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There aren’t many holidays more important than Mother’s Day, if you ask me. The old lady’s done so much for us, and we can never pay it back. So, the least we can do is find a thoughtful present to say “thank you.” If you’re hoping to break through the noise and find the one-and-only present that will make mom feel special, check out our pick of places to buy Mother’s Day gift in Chicago this year!

Image Credit: A2B Essentials

Use code URBANMATTER for 10% off your entire order at chekc-out!

This newly launched female-owned Chicago-based company that makes gender-free products infused with the benefits of sage. Chicago native, mom of three and longtime creative director, Bridget Daley, spent over two years developing packaging, securing manufacturing and bringing her first product to market. A2B Essential’s first offering, a dual pack personal cleansing sage wipe, launched this month and is now on the shelves at NOMAD Chicago – with more Chicago retailers and partnerships in the works.

5200 Pearl St, Rosemont, IL 60018

Is your mom into healthy lifestyles and specifically, yoga? Well, pamper her with a FREE hour-long yoga session as The Rose Hotel partners with powHerhouse fitness studio. On May 7th from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. enjoy a nice sweat and follow the workout with a brunch in Thorn offering $7 Mimosa and Bloody Mary specials. Perfect for the healthy Mom in your life! Registration is required and can be made here.

122 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603

Leave the stress of the world behind and treat yourself and your mom by booking the “Relax & Renew” package at The Gray this Mother’s Day. Enjoy a 60 or 90-minute in-room massage while staying in one of the hotel’s luxurious rooms or suites. Feeling a little tired or weary? The Gray also offers guests a package to reset and fight seasonal depression. Book the “SAD Reset…Is as Easy as LBC” package, which includes luxe accommodations, in-room personalized meditation and yoga session videos, an in-room yoga mat, and two Concierge Cocktails (Zero-Proof Edition).

1535 N Dayton St, Chicago, IL 60642

As Chicago’s premier balloon boutique and showroom, Luft Balloon is continuing to spread joy throughout the city with their creative balloon bouquets for Mother’s Day. The perfect gift to celebrate an amazing woman in your life, Luft Balloons is offering a variety of balloons this year, from the Super-Power-Mama bouquet ($38) to the Sweet-Mama balloon bouquet ($38), available for pick up or delivery in Chicago. Gifts are available for purchase on the Luft website.

1812 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60622

This Mother‘s Day, Flowers for Dreams will be launching its Open Studio sessions, a new weekly in-person floral design experience at all locations. In these self-guided sessions, you’ll select fresh blooms from our rotating seasonal menu to create your very own arrangement right here in our floral studio. You can purchase one of our specialty vases or bring your own. Look out for rotating weekly themes to keep things fresh and exciting! More on the workshops can be found here.

2358 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Show Mom the love she deserves with decadent offerings from the KOHLER Original Recipe Chocolates Spring Collection, a fun seasonal spring burst of flavor including Pink Lemonade, Orange Dream, Key Lime, and Watermelon in a dark chocolate shell. Also available is the classic Love Collection, wine-inspired Dark Chocolate Hearts in three new flavors: Pinot Noir, Champagne and Rosé. Additionally, shoppers can receive a free 4-piece box of Pinot Noir Hearts chocolates with any purchase of $50 or more now through May 8.

Image Credit: Goddess and Grocer

1649 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Made by women for women! The best Mother’s Day Gift in Chicago this year goes to the epic gift basket featuring local and women-owned brands that any mom would love — the Every Mom is a Goddess Gift Basket! The basket is filled with local snacks, Torres Truffle Potato Chips, Katherine Anne Chocolate Truffles, Tost Sparkling Rose Tea, Goddess Hand-Decorated MOM Cookie, Goddess Flower Cupcake in a terracotta pot, Victory Dance Granola, Somm picked wine in a varietal of her choice, Rejuvenating Viva Naturals Face Mask, Sweet Water “Best Mom Ever” Candle, Gifts from Diptyque + more.

1724 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL 60201

Oh, come on! What Mom doesn’t want some chocolate for her holiday? Select your own assortment or choose one of the store’s pre-made gift boxes. Wine-filled truffles, classic chocolate barks, fudge, or chocolate-dipped goodies… If your mom is a sweet tooth and she said you didn’t have to get anything for Mother’s Day, you know it’s your cue to put a pick-up order at Kilwins!

Create a unique gift box for the coolest lady in your life! If you’re a Chicagoan, you’ve got to love Fox Trot Market. This year, they’re running a special Moments w/ Mom delivery program for those wanting the best Mother’s Day gift in Chicago. Check out gorgeous, colorful bouquets all grown and arranged locally from cards, gifts, wines, snacks, and everything else!

Here Here Market, the online marketplace for true food enthusiasts and a career launchpad for the next generation of culinary creators in Chicago, offers several Mother’s Day gifting options! The Female Founders collection includes OG, Snack to the Max and Sauce Spice & Everything Nice. Last-minute curbside pickup at The Merchandise Mart will be available Monday, May 2 through Friday, May 6.

Featured Image Credit: Fox Trot

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You’ve got your Mother’s Day gift. But wait! You can’t just hand it over like that! That’s too plain, too boring, too… underappreciating! Instead, we dare you to make a reservation at the best Mother’s Day brunch spots in Chicago this year and treat your Mom right. Whether you’re looking for food specials, mimosas and wines, or even free roses for your mom, you’ll find something from this list. Happy holiday, mom!

1631 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201

Come for brunch or lunch at Found Kitchen for Mother’s Day this year. Choose from banana bread, classic breakfast sandwiches, to more savory items such as tempura asparagus, baked Japanese eggplant, or Trout Chilaquiles. Treat your mom to a light, refreshing, and delicious meal that fits the spring weather.

87 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601

Located on the iconic corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive on the second level of the LondonHouse, this brilliant seafood restaurant is celebrating Mother’s Day with a new brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests can select from a variety of appetizers, soups, salads, seafood and steak-focused entrees, signature cocktails, and a wine list while taking in views of Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River. To book a reservation, please visit OpenTable.

3335 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657

Join Wood this Mother’s Day for the ultimate brunch. Located in Chicago’s Northalsted neighborhood, the six-time Michelin Bib Gourmand winner is the perfect spot to celebrate. Chef Devin Kreller is offering the full brunch menu and has added a special in honor of Mother’s Day, Crab Cake a la George Perrier. Each mom that dines at Wood will also be gifted flowers.

2075 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Located just steps from Lincoln Park and Lincoln Park Zoo, Gemini is the ultimate brunch destination to celebrate Mother’s Day. Gemini will be offering a variety of specials for Mom’s and guests. For $25.00, guests can indulge in bottomless brunch staples such as Mimosas, Bellinis, Pauly G’s Bloody Mary, margaritas, wines, beers, and more! Try the new brunch items including cinnamon rolls, Croissant Breakfast Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, salads, and more.

456 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

In River North, Roka Akor’s (456 N Clark St) Mother‘s Day menu will feature a three-course dinner menu plus dessert with menu highlights including Shrimp & Lobster Dumplings; Flamed Seared Salmon Nigiri; Robata Grilled Sea Bass with 5 spice carrot puree; and for dessert guests will enjoy a piece of chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Drink pairings are available for an additional cost. The special Mother‘s Day menu will be available on Sunday, May 8th from 4:00 to 9:00pm and costs $105+ per person. Reservations can be made here.

PS: Other Roka Akor locations are featuring different Mother’s Day brunch menus! So, make sure you check their website for more info!

Image Credit: RACHEL BIRES

81 E Wacker Pl, Chicago, IL 60601

“Tea-off” the day with a stunning spiked tea service at Bar Pendry this Mother’s Day. Sip on a selection of boozy, tea-forward cocktails available in stunning large format punchbowls or as single servings, such as the Carbide Flip featuring Smoked Walnut Russian Caeavan Tea Orgeat, rye, egg, mole bitters, and allspice dram.

With tipsy beverages a la carte, the $65/person pricing gets you an opulent Tea Tower loaded with sweet and savory bites like Smoked Salmon rolls, Truffled Egg Tartlette, Brown Butter Chai Scones, and Chocolate Hazelnut Verrine paired with bottomless nonalcoholic tea by La Maison du Thé.

640 N LaSalle Dr 8th floor, Chicago, IL 60654

If a coastal trip through Southwest Europe isn’t in the cards for mom this Mother’s Day, brunch at Iberian Coast-inspired open-air retreat, bar avec may be the closest thing you can get. Newly reopened for the season, bar avec is propped up on the 8th floor of sister concept avec River North and offers sweeping skyline views and a breezy vibe that’s complemented by Spanish and Portuguese influenced fare featuring seasonal vegetables and bright seafood plates.

113-125 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607

Treat mom to Chicago’s newest and hottest restaurant, Sueños at Soho Friends. The elevated mariscos restaurant highlights borderless baja cuisine, including Tuna Tostada with yellowfin, leche de tigre, diosa roja, avocado, and salsa macha; Avocado + Asparagus Salad with mint, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, and aged cheese; Pancakes with plantains, mascarpone, and berries; and Chilaquiles Rojo with egg, añejo cheese, crema, and avocado, and many more. Chef Stephen Sandoval is showing appreciation to all mother figures on the special day by offering a free mom-osa to every mom.

118 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL 60523

Special for the weekend, enjoy Burrata Gnocchi with white truffle fonduta, local burrata and shaved parmesan, Scallop Risotto with creamy arborio rice, brown butter and asparagus, and White Chocolate Cheesecake with mascarpone whipped cream, raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries, all available for dine-in, carryout and delivery. The regular menu will be available as well.

Summer House in Lincoln Park will be open for brunch and dinner offering regular dine-in menus, delivery and carryout. While you’re there, make sure to treat your mom to a bottle of Summer House’s newest release Rose. Its flavors are perfect for the weather and the occasion both!

all locations

Forget the flowers, treat mom to something she’ll really enjoy: Brunch at all Old Town Pour House locations (Rock N’ Roll Brunch), and Sweetwater! Reservations are now available for brunch on Mother’s Day, where delectable brunch favorites can be paired with refreshing “Mom’osa” Flights ($24). Mom can choose four different delicious versions of this cocktail favorite including classic, Bellini, Tropical, Rose, and several others!

All locations

Celebrate Mom and join The Hampton Social’s for brunch or dinner. The menu features Bang Bang Chicken, Salmon Poke, Oyster Platter, Goat Cheese Spread, and various soups and salads. And don’t forget to cheers Mom with a complimentary glass of sparkling rosé on her special day.

Image Credit: Bartoli’s

1955 W. Addison, St. Chicago, IL 60613

658 N. Ashland Ave. Chicago, IL 60622

Chicagoans can treat Mom to a Chicago classic this Mother’s Day with Bartoli’s original deep dish and tavern-style pies. All customers will receive a complimentary dessert for Mom with the mention of “Mother’s Day” when they place an order of $30 or more.* Mom can choose from dessert options including Cannoli, Eli’s Cheesecake, Tiramisu or Brownie.

Featured Image Credit: bar avec patio by KATIE YANCU

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Last weekend’s NFL Draft came and went faster than Tom Brady’s return from retirement. And despite the quiet lead up to this year’s event, the 2022 NFL Draft didn’t fail to make some noise once the clock started rolling. There were plenty of trades made on night one to kick the weekend off. Two of the bigger ones involved receivers A.J. Brown and Marquise Brown being sent to new teams. But around here, we’re only focused on one team and how they drafted. So, let’s dive right into some Chicago Bears draft grades for Ryan Poles first go-around!

Round 2 – A Secondary Rebuild

Our first set of Chicago Bears draft grades starts with the selections the team made in round 2 of the NFL draft. With the 39th and 48th overall pick in round two, the Bears looked to address some needs they had in the secondary.

For their first pick of the NFL draft, the Bears selected cornerback Kyler Gordon from Washington. Now, according to Poles, having Gordon available at 39 was something the team wasn’t really expecting. They ran a few mock drafts, and Gordon was only available with the 39th pick in one of them. Because of that, Poles essentially told everyone to ignore him, as it was better to act like he wouldn’t be there. That all changed on Friday night though. Gordon projects to have an immediate impact on the defensive with a skillset that’s suited to fit an Eberflus zone-defense. Over time, the team hopes he can develop into a full-time star in the secondary.

With their second pick, Poles and the Bears continued to build their secondary by selecting Jaquan Brisker, a safety from Penn State. Like Gordon, the hopes are that Brisker starts contributing right away on the field come gametime. The Bears are also super high on Brisker for what he can bring to the locker room and the team’s culture, as he’s extremely driven and has the traits of a leader.

For the second round, we’re giving out a strong A for the first of our Chicago Bears draft grades.

Rounds 3 & 5 – Addressing the Offense

Up next comes the picks from rounds 3 and 5 for our Chicago Bears draft grades.

With their third round pick at #71, the Bears switched things up and selected Velus Jones Jr., a wide receiver from Tennessee. At 25 years old, Jones is an older rookie who has plenty of speed to do some damage in the NFL. The Bears are pretty high on him, and the rest of us fans should be too. Jones isn’t necessarily coming in as the #1 guy for Fields, but it doesn’t mean he can’t have some impact as a dynamic weapon for our young QB.

The Bears next picks in round 5 were two that they didn’t initially have coming into the 2022 NFL draft. After some savvy maneuvering by Poles, the Bears traded away picks 148 and 150 in the second round to acquire additional draft capital in the later rounds. This ended up with them having picks 168 and 174 in the fifth round. 

They used those two picks to select Braxton Jones, an offensive tackle from Southern Utah, and Dominique Robinson, an edge rusher from Miami Ohio. Like many fifth round picks, Jones expects to develop as an offensive lineman before seeing serious reps as a starter. He has some promising speed, and one trait that you can’t teach, coach, or train for: arm length.

As for Dominique Robinson, this new pass rusher is another development project the Bears hope to mold into a starter down the road. He’s known for his athletic traits, and up until 2020 he played as a 6’ 5”, 252-pound wide receiver. How would you like to guard that? The rookie will have plenty of opportunity to learn and grow behind the Bears strong pass rushing core that’s lead by Robert Quinn.

For rounds 3 and 5, we’re going to go ahead and give the team a B- for the second of our Chicago Bears draft grades.

Rounds 6 & 7 – The Gem Hunt

Last, but certainly not least, comes the six draft picks the Bears used in rounds 6 and 7. Initially, Poles only had one selection past round 6, with pick number 186. But, like we talked about earlier, he turned to trades to acquire five more picks in the latter rounds. Here’s who we selected:

6th Round, Pick 186: Zachary Thomas – Offensive Lineman from San Diego State

Pick 203: Trestan Ebner – Running Back from Baylor

Pick 207: Doug Cramer – Center from Illinois

7th Round, Pick 226: Ja’Tyre Carter – Offensive Lineman from Southern

Pick 254: Elijah Hicks – Safety from California

Pick 255: Trenton Gill – Punter from NC State

That’s quite a few guys if you ask us. Let’s start with the sixth round picks:

Zachary Thomas is a young lineman Poles sees as a piece of depth that can develop into a starter down the road with his athletic capabilities. Trestan Ebner projects to make a splash on special teams as a return man. He had three kickoff returns in 2022 with Baylor. Doug Kramer was the Bears last selection of the sixth round. As a quick and smart center, the Bears hope to watch him grow and develop early in his career.

At pick 226, Ja’Tyre Carter is another o-lineman that will need to develop in order to produce in the NFL. What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in pure strength, size, and length. Elijah Hicks, the second safety the Bears chose in 2022, is a young prospect who will be competing for a roster spot in the Bear’s needy secondary. And finally, Trenton Gill, a punter from NC State who averaged 45.1 yards per punt his senior year. He’ll look to compete with Ryan Winslow for the starting job now that Pat O’Donnell is no longer with the team.

For rounds 6 and 7, we’re putting some weight on the sheer volume of picks and giving out another B- for this Chicago Bears draft grade.

All-in-all, we give the team a B for the last of our Chicago Bears draft grades. While they didn’t go all-in on some weapons for Fields, they did address plenty of important concerns at the secondary and o-line. While a lot of their picks came in the later rounds, the Bears should be hopeful that at least one or two turn into serious starters in a few years. It’ll be up to the new coaching staff to help the young additions reach their potential. But, with Poles and Eberflus leading the way, our hopes are high that us Bears fans will have a lot more to cheer for soon!

Featured Image Credit: Chicago Bears Instagram

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Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is the latest big name to acquire a stake in NJ/NY Gotham FC. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant has been named as a minority owner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club NJ/NY Gotham FC, it was announced Wednesday.

Thirty Five Ventures (35V), which was co-founded by the Brooklyn Nets star and entrepreneur Rich Kleiman, becomes the third different party to acquire a stake in the club since March.

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Durant is the latest sporting figure to obtain a stake in the NWSL club after ex-U.S. women’s national team star Carli Lloyd also became a minority owner six months after retiring from the game. The NBA star joins an ownership group led by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy. The other minority owners are Kristin Bernert, Karen Bryant and Ed Nalbandian.

“As a New York-based company, the opportunity for us to partner with a forward-thinking team like Gotham FC was a no brainer,” 35V co-founder Rich Kleiman said in a news release.

“There’s been so much growth in the NWSL in recent years, and the chance to be a part of that growth and work directly with the Gotham FC executive team and players is really exciting.”

Gotham managing owner Nalbandian added: “This is another big step forward for our franchise. Kevin and Rich are two of the most influential people in sports and their work in the business and entertainment world and their significant investment in Gotham FC illustrates the potential of our club.

“They will be tremendous resources to the club across multiple areas and we’re excited to welcome them to the Gotham FC family.”

Gotham will host its first home match of the 2022 campaign against the North Carolina Courage on May 14.

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All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

What you need to know for Wednesday’s playoff games

Backing off Brunson: The Mavs ranked fifth in percentage of points from beyond the arc during the regular season, something that they should look to embrace against the top-seeded Suns. But while Dallas has largely built a roster to embrace this style, Jalen Brunson might be the odd man out. Just one of Brunson’s 16 shots in Game 1 came from distance, and that isn’t an accident given he has shot 23.8% from 3-point range over the past two weeks. Brunson is not spreading the floor with Luka Doncic back in the lineup, he is no longer required to be a playmaker. The Mavs are clearly running their offense through Doncic, and that means Brunson will continue to draw tough matchups. He might play better tonight than he did in Game 1, but be careful in assuming he will bounce back and hit his scoring prop of 18.5 points against Phoenix’s strong defenders.

Go-to option: The Heat identified James Harden as the leader of the 76ers’ offense without Joel Embiid on the court Monday night, and that opened the door for Tobias Harris to produce. Harris had 27 points, 23 field goals + free throw attempts and four assists + turnovers. He led the team in minutes and shots while accounting for 5.6% of Philadelphia’s assists. With Embiid’s status still uncertain, Harris should be in a good spot to hit his scoring props in Game 2.

Tyler the creator: Tyler Herro has become quite the creator in the playoffs with Kyle Lowry out. His assist percentage leaps from 19% to 24.7% when Lowry is not on the floor, and he is likely to play around 30 minutes with a robust usage rate. Herro’s assist prop of 3.5 might be worth considering tonight.

Exploiting Jordan: The 76ers have been committed to starting DeAndre Jordan in Embiid’s absence and Bam Adebayo has dominated the soft matchup. The 76ers were minus-12 in Jordan’s first four minutes on the floor in Game 1 and minus-22 in his 17 total minutes on Monday night. Adebayo’s scoring and rebounding props stand out tonight as he continues to face one of the weakest defensive centers in the NBA.

DFS in DFS: Dorian Finney-Smith has averaged 12.4 rebounding chances per game during the playoffs, ranking second on the Mavericks behind Doncic. Dallas has relied on a smaller lineup recently, making Finney-Smith a viable building block in DFS competition given his ability to stretch the floor and clean the glass. He has averaged 28 combined points, assists and rebounds over the team’s past two playoff games, and his PAR prop of 19.5 appears achievable.

— Jim McCormick & Kyle Soppe

Breaking down today’s games

Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat
7:30 p.m ET, FTX Arena, Miami

Line: Heat (-8)
Money line: Heat (-440), 76ers (+340)
Total: 207.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 209.4 points
BPI Win%: Heat (80.3%)

Questionable: Tyler Herro (left ankle sprain), P.J. Tucker (calf), Caleb Martin (ankle), Gabe Vincent (knee irritation), Max Strus (hamstring)

Ruled out: Joel Embiid (concussion), Kyle Lowry (hamstring)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play

Notable: Six straight Heat games have gone under the point total, and that’s with Vegas dropping its projection in three straight games (four straight if tonight’s line closes under 208.5).

Compete for $40,000 throughout the NBA postseason! Make Your Picks

Best bet: Bam Adebayo over 29.5 points + rebounds. Philadelphia allowed 51 points on 32 defensive possessions during DeAndre Jordan‘s 17:17 on the floor. Doc Rivers said Jordan will start again in Game 2, meaning Adebayo should have a big night. — Eric Moody

Best bet: James Harden under 40.5 points + assists + rebounds. I’m going to keep hammering this until the market adjusts it to the mid 30s. Harden is clearly not the player he once was in terms of athleticism and explosion. Without that part of his offensive package, his overall efficiency has dipped precipitously. Add in the absence of Embiid — allowing the Heat defense to further focus on limiting Harden — and it’s a recipe for poor production from The Beard. Harden mustered up just 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in Game 1 and came under this threshold in five of the 76ers’ seven postseason games. — Tyler Fulghum

Best bet: Tyler Herro over 18.5 points. The 76ers did not have an answer for Herro in Game 1. He became the first Heat player to record at least 25 points and five assists off the bench in a playoff game. Herro’s production should continue tonight with Lowry still out — Moody

Best bet: 76ers under 99.5 total points. The Heat have the second-best defensive rating in the playoffs thus far, allowing only 101.9 points per 100 possessions. In addition, both the Heat (94.7 possessions/game) and the 76ers (91.4 possessions/game) have played at a much slower pace in the postseason. Miami has been particularly stingy on defense at home, with their opponents averaging only 95.5 PPG and under 99.5 points in three of the past four home games. — Andre Snellings

Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns
10 p.m ET, Footprint Center, Phoenix

Line: Suns (-6)
Money line: Suns (-260), Mavericks (+210)
Total: 216 points
BPI Projected Total: 213.2 points
BPI Win%: Suns (71.1%)

Notable: Five of Phoenix’s past six games have gone over the total, with three of those games going over by at least 10 points.

Best bet: Chris Paul over 9.5 assists. Game 1 between the Suns and Mavericks wasn’t as close as the score suggested. Paul dished out only three assists, and I doubt that will be the case in Game 2. He has averaged 9.0 APG in the playoffs over the past two seasons. — Eric Moody

Best bet: Luka Doncic over 51.5 points + assists + rebounds

While it’s reasonable to expect some regression from his 45 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in Game 1, we’re still talking about Luka Doncic here. He played 44 minutes in Game 1, took 30 shots and got to the free throw line 14 times. Unless the Suns are blowing the Mavs out of the water, it’s reasonable to expect similar usage in Game 2, even if his minutes drop a tick or two. Doncic has averaged 33.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 17 career playoff games. This dude is just a big game hunter … and this is a pretty big game. — Fulghum

Best bet: Deandre Ayton over 29.5 points + rebounds. Dallas will have a hard time slowing Ayton down with Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber. Ayton dominated the paint Monday night, going 9-for-15 while shooting over the Mavericks’ smaller defender. I expect more of the same in Game 2. — Moody

1 Related

Best bet: Devin Booker over 35.5 points + assists + rebounds. Booker played 38 minutes in Game 1 and looked much closer to his usual self than in the final game of the first round. Aside from the game in which Booker was injured and his first game back, he has averaged over 35.5 PAR in nine of 10 games. — Andre Snellings

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All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

What you need to know for Wednesday’s playoff games

Backing off Brunson: The Mavs ranked fifth in percentage of points from beyond the arc during the regular season, something that they should look to embrace against the top-seeded Suns. But while Dallas has largely built a roster to embrace this style, Jalen Brunson might be the odd man out. Just one of Brunson’s 16 shots in Game 1 came from distance, and that isn’t an accident given he has shot 23.8% from 3-point range over the past two weeks. Brunson is not spreading the floor with Luka Doncic back in the lineup, he is no longer required to be a playmaker. The Mavs are clearly running their offense through Doncic, and that means Brunson will continue to draw tough matchups. He might play better tonight than he did in Game 1, but be careful in assuming he will bounce back and hit his scoring prop of 18.5 points against Phoenix’s strong defenders.

Go-to option: The Heat identified James Harden as the leader of the 76ers’ offense without Joel Embiid on the court Monday night, and that opened the door for Tobias Harris to produce. Harris had 27 points, 23 field goals + free throw attempts and four assists + turnovers. He led the team in minutes and shots while accounting for 5.6% of Philadelphia’s assists. With Embiid’s status still uncertain, Harris should be in a good spot to hit his scoring props in Game 2.

Tyler the creator: Tyler Herro has become quite the creator in the playoffs with Kyle Lowry out. His assist percentage leaps from 19% to 24.7% when Lowry is not on the floor, and he is likely to play around 30 minutes with a robust usage rate. Herro’s assist prop of 3.5 might be worth considering tonight.

Exploiting Jordan: The 76ers have been committed to starting DeAndre Jordan in Embiid’s absence and Bam Adebayo has dominated the soft matchup. The 76ers were minus-12 in Jordan’s first four minutes on the floor in Game 1 and minus-22 in his 17 total minutes on Monday night. Adebayo’s scoring and rebounding props stand out tonight as he continues to face one of the weakest defensive centers in the NBA.

DFS in DFS: Dorian Finney-Smith has averaged 12.4 rebounding chances per game during the playoffs, ranking second on the Mavericks behind Doncic. Dallas has relied on a smaller lineup recently, making Finney-Smith a viable building block in DFS competition given his ability to stretch the floor and clean the glass. He has averaged 28 combined points, assists and rebounds over the team’s past two playoff games, and his PAR prop of 19.5 appears achievable.

— Jim McCormick & Kyle Soppe

Breaking down today’s games

Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat
7:30 p.m ET, FTX Arena, Miami

Line: Heat (-8)
Money line: Heat (-440), 76ers (+340)
Total: 207.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 209.4 points
BPI Win%: Heat (80.3%)

Questionable: Tyler Herro (left ankle sprain), P.J. Tucker (calf), Caleb Martin (ankle), Gabe Vincent (knee irritation), Max Strus (hamstring)

Ruled out: Joel Embiid (concussion), Kyle Lowry (hamstring)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play

Notable: Six straight Heat games have gone under the point total, and that’s with Vegas dropping its projection in three straight games (four straight if tonight’s line closes under 208.5).

Compete for $40,000 throughout the NBA postseason! Make Your Picks

Best bet: Bam Adebayo over 29.5 points + rebounds. Philadelphia allowed 51 points on 32 defensive possessions during DeAndre Jordan‘s 17:17 on the floor. Doc Rivers said Jordan will start again in Game 2, meaning Adebayo should have a big night. — Eric Moody

Best bet: James Harden under 40.5 points + assists + rebounds. I’m going to keep hammering this until the market adjusts it to the mid 30s. Harden is clearly not the player he once was in terms of athleticism and explosion. Without that part of his offensive package, his overall efficiency has dipped precipitously. Add in the absence of Embiid — allowing the Heat defense to further focus on limiting Harden — and it’s a recipe for poor production from The Beard. Harden mustered up just 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in Game 1 and came under this threshold in five of the 76ers’ seven postseason games. — Tyler Fulghum

Best bet: Tyler Herro over 18.5 points. The 76ers did not have an answer for Herro in Game 1. He became the first Heat player to record at least 25 points and five assists off the bench in a playoff game. Herro’s production should continue tonight with Lowry still out — Moody

Best bet: 76ers under 99.5 total points. The Heat have the second-best defensive rating in the playoffs thus far, allowing only 101.9 points per 100 possessions. In addition, both the Heat (94.7 possessions/game) and the 76ers (91.4 possessions/game) have played at a much slower pace in the postseason. Miami has been particularly stingy on defense at home, with their opponents averaging only 95.5 PPG and under 99.5 points in three of the past four home games. — Andre Snellings

Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns
10 p.m ET, Footprint Center, Phoenix

Line: Suns (-6)
Money line: Suns (-260), Mavericks (+210)
Total: 216 points
BPI Projected Total: 213.2 points
BPI Win%: Suns (71.1%)

Notable: Five of Phoenix’s past six games have gone over the total, with three of those games going over by at least 10 points.

Best bet: Chris Paul over 9.5 assists. Game 1 between the Suns and Mavericks wasn’t as close as the score suggested. Paul dished out only three assists, and I doubt that will be the case in Game 2. He has averaged 9.0 APG in the playoffs over the past two seasons. — Eric Moody

Best bet: Luka Doncic over 51.5 points + assists + rebounds

While it’s reasonable to expect some regression from his 45 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in Game 1, we’re still talking about Luka Doncic here. He played 44 minutes in Game 1, took 30 shots and got to the free throw line 14 times. Unless the Suns are blowing the Mavs out of the water, it’s reasonable to expect similar usage in Game 2, even if his minutes drop a tick or two. Doncic has averaged 33.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 17 career playoff games. This dude is just a big game hunter … and this is a pretty big game. — Fulghum

Best bet: Deandre Ayton over 29.5 points + rebounds. Dallas will have a hard time slowing Ayton down with Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber. Ayton dominated the paint Monday night, going 9-for-15 while shooting over the Mavericks’ smaller defender. I expect more of the same in Game 2. — Moody

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Best bet: Devin Booker over 35.5 points + assists + rebounds. Booker played 38 minutes in Game 1 and looked much closer to his usual self than in the final game of the first round. Aside from the game in which Booker was injured and his first game back, he has averaged over 35.5 PAR in nine of 10 games. — Andre Snellings

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