game 1. 

The Pelicans deserve a ton of credit for fighting back from scoring just 34 points in the first half to make it a single-digit deficit early in the fourth quarter on Sunday night, but they only scored 34 points in the first half!

The Suns took their foot off the gas in the second half, but the second they put it back on, Chris Paul took over the game in the fourth. Phoenix is too good defensively for this Pelicans team, and I don’t see C.J. McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas turning around their shooting slumps against Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton. 

Phoenix was well in control for 95 percent of Game 1, and I expect that to continue in Game 2.

How should you navigate the NBA playoffs and futures market? The BetSided has you covered in the NBA edition of "Fraud or Future!"