NBA Play-Ins: Who steps up for injured stars?

Unfortunately for fans of high-quality basketball, we're starved of tonight's full potential, as both Miami and New Orleans are without two pivotal pieces in Jimmy Butler and Zion Williamson. Both Butler and Williamson suffered injuries in their first play-in games, likely a contributing factor to their respective teams not clinching a playoff spot earlier this week. 

While their absence is a bummer for tonight's product, it does guide our prop betting decision-making.

The lack of stars is our North Star

Opportunity is the name of the game here. Butler and Williamson are both massive focal points of their offenses, so their absence opens up that aforementioned opportunity for others to step up.

On the Miami end, Jaime Jaquez Jr. is a name to know. Jaquez is rolling as is, netting 20, 18 and 15 points in his past three games for the Heat. It's his role when Butler can't go that really catches the eye. 

In 54 games with Butler this season, Jaquez averages 10.5 points per game in 26.1 minutes per game. In 22 games without Butler, Jaquez's averages balloon to 15.4 points per game on 33.1 minutes on average. He's over this 13.5 line in 14 of the 22 games, and with his elevated role, we're liking him to contribute offensively tonight.

Betting: Jaime Jaquez Jr. over 13.5 points (-118 DraftKings)

Then in New Orleans, there's a clear target in Jonas Valanciunas. The Pelicans big perhaps predictably is tasked with more work when Williamson can't go. In 71 games with Zion this season, Valanciunas averages 11.3 points in 22.7 minutes of game play, averaging 8.4 field goal attempts per game.

In 12 games without Zion, Valanciunas plays 27.6 minutes per game, shoots 11 field goals per game, and averages 17 points per game.

He's over tonight's line in 10 of the 12 games without the Pelicans star PF, which includes three games against the Kings, where Valanciunas has averaged 15.7 points per game.

Sign us up!

Betting: Jonas Valanciunas over 11.5 points (-122 FanDuel)

In the news ...

NHL playoff field set — The final two playoff matchups have been determined in the NHL, with the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights slated to meet the Dallas Stars, and the Edmonton Oilers facing off against the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers are -190 to win their series, and Dallas is -140 to take down the champs. We'll be previewing every series and getting you ready for the action all weekend over on the Yardbarker sports betting hub. For our Eastern Conference betting preview, hop in here. 

NFL Draft less than a week away — The first round of the NFL Draft is just six days away! If you were unfamiliar, there are quite a few different betting markets you can attack for the draft. The first round this year is expected to be primarily offensive players, with the over/under set at 21.5 offensive players taken in Round One. We've got you covered with bets to consider making at plus-money for next Thursday, including under 9.5 OL taken and over 6.5 WRs. 

NFL reinstates five players from indefinite suspensions due to gambling — Five NFL players have been reinstated from their indefinite suspensions on Thursday, all of whom have been serving punishments for violating the league's gambling policy. The group includes Detroit's Quintez Cephus, C.J. Moore and Demetrius Taylor, Washington's Shaka Toney and Indianapolis' Rashod Berry. One notable name who has not been reinstated is former Colts CB Isaiah Rodgers, now a member of the Eagles, who was one of the few players to gamble on his own team.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll. Follow him on Substack: griffybets.substack.com.