Day 2 of the NBA Playoffs kicks off in the Eastern Conference, as the Celtics host the 76ers. We'll then head West, with the Thunder beginning their title defense by taking on the Suns. Game 3 of the quadruple-header features the Magic visiting the Pistons, before wrapping up with the Spurs welcoming in the Trail Blazers.
Our approach for this preview won't necessarily be to break down these individual matchups. Instead, we'll seek to highlight players that offer the best value in the DraftKings Game Leaders market.
NBA Game Leader Picks, Predictions: Sunday, April 19
- 76ers vs Celtics Points Leader – Tyrese Maxey (+166)
- Suns vs Thunder 3-Point Leader – Royce O'Neale (+578)
- Magic vs Pistons Points Leader – Desmond Bane (+610)
- Trail Blazers vs Spurs Points Leader – Victor Wembanyama (-117)
76ers vs Celtics Points Leader Prediction
Joel Embiid's playoff injury woes continue, as he's set to miss Game 1 against the Celtics. The 76ers have had to deal without Embiid for much of the year, with the seven-time All-Star missing 44 games during the regular season.
Embiid's absence should mean the 76ers' offense will run through their point guard, Tyrese Maxey. Maxey posted a career-best average of 28.3 points, and against the Celtics across four games, he averaged 30.
Considering the 76ers went 2-2 against the Celtics in the regular season, there's some thought they can still be competitive with Embiid sidelined.
And while Philadelphia is as high as a 13-point underdog, our Action Network Power Rating projects this point spread should be closer to +7.5.
As a result, you could argue there's some correlation with the 76ers being undervalued and Maxey having the shortest odds (+166) to finish with the most points in Game 1.
Pick: Top Scorer: Tyrese Maxey +166
Suns vs Thunder 3-Point Leader Prediction
Finding value in the points leader market for Suns–Thunder could be a bit more challenging, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander such an overwhelming favorite at -195.
Therefore, a better option would be to pivot to the 3-point leader market, where the shortest odds list Jalen Green, priced at +572.
Green has been on a tear with back-to-back 30-point games in the play-in tournament. He recently went 8-for-14 from distance in Phoenix's 111-96 victory over Golden State.
However, Green can be a hit-or-miss at times. He shot just 31.3% on 3-point attempts this season and is a career 33.9% shooter.
A better option would be to target Green's teammate, Royce O'Neale, to finish with the most 3-pointers in the game.
O'Neale has odds at +578. He shot 40.8% on 3-pointers this season and is a career 38.9% shooter.
The Thunder allowed the third-most 3-point field goals during the regular season and the sixth-worst opponent 3-point field goal percentage.
Since OKC has only two players who attempt more than five 3-pointers per game, it's increasingly likely that it'll be a Suns player who leads this category.
Let's just hope we settled on the right one.
Pick: Most Three-Pointers Made: Royce O'Neale +578
Magic vs Pistons 3-Point Leader Prediction
The Pistons welcomed back their star guard Cade Cunningham after he missed 11 games due to a collapsed lung. Cunningham played Detroit's final three games in April, averaging 25.3 minutes as he works his way back into form.
He operated more as a facilitator, averaging 10 dimes and chipping in 11.3 points. If Detroit continues to restrict his minutes, other options could emerge as the points leader for this game.
Detroit's Jalen Duren is a likely choice to pick up the scoring if Cunningham opts to defer to his teammates.
However, there's also a chance the two players cancel each other out.
Instead, I prefer to target Orlando's Desmond Bane to finish as the top scorer. Bane is the best shooter on the Magic, with a field goal percentage of 48.4. His 39.1% shooting from the perimeter is also a team high.
Despite having the fourth-shortest odds on the board at +610, Bane is one player who flies under the radar but can still get hot in a hurry.
Pick: Top Scorer: Desmond Bane +610
Trail Blazers vs Spurs Points Leader Prediction
One surprising thing about the Spurs' 2-1 series win over the Trail Blazers is that Victor Wembanyama didn't feature in any of the games.
You would have to go back to Dec. 2024 to find the last time Wemby played against Portland. In that game, the Frenchman led all scorers with 30 points.
Portland's Donovan Clingan wasn't even a starter then, playing just 13 minutes in the game.
Wembanyama has completely taken his game to another level this season, and whatever muscle memory Clingan has of the last time they faced off is probably obsolete.
Although it's no surprise that Wemby is the favorite at -117 to finish with the most points, it might be the shortest price we'll see this series for the MVP candidate.
Pick: Top Rebounder: Victor Wembanyama -117
