Germantas Kneita
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Most of the NBA will be in action tonight with 26 of the leagues 30 teams taking to the floor. There are 13 games to choose from and I have selected 4 player props for the festivities. Check them out below. And don’t forget that as always you can find our full game previews here.
Domantas Sabonis over 5.5 assists (+104)
With Malcolm Brogdon likely to remain out for the Indiana Pacers, Domantas Sabonis will once again be left as the focal point of the Pacers offense. While he has struggled for efficiency scoring the ball, he has had plenty of success dishing it out to teammates. He has managed 6 or more assists in 6 of his last 8 games. We are backing tonight’s game to go over 222.5 points as one of our best bets of the day so this should be a high scoring encounter overall. Sabonis will be helped by the fact that only the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks allow more assists per game than the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are also 20th in opponent 3-pointers made per game. The Pacers often give the ball to the Lithuanian on the 3-point line and have shooters curl around him. With the number of 3-pointers the Lakers give up, he should have no trouble getting assists that way tonight.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Indiana Pacers vs Los Angeles Lakers.
Mason Plumlee over 15.5 points + rebounds + assists (+102)
Mason Plumlee is coming off a disappoint stat line in his last game but should be set to bounce back tonight against the Boston Celtics. With LaMelo Ball likely back in the lineup for the Hornets, it makes Plumlee a bigger threat in pick and roll situations, thanks to Ball’s playmaking ability. He is also likely to see plenty of playing time tonight going up against Robert Williams III. When these sides last met Plumlee recorded a season high 37 minutes. His point, rebound and assist total for that game was 26. Williams is not the type of center who will pull the Hornets big away from the rim, which should allow him to have a strong rebounding night. The points and assists should be able to carry the rest of the line over.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics.
Jimmy Butler over 7.5 assists (-110)
With Kyle Lowry confirmed out of tonight’s game once again, I am going to continue backing Jimmy Butler to be the teams leading playmaker. He has 9 or more assists in 3 straight games, and it is tough to see that drop off tonight. He will be up against a favorable opponent, too, with the Portland Trail Blazers allowing the 27th-most assists per game in the NBA. They struggle to defend the perimeter, allowing the 26th most 3-pointers. This gives the Heat star clear targets to aim for in Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro. Jusuf Nurkic is hardly the fastest center in the league and could be exploited in pick and roll situations. With Bam Adebayo the one rolling to the rim, it will give Butler another way to rack up assists tonight. Look for his passing streak to continue here.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Portland Trail Blazers vs Miami Heat.
Scottie Barnes over 22.5 points + rebounds + assists (+100)
The Raptors rookie has been dealing with right knee tendinitis of late but showed signs of regaining form. In his last outing against the Miami Heat he managed 30 PRA despite not shooting efficiently. He was aggressive looking for his shot however, attempting 18 on the night, something the Raptors coaches have been pushing him to do. The Raptors forward also finds himself as the teams point guard when the Raptors go to their big lineup, which benefits his assist totals. He has now recorded 4 or more in 4 of his last 6 games. Couple that with the fact that he has pulled down at least 6 rebounds in 5 of those games, too, this line could simply come down to him reaching double-digit points. With the way he has been looking for his shots of late, I cannot see that being a problem here.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Toronto Raptors vs Dallas Mavericks.
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