NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions for Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Jalen Brunson and More for Monday's Playoff Games)

It’s going to be hard to duplicate the games on Sunday in the second round of the NBA playoffs, but we’ve got two solid matchups between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. 

Joel Embiid and Kyle Lowry are out of the lineup in the early matchup, so we’re focusing a bit more on the Suns and Mavs in today’s best bets. 

All odds via WynnBET:

NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• NBA Best Bets Record: 220-193-5 (+7.1829 units)

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

NBA Best Bets Today

• Jimmy Butler OVER 36.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-115)
• Dallas Mavericks +5.5 vs. Phoenix Suns (-110)
• Jalen Brunson OVER 19.5 Points (-125)
• Chris Paul to Record Double-Double (-125)

Jimmy Butler OVER 36.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-115)

Jimmy Butler missed Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks with a knee injury, but he should be back for Miami on Monday. 

Butler has been fantastic in these playoffs, as he’s averaging 30.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. Butler has cleared this line in three straight matchups, and I think we see him have the ball in his hands even more with Lowry out. 

In the only game Butler played without Lowry this postseason, he put up 36 points, 10 rebounds and four dimes.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns: Mavericks +5.5 (-110)

If you’ve been following the column, I’ve been staying away from spreads more often than not lately, but we’re jumping back on with the Mavericks tonight. 

The Suns had a tough time closing out the New Orleans Pelicans, and Devin Booker still isn’t 100 percent healthy after injuring his hamstring in Game 2. 

Luka Doncic and the Mavericks put up some impressive performances against the Utah Jazz, and they were able to cover in some games even with Luka out. 

Dallas also has the defense to hang with the Suns (seventh in the regular season in defensive rating), so I’m expecting this game to come down to the final few possessions. 

Jalen Brunson OVER 19.5 Points (-125)

The Suns are a much, much better team than the Utah Jazz.

That being said, this line is shocking after how well Jalen Brunson has played in the playoffs. 

Brunson has put up 24, 41, 31, 23, 24 and 24 points in his first six playoff games, with three of those games coming with Doncic back in the lineup. 

Brunson has also taken 17 or more shots in every game this postseason, which is the kind of volume we love when taking any sort of points prop. Someone has to score other than Doncic in this game, so why can’t it be Brunson at this discount of a number? 

Chris Paul to Record Double-Double (-125)

Chris Paul dominated in the New Orleans Pelicans series, and he put up a historic 14-for-14 shooting performance to close out Game 6. 

Paul has put up double-digit assists in seven of his last eight games, and he’s registered a double-double in five of those matchups. 

With Booker banged up, I think Paul still needs to handle enough of the scoring load where he gets at least 10 and 10 tonight.