NBA playoffs: Mavericks vs. Warriors Game 1 player props and predictions

The Dallas Mavericks did it.

Chris Paul and the Suns put up one of the worst Game 7s in NBA history and we are set up for a fascinating Western Conference Finals. The series between Dallas and the Golden State Warriors begins with Game 1 Wednesday, May 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET on TNT.

Luka Doncic and the Mavericks look like they are playing their best basketball of the season. We could be in a place for the Mavericks to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.

Or, it could be the Warriors, who have been there and done that. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have won three NBA championships since 2015.

But regardless of who wins, there are always prop bets to be made. Below are three player props to make for Game 1 between Mavericks and Warriors.

Mavericks vs. Warriors Game 1 player prop bets

Jalen Brunson 6+ assists +630 (FanDuel)

Currently, Brunson’s assists total is at 2.5 (-180 on FanDuel). Brunson is the second primary ball-handler for the Mavericks and has taken several steps forward this year. This number is as high as it is because he has not had six assists since Doncic was out against the Jazz. However, these games are projected to be shootouts – much different than the Suns and Jazz, who feature an extremely slow pace of play.

NBA.com’s advanced stats say the Warriors have the fourth-fastest pace among playoff teams (99.82) which is a vast difference compared to the Jazz (91.25) and the Suns (94.12).

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With two teams running up and down the court firing shots, Brunson is only going to increase his production and stock as the future point guard of the Knicks. 8+ assists is +1600, unlikely, but a juicy play nonetheless.

Jordan Poole ‘over’ 1.5 3-pointers made -175 (DraftKings)

Poole is the clear third option for the Warriors as Klay Thompson came on strong in Game 6. The line is correcting on Poole, who was around -110 to hit 2.5 3-pointers early last series. He cooled down substantially, but the line has overcorrected here. It’s never fun laying juice like this but this is a good spot for Poole at home.

You could opt to ladder his 3-pointers made ( up to +4 3s made +550 on DraftKings)

Dwight Powell ‘over’ .5 blocks + steals +110 (BetMGM)

Backup center Dwight Powell is over this number in three out of four games between the Mavericks and Warriors. Even better, he may have finally carved out a role, playing 17 minutes in Game 6 and 20 minutes in Game 7 against the Suns.

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This is admittedly not the most common NBA player prop bet. However, this one coming in at plus money is an excellent spot. Golden State averages 15 turnovers per game. Steals are excellent player prop bets in this series for the Mavericks.