Julian Champagnie's Sneaky Game 1 Move and Why the Spurs Might Run Wild

Holy smokes, it's NBA Finals time! Game 1 is kicking off Wednesday night with the San Antonio Spurs hosting the New York Knicks at 8:30 PM ET, and let me tell you, if you're not looking at these player prop bets, you're missing out. The SportsLine crew and their super-smart model have dropped some absolutely wild predictions for the opener, and if they're right, we're talking about some serious fireworks to start this series! Forget your usual spread bets, these player lines are where the real action is, especially with a certain alien big man ready to dominate.

Wemby's Numbers Are Flat-Out Insane and Still Climbing

Alright, let's talk Victor Wembanyama. This dude was an absolute cheat code in the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder, averaging a ridiculous 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game. Think about that for a second! He's a menace on both ends. So, it's no shocker that his over/under for total points in Game 1 is set at 27.5. But here's the kicker: the SportsLine Projection Model, which, by the way, has made $100 players over $10,000 in profit over eight seasons and is on a scorching 26-10 (72%) roll this season, expects him to BLOW PAST that. They're projecting Wembanyama to drop an average of 29.4 points. He was hitting 48.1% from the field and 40% from deep against OKC. If he keeps that up, the Knicks are in for a long night trying to stop him.

Jalen Brunson's Trigger Finger From Deep

On the Knicks side, former Vegas bookmaker Micah Roberts is all in on Jalen Brunson going for over 2.5 made 3-point field goals. You see Brunson's performance against the 76ers? He was knocking down 44.8% of his shots from beyond the arc in that series. Roberts even pointed back to a December 31st game where the Spurs beat the Knicks 134-132. In that shootout, Brunson went 5 of 12 from 3-point range. The Knicks actually started that game red hot with 45 points in the first quarter before the Spurs rallied in the fourth, outscoring them 41-30. If Brunson can just hit three triples, this bet is money. And with how he's been shooting, it feels like a real possibility.

The Under-the-Radar Play: Julian Champagnie

Now, here's the real sleeper pick, the one that makes you go, "Wait, what?" SportsLine's "Prop Bet Guy" is backing Julian Champagnie for over 9.5 points. Why? It's all about how the Knicks might try to defend Wembanyama. They're probably going to pack the paint, double-teaming him with guys like OG Anunoby or one of their centers. That means opportunities from the outside are going to open up. Plus, the Knicks allowed the third-highest catch-and-shoot frequency in the regular season at 34.5%, and it's still high in the playoffs at 33%. "Prop Bet Guy" thinks the Knicks will "hide" Jalen Brunson on Champagnie, giving him even more chances. Champagnie finished the Thunder series on a roll, and if the Knicks' defense plays right into his hands, he could be a huge factor that nobody is expecting in Game 1. So, get ready, Emerald City! The NBA Finals are here, and Game 1 is going to be an absolute battle. These player props add a whole new layer of excitement. Will Wemby go off? Will Brunson light it up from deep? And will Champagnie be the unexpected hero? We'll find out Wednesday night when the ball tips off!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.