NBA

Clark's 'Caps: Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets Game 1 player prop predictions

USA Today Sportsbookwire

The 2-seed Brooklyn Nets tip-off Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series with the 3-seed Milwaukee Bucks Saturday in Barclays Center at 7:30 p.m. ET. Below, we'll highlight the top NBA player prop predictions for Bucks-Nets Game 1.

Milwaukee won and covered two of the three regular-season games against Brooklyn but the Bucks were fully-loaded in all three meetings while the Nets had only two of their Big 3 in each game.

This matchup feels like a heavyweight fight as both teams bring their own Big 3 and, while Brooklyn's head honchos have a better playoff pedigree, Milwaukee's depth could be the difference-maker in this series.

Also see:Bucks at Nets Game 1 odds, picks and prediction

Bucks at Nets NBA player prop bet predictions

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports' betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:03 p.m. ET.

Milwaukee Bucks PF Giannis Antetokounmpo OVER 32.5 points (-120)

The "Greek Freak" had his way with Brooklyn during the regular season, scoring 39.7 points per game with above-average 3-point and free-throw percentages and putting up at least 34 points in all three Bucks-Nets games including a season-high 49 points May 2.

I don't see any reason for Giannis to have trouble in Game 1 because he's playing aggressively-averaging the second-most paint points per game in the postseason (15.5 PPG)-and Brooklyn doesn't have an interior presence.

In the three regular-season Bucks-Nets meetings, Giannis averaged 18.7 paint points per game and the Nets have Blake Griffin as their projected starting center for Game 1.

It would be pretty surprising if Brooklyn didn't try to speed up the tempo to get Milwaukee in a shootout given the Nets' lack of size.

BET Giannis OVER 32.5 points (-120) for 1 unit.

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Brooklyn Nets SG James Harden OVER 45.5 points, rebounds & assists "PRA" (-125)

You could make the argument that Harden has assimilated into his role on Brooklyn easier and more seamlessly than Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Harden became the most important cog in the Nets' offensive machine by adapting into more of a playmaker than a scorer. While his 28.4% usage rate is lower than both KD and Kyrie's, he leads the Nets in offensive box +/- and is top of the Big 3 in Win Shares per 48 minutes.

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Furthermore, Harden dismantled the Boston Celtics in the last three games of Brooklyn's first-round series with a 46 "PRA" or more in Games 3-5 vs. the Celtics.

Also, Harden has eclipsed 45.5 "PRA" in his last five games against Bucks PG Jrue Holiday, which includes the only regular-season Bucks-Nets game Harden was active for.

BET J. Harden OVER 45.5 points, rebounds and assists (-125) for 1 unit.

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