The Pacers and Knicks will meet for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night, and we're focusing on some key players who could be in line for noteworthy performances in this crucial playoff matchup.
Continue below for my NBA player props for Friday, May 23.
NBA Player Props for Friday, May 23
- Andrew Nembhard Over 16.5 Points + Assists (+100, DraftKings)
- Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns to Record Double Doubles (+448, FanDuel)
Andrew Nembhard Over 16.5 Points + Assists
Pacers vs. Knicks, 8:00 p.m. ET
Nembhard's line was at 17.5 last game and went over, finishing with 19 PA and shooting 6-for-10 from the field to do it.
Playoff. Riser.
But surprisingly, he is plus money to get over 16.5 now. So, we'll take it.
Nembhard has gotten 17 or more PA in eight of 11 playoff games.
Of those eight, he's gotten at least 20 in seven, and the only miss was the 19 in the last game.
I just don't get the number, and if it pops to 17.5 — which, as of this writing on Thursday morning, I doubt — then fine.
Maybe I'll be dead wrong, but given Nembhard's postseason body of work, I'm taking this more often than not.
Pick: Andrew Nembhard Over 16.5 Points + Assists (+100, DraftKings)
Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns to Record Double Doubles (+448)
Pacers vs. Knicks, 8:00 p.m. ET
Let's have some fun.
In Game 1, Towns and Haliburton both completed this, and Hart was two points short. I think we will see this at least once in this series.
Towns has a pathway to dominating on the glass and is the projected rebounds leader for the series, assuming health and minimal foul trouble.
Hart needs to be aggressive as a scorer for the Knicks to sustain offense because the Pacers are more open to giving him looks than anyone else in the team's starting five.
Hart had 13 boards last game but shot six times in 44 minutes. Additionally, he's had five double-doubles in the playoffs so far.
Because of his rebounding in this specific match-up and potential playmaking when the Pacers are controlling the pace — Hart gets downhill like no other Knick — he'll be a double-double threat every night, and a triple-double threat on occasion, too.
As for Haliburton, he only had a double-double against Cleveland, but he did in Game 1 here and in four of five against Milwaukee.
He'll always be a 10 and 10 candidate, and in this matchup, his playmaking will be especially leaned on given the Knicks' optionality on the wings.
This is a very small longshot play.
Pick: Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns to Record Double Doubles (+448, FanDuel)
