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NBA Finals Game 6 player props: Wiggins, Smart undervalued as scorers

Jesse D. Garrabrant / National Basketball Association / Getty

We split our two player props from Game 5 - we couldn't have scripted it any better fading Stephen Curry after his Game 4 eruption, but Al Horford's paltry assist total left us just shy of cashing his combined prop.

Here's what we're playing in the props market for Thursday's Game 6:

Andrew Wiggins over 28.5 points + rebounds + assists (-106)

This number might be a tick or two too high after Wiggins' dominant showing in Game 5, but it's still too low given how integral he's become to the Warriors' attack over the second half of this series.

The former No. 1 pick is averaging 18.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists (29.4 combined) in these Finals and has flown past this mark in each of the last two games thanks to his tenacity on the boards. His 16 rebounds in Game 4 were a playoff career high; his 13 rebounds in Game 5 were his second-most on this stage, as the Celtics have struggled to box him out.

Wiggins' aggressiveness as a scorer is what swings this prop to a juicy over play. He's scored at least 17 points in three straight games, with many of those shots coming completely uncontested or lightly defended in the mid-range. Boston simply can't afford to commit too much attention to Wiggins given the myriad shooters surrounding him - which makes him a comfortable bet to score 18-22 points with a high rebounding total to boot.

Marcus Smart over 15.5 points (-113)

I'm surprised oddsmakers are dealing Smart's scoring prop so low, as the Celtics guard has dropped 18-plus points in three straight games and five of his last six dating back to the conference finals. His team will need a similar showing to keep its season alive on Thursday.

Smart was the catalyst for Boston's second-half surge to briefly take the lead in Game 5, and he hasn't shied away from seizing the moment in these playoffs, averaging 18.7 points in three elimination games. He hasn't been the most efficient in that spot - he's shooting 18-of-47 (38.3%) in those three contests - but his elite defense and solid playmaking have kept him on the court for 37-plus minutes in all three.

He's been a fixture on the court in this series, too, playing at least 39 minutes in each of the last three games. When Smart is on the court, he's not afraid to shoot - he's played 39-plus minutes in eight games this postseason and has taken 15 or more shots in seven of them; he's scored at least 18 points in seven of eight contests, too.

It all adds up to clear scoring upside for Smart, who figures to be a central figure in the Celtics' Game 6 game plan. Assuming he plays a heavy minutes load, he's a sure bet to hoist shots, which bodes well for the over on this prop.

C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.

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