Griffin Wong details his top Mikal Bridges prop bet for tonight’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
Prior to Game 1, only two members of the New York Knicks had previously played in the NBA Finals. Jordan Clarkson was a reserve for the 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers, and Mikal Bridges was the starting small forward on the 2020-21 Phoenix Suns. OG Anunoby was technically a member of the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors, but due to an emergency appendectomy that he underwent before the playoffs, he did not appear in a single minute of the Finals.
The last time Bridges played in the Finals, Game 2 treated him well. That game, he dropped 27 points on eight-for-15 shooting as the Suns took a 2-0 lead in a series they would eventually go on to lose, 4-2. Tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET, he’ll hope to help the Knicks take a 2-0 lead over the San Antonio Spurs.
New York is a 6.5-point underdog for tonight’s clash at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set to 215.5. Below, I’ve detailed my favorite prop bet centered around Bridges.
Best Mikal Bridges Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Mikal Bridges 2+ Steals (+164)
Bridges had a relatively quiet Game 1, attempting only six shots (all inside the arc), ending a nine-game streak of scoring at least 12 points. Still, he didn’t need to have a huge offensive night to be impactful overall, as the Knicks were plus-11 with him on the floor, thanks in part to his two steals, both of which led directly to buckets. All in all, he’s had at least two steals in five of his last seven games. It’s possible that some of his crunch time minutes will be taken by Shamet, given San Antonio’s vulnerability to opposing three-point shooters and Shamet’s hot form, but +164 odds still makes this impeccable value.
The Spurs weren’t a very turnover-prone team during the regular season, but they’ve been the league’s sixth-most vulnerable to giveaways so far these playoffs and coughed up 13 in Game 1. Bridges’ matchup should also help; he spent much of his time in Game 1 guarding De’Aaron Fox, and while Fox does a good job taking care of the ball, he most frequently receives passes from Stephon Castle, who’s far more volatile. Plus, it’s possible — perhaps even likely — that San Antonio adjusts its rotations after Fox was thoroughly out-played by Dylan Harper, and the Spurs allowed a combined 28 steals in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, which Fox missed. Fox obviously won’t be cut out of the rotation entirely, but any minutes adjustment would mean more ball-handling duty for Castle and more chaos as a result.
