Look for Mavs to handle Clippers in Game 5
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The NBA playoffs continue to deliver thrilling finishes. Tuesday's Sixers miracle and the Cavs' nail-biting win continued a streak of phenomenal and intense playoff basketball.
There are only two games Wednesday, with the Heat facing elimination, so here are our plays for each:
Mavericks @ Clippers (+3, O/U 208.5)
Kawhi Leonard is out for the Clippers and will likely watch the remainder of the series. The good news for L.A.: It won both games without Leonard and lost both games with him.
Luka Doncic is playing through a knee injury, but he's had two days of rest since Sunday's Game 4. That extra day of rest should help.
The Clippers also deserve credit for executing a sound defensive game plan intended to get the ball out of Doncic's hands. Doncic has improved as a defender throughout this season, but he was a liability defensively in Game 4 on a hobbled leg. James Harden continuously blew by Doncic, who should be switched onto a lesser player moving forward.
Expect the Mavs to make that adjustment, along with others to limit the Clippers' Leonard-less attack. Without Leonard, the Mavs are the better group with the series' best player. As simple as it sounds, this will come down to Dallas making shots and limiting L.A.'s threes, which I trust Dallas will do consistently.
Pick: Mavs -3
Al Horford: Over 7.5 rebounds
It's only logical to target Horford's player props in the absence of starting center Kristaps Porzingis. Horford will move into the starting lineup and play significantly more minutes as Porzingis recovers from a calf injury.
Porzingis was never a monstrous rebounder for Boston, which takes a team approach to rebounding. Porzingis plays a lot of stretch-big, meaning he hangs out on the perimeter. Horford will have to assume that role to a degree to create more space.
Horford averaged 6.4 rebounds in 26 minutes per night during the season. He grabbed eight boards in two of the last three games in this series. He'll play well over 30 minutes, so there should be plenty of chances to capitalize on the glass.
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.