Germantas Kneita
Show Bio
There are 9 games on tonight’s NBA slate, with several teams looking to put an end to their current losing streaks. The Phoenix Suns have dropped 2 straight games but should have a chance to bounce back against an Oklahoma City Thunder squad that was in action last night. In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics will be in action hoping to put an end to their own 2 game slide, trying to maintain a top 10 spot in the standings.
You can find our full game previews here as always. But now, let’s take a look at my favorite player props below.
Eric Bledsoe over 5.5 assists (-106)
With Doc Rivers confirming that Reggie Jackson will be unavailable for at least the next 3 games, Eric Bledsoe should continue being the leading ball-handler for the Los Angeles Clippers. Being in such a role has allowed Bledsoe to increase his assist numbers. In the 3 games that Jackson has missed, he has not recorded fewer than 6 assists in any game. It has also allowed Bledsoe to play bigger minutes as he has recorded consecutive games of 35 minutes or more for the first time this season. If the game does not turn into a blowout, he should see a similar amount of playing time here, which should give him a better chance of racking up assists.
While the Celtics are not the easiest opponent to get assists against, as over the last 10 games they allow the 7th fewest in the league, it should not hinder Bledsoe too much. He is coming into this game having recorded 6 assists against a Brooklyn Nets squad that is allowing the 8th fewest in that stretch. Dennis Schroder has been confirmed as out for the game, whilst Marcus Smart is listed as day-to-day having missed the Celtics last game. Josh Richardson is coming back for the Celtics but could have conditioning issues. Going up against a Celtics backcourt potentially devoid of their best defenders should allow Bledsoe to be in attack mode and create opportunities for his teammates.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Los Angeles Clippers vs Boston Celtics
Mikal Bridges over 1.5 made threes (+112)
Miles Bridges has been a reliable threat from deep for the Phoenix Suns, currently making 39% of his shots from deep. That level of consistency has led to an increase in attempts for the forward, with Bridges attempting 4 or more shots from deep in 6 of his last 7 games. In the 7 games that Devin Booker missed in the month of December, he had surpassed 4 shots from deep on just 3 occasions. Now that Booker is back in the fold, Bridges has been able to return to an off-the-ball scorer role, which should bode well for his attempts tonight.
The opponent tonight is a favorable one too, as the Suns are taking on an Oklahoma City Thunder squad who will be playing their second game in as many nights. On the season only the Charlotte Hornets allow more 3-pointers per game than the Thunder do, with the team ranking 25th in opponent 3-point percentage. The Thunder will also be without Darius Bazley and Josh Giddey, who provide a lot of the length on the Thunder perimeter. Without them, the Sacramento Kings were able to make 17 3-pointers on 43% shooting from deep last night. I expect the Suns to have a similar level of success, with Bridges chipping in with a few of the 3-point makes.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns
Pickswise is the home of free NBA picks and predictions. Make sure to also check out our NBA parlays and NBA prop bets tabs for more expert picks.
