Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies (Series Tied 2-2)
D’Angelo Russell Over 16.5 Points | -125 at DraftKings
DLo can be hard to predict, but when he gets aggressive on offense he’s liable to score well into the 20s. But this one could be most dependent on Karl-Anthony Towns. If Towns comes out like he did in Game 4, then it will take some efficiency for Russell to get to his points over.
But if Towns’ production is similar to his performances in the first three, someone will have to pick up the slack and those shots have been going mostly to Russell. Anthony Edwards is still young and hesitates to play the ball-dominant position late in games that he eventually will own. For now, Edwards is fairly consistent and if Towns gets in foul trouble early, expect a ton of shots out of Russell.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat (MIA Leads Series 3-1)
Adebayo has been excellent in this series against the Hawks — who in all fairness are missing a big piece in Clint Capela. But regardless, Adebayo has been getting great looks all series and dominating the boards. The only reason his numbers have been low is the usage. He’s still nursing a slight injury and — other than the Hawks’ win — these games haven’t been particularly close.
In Game 4, Adebayo only played 30 minutes and wasn’t needed. In an elimination game, I believe the Hawks will be able to keep this one a little closer, which will necessitate Adebayo’s play late in the game. The points are a given, but getting to 10 rebounds should be no problem if he’s over 30 minutes.