Ricky Dimon
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Only three games were on the NBA schedule for Tuesday, but the pace picks up considerably on Wednesday night. A 12-game slate includes an ESPN double-header featuring the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. the Golden State Warriors. Also in action are the Brooklyn Nets, Boston, Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks.
Let’s take a look at the four best player prop bets for Wednesday.
Michael Porter Jr. Over 15.5 points + assists (-125)
Porter has returned from a three-week injury absence and to say that steady improvement has been made would be a gross understatement. He scored seven points in his return, 14 in the second game, and then 30 during Monday’s 117-113 win over Dallas. The Denver Nuggets now visit a depleted Miami Heat team that they should be able to run circles around. It may be a contest in which Denver does most of its damage on the perimeter, because Bam Adebayo is one player whom Miami still has on the floor and he is obviously an effective rim protector. In fact, the Heat are No. 1 in the NBA in fewest opponent points in the paint allowed. Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic is fourth in the league in points in the paint per game, which is why this contest could be more up MPJ’s alley than it is for Jokic. It is also worth noting that Miami is giving up the sixth-most assists per basket, so Porter may be able to drop a few dimes.
Kristaps Porzingis Under 2.5 three-pointers made (-162)
The Mavericks are going up the Utah Jazz, who are one of the best defensive teams in the association (No. 3 in scoring defense, to be exact). Utah is fourth in the NBA in opponent three-pointers made per game and seventh in opponent three-point shooting percentage. That does not bode well for Porzingis’ chances of success from the land of plenty. Plus, he is already struggling from deep. Porzingis is coming off a 1-for-8 three-point effort against Denver on Monday and he has made no more than two treys in five of the last six games. There is no reason to think that he will suddenly make three or more against the Jazz.
Chris Paul to be leading scorer (+440)
With Devin Booker sidelined by a hamstring injury, there just isn’t a lot of star power—or a lot of scoring—in this matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a heavy favorite, but it’s not like he is setting the world on fire this season (21.9 points per game). If SGA does not go off in this one for OKC, the leading scorer could go in any number of directions. As Phoenix’s primary backcourt scoring option with Booker out, Paul would have as good of a chance as anyone. CP3 took 20 shots in Saturday’s loss to Denver and scored 21 points. Over the past two outings, Paul has attempted 35 shots—11 from three-point range. He will once again have his chances.
Andrew Wiggins Over 17.5 points (-125)
A change of scenery appears to be just what the doctor ordered for Wiggins, who underwhelmed with the Timberwolves. In his first full season as a Warrior, Wiggins is shooting a career-best 46.2 from the floor and 40.7 percent from three-point land. He just faced his former team on Monday and scored 23 points during a 130-108 Golden State romp. The rematch is set for Wednesday, and there is no reason why the former No. 1 overall pick can’t have similar success. Although Wiggins can clearly score on the perimeter, he actually leads this guard-oriented Golden State squad in points in the paint and Minnesota is second-to-last in the NBA in points in the paint allowed per game. With James Wiseman no longer starting, the Warriors will continue to rely on Wiggins to give them at least a few buckets right at the basket.
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