We have three NBA props for this Tuesday, focusing on a trio of key players who could be in line for noteworthy performances in Game 4 between the Knicks and Pacers tonight.
Continue below for my NBA player props for Tuesday, May 27.
NBA Player Props for Tuesday, May 27
- Josh Hart Over 12.5 Rebounds + Assists
- Mitchell Robinson Under 15.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
- T.J. McConnell Over 5.5 Rebounds + Assists
Josh Hart Over 12.5 Rebounds + Assists
Knicks vs. Pacers, 8:00 p.m. ET
After losing the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Knicks' head coach Tom Thibodeau switched things up by replacing Josh Hart in the starting lineup with Mitchell Robinson. That decision now looks like the right call as New York picked up its first win in the series.
With Hart out of the lineup, the team's second unit has a bit more balance. New York scored a series-high 22 points off the bench.
Therefore, Hart can be more productive in this role by having a greater impact as a reserve player. His rebounds + assists prop for Game 3 is available at 12.5 —a number he has cleared in 16 of his last 19 games when facing a bottom-10 defense for rebounds allowed.
The Pacers are woeful on the glass, posting the third-worst rebounding mark during the regular season with 41.8 per game.
Hart has also succeeded with this prop against Indiana, considering he covered this line in 12 of his last 16 meetings.
Coming off the bench should give Hart a greater purpose as the leader of that unit, making the over for his rebounds + assists prop even more enticing.
Pick: Josh Hart Over 12.5 Rebounds + Assists (-135, bet365)
Mitchell Robinson Under 15.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
Knicks vs. Pacers, 8:00 p.m. ET
There are certain limitations to inserting Robinson in the starting lineup. For example, he can be a target for opposing teams that aren't concerned about committing fouls and sending him to the free-throw line.
After all, Robinson is shooting just 38.5% from the charity stripe. While he's only a 52.2% career free-throw shooter, he posted his best regular-season mark at 68.4%.
However, the sample size was much smaller, as an ankle injury limited the Knicks' center to only 17 games.
And despite starting Game 3, he played precisely the same minutes (29) as he did off the bench in Game 2.
Robinson has a PRA (points, rebounds, and assists) prop of 15.5, which he has covered only twice in his last 19 games. Against the Pacers, he has also stayed under this number in each of the previous four meetings.
After staying under this prop line with 15 in Game 2, he managed only 13 as a starter in Game 3. Those numbers suggest there is likely a ceiling to his output, whether he's in the starting lineup or coming off the bench.
As a result, the under should have some value in this spot.
Pick: Mitchell Robinson Under 15.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-120, Caesars)
T.J. McConnell Over 5.5 Rebounds + Assists
Knicks vs. Pacers, 8:00 p.m. ET
I'm always mindful of players' minutes when it comes to props because it can be helpful when identifying players outperforming their projections.
Indiana's point guard, T.J. McConnell, is certainly one who comes to mind because he wastes very little time hitting the ground running when he comes off the bench.
During the regular season, McConnell averaged 6.8 rebounds + assists while playing 17.9 minutes. In the playoffs, he has increased his output to 7.3 RA despite logging fewer minutes (16.2).
His rebounds + assists prop of 5.5 is a number he has cleared in six straight home games and seven of his last eight meetings against the Knicks.
As the point guard, McConnell will always have the ball in his hands, and the Pacers are the best team in the playoff assists category with 28.5 assists per game.
He's also a surprisingly good rebounder for someone who is only 6-foot-1. While McConnell's game is flashy, he's about as reliable as they come.
His rebounds + assists prop tops the list as my favorite play on Tuesday's card.
Pick: T.J. McConnell Over 5.5 Rebounds + Assists (-122, FanDuel)
