Ricky Dimon
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We have a seven-game schedule in the NBA on Thursday—not a huge one, but still one that offers plenty of betting opportunities. A double-header on TNT begins with the Brooklyn Nets visiting the Dallas Mavericks prior to an in-city showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. Among the other teams in action are the Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, and Golden State Warriors.
Let’s take a look at the four best player prop bets for Thursday’s slate.
Clint Capela Over 15.5 points (-110)
The Hawks have begun to get healthy, and not coincidentally they are absolutely balling right now. As for Capela, well…he has been balling the entire season. Wasting no time finding chemistry with star point guard Trae Young in his first season as a Hawk, Capela is averaging 15.3 points per game—not bad for someone once considered a defensive specialist! He averaged more than 17.0 ppg in the month of April and in two of three games so far in May he has scored at least 18 points. Capela went for 18 on Wednesday despite logging only 24 minutes during a 135-103 destruction of the Phoenix Suns. The 26-year-old averages more than 30.0 minutes per contest, so you expect him to see more time in what will likely be a more competitive affair with the Indiana Pacers. Speaking of the Pacers, they are dead last in the NBA in points in the paint allowed per game.
Kyrie Irving Over 2.5 three-pointers made (-113)
Irving has attempted at least eight three-pointers in three consecutive contests and he is coming off a 6-for-12 effort from the land of plenty in Tuesday’s 124-118 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Over the last three games, Irving is averaging 24 field-goal attempts. He is going to have tons of chances to rack up all kinds of numbers, especially because James Harden continues to be sidelined. The Mavericks are nothing special in defending the perimeter, yielding the 11th-best three-point shooting percentage to opponents in 2020-21. They just watched the Miami Heat go 18-for-41 from deep on Tuesday.
Bradley Beal to be game-high scorer (-135)
Beal is pretty much always a good bet to be a game’s leading scorer unless the Washington Wizards are going up against Stephen Curry and the Warriors. The former University of Florida star is second in the NBA in scoring behind Curry at 31.1 ppg and nobody else is even close. Beal has scored at least 26 points in 13 of the last 14 games and he is coming off a 42-point effort during Wednesday’s 135-134 loss to Milwaukee. Russell Westbrook is the only other reliable scorer on Washington and he has been kept under the 20-point mark in seven of the last 11 games. As for the Toronto Raptors, their leading scorer (Pascal Siakam) is averaging a modest 21.0 ppg. Siakam has been held to 15 points or fewer in three of the last five outings.
Coby White Under 5.5 assists (-144)
White has finished with no more than five assists in two straight games and in four of the last seven for the Chicago Bulls. Now his team is expected to welcome back Zach LaVine for Thursday’s meeting with the Charlotte Hornets. LaVine, who has not played since April 14 because of Covid-19 health and safety protocols, may be on a minutes restriction but he figures to have the ball in his hands a lot of the time when he is on the court. The former UCLA standout has dished out at least six assists in five of his last six games (the only exception during that stretch of dime distribution was a five-assist performance against Atlanta). LaVine recorded 13 in a win over Toronto during that stretch. Mainly because of LaVine’s return, White’s minutes and numbers are likely to decrease. It should also be noted that Charlotte generally plays at a slow pace and just limited Detroit to 22 total assists on Tuesday.
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