After a brief flirtation with baseball, we return to the NBA for this week’s DraftEasy picks. I love that DraftEasy is one of the rare sites to offer games that are just as much fun in the playoffs as in the regular season. We will have plenty of time for baseball come June and July, but until then, I will look to play as much NBA as possible. All three series in Friday’s slate change venues for the first time, so week that in mind when assessing these over/unders.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers

Victor Oladipo 3.5 STL+BS: UNDER

Oladipo played just 28 minutes in Game 2 thanks to a combination of two early fouls and Nate McMillan’s ineptitude. Oladipo averaged just 2.3 personal fouls per game during the regular season, and we can probably expect 35+ minutes from him in this game. He had four steals and a block in 37 minutes in Game 1, but he didn’t have more than two STL+BS in any of his four regular season games against the Cavs. No team has surrendered more opponent’s steals in the playoffs than the Cavs, but they ranked 12th in that category in the regular season while allowing the third fewest opponent’s blocks. I might take the under on 2.5.

LeBron James 30.5 PTS: OVER

LeBron is probably going to get some help from his teammates at some point, but with Kevin Love dealing with a left thumb injury, it is probably a safe bet LeBron will have to carry a heavy load offensively again if Cleveland will have a chance in Game 3.

Darren Collison 6.5 AST: UNDER

Collison had six assists in each of the first two games of this series. If he was going to rack up assists, you would think it would have been in Game 2 when Victor Oladipo was out for most of the first quarter. That being said, he did have over 6.5 assists in two of his four games against Cleveland in the regular season. Collison is averaging 9.5 potential assists per game in the playoffs, and he probably needs to up his potential assists to go over. I think he can do it.

Larry Nance Jr. 8.5 REB: UNDER

Larry Nance Jr. had five rebounds in each of the first two games of this series, and he has topped eight rebounds just once in April. LeBron and Kevin Love will almost certainly lead the Cavs in rebounds, and Nance is unlikely to approach double-digit rebounds while cleaning up the scraps.

 

Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks 

Giannis Antetokounmpo 3.5 STL+BS: OVER

Giannis had three steals and zero blocks in Game 1 and one of each in Game 2. He averaged 3.2 STL+BS at home in the regular season compared to 2.5 on the road. He went over 3.5 STL+BS in just one of his four regular season games against Boston. All that being said, Boston is a young team playing on the road, and if the Bucks play Giannis more at center and switch more on the pick and roll (as they should), both of those moves could help Giannis go over.

Jayson Tatum 17.5 PTS: UNDER

Tatum scored 19 points in Game 1 and just four in Game 2. He also lost some playing time to Marcus Morris in Game 2. Tatum is certainly capable of going over, but it feels much safer betting against a rookie in his first career road playoff game.

Al Horford 8.5 REB: UNDER

Horford had 12 rebounds in Game 1 but just five in Game 2. He also had five rebounds at Milwaukee April 3. Overall, he has gone over 8.5 rebounds just twice in his last seven games. This number feels awfully high.

Eric Bledsoe 6.5 AST: UNDER

Bledsoe has been completely dominated by Terry Rozier through two games, and even if he plays better at home, it may not necessarily lead to more assists. Bledsoe has failed to top four assists in any of his four games against Boston this season, and he has gone over 6.5 assists in just two of his last 13 games.