Germantas Kneita
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Tonight, we get to see yet another massive NBA slate as 20 teams collide. Both the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns will be looking to continue pushing each other at the top of the Western Conference. They are both coming into their games tonight having suffered losses in their recent games but will be hopeful they can overcome the Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs respectively.
You can find our full previews here as always. But now it’s time to have a look at my favorite prop selections:
Darius Garland over 6.5 assists (+104)
Since the injury to Colin Sexton, Darius Garland has been a clear leader for this team in terms of playmaking, especially in the starting unit. While he can be turnover prone, he has been given the reigns to this team, meaning his minutes are hardly ever impacted. The result of this has been him putting together a streak of 7 assists in 6 of his last 7 games. The game in which he failed to do this was his last contest against the Utah Jazz, where he only managed 5. Considering the Jazz are currently allowing the fewest assists per game in the NBA, Garland should be expected to bounce back here tonight.
The Cavaliers will be going up against a Bucks team that is currently without Brook Lopez and could be missing Giannis Antetokounmpo. The former MVP has missed the last 2 games and is questionable for tonight. If he does not play then it will leave Bobby Portis as the main rim defender for the Bucks. Considering he is averaging under a block per game this season, the Cavaliers big men could be left to feast at the rim and off pick and rolls. Look for Garland to be the one feeding them the ball tonight.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Cleveland Cavaliers vs Milwaukee Bucks.
Tyus Jones over 6.5 assists (+102)
Since Ja Morant has gone down injured, Tyus Jones has done a great job of stepping into the Memphis Grizzlies starting lineup and keeping things ticking. The Grizzlies are currently 6th in the league in assists per game, averaging 25.5 per contest. However, with Jones starting, those numbers have gone up in the last 4 games to 27.3 per night. In those 4 games, Jones failed to reach the 7-assist mark just once, when he recorded 6 assists against the Toronto Raptors.
His opponents tonight will be the Miami Heat. They have allowed the opposing point guard to get to at least 7 assists in each of their last 3 games, with Jrue Holiday, Malcolm Brogdon and Darius Garland all managing the feat. With Bam Adebayo out of the lineup, they have been using Dewayne Dedmon much more. He lacks the foot-speed and athleticism that Adebayo brings to the court and can be exploited in pick and roll situations more easily. I expect Jones to get into the paint often tonight as a result, and with him being a pass first point guard, the assists shouldn’t be an issue.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Memphis Grizzlies vs Miami Heat.
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