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We have a 7-game NBA slate on Thursday and it looks set to be a competitive one with every matchup having a spread of less than 10 points. I’ve come up with a player of NBA player prop bets for the action on Thursday, January 25, but in addition to that, make sure you read our NBA predictions for the biggest games on the docket.
Joel Embiid, C, PHI, Over 5.5 assists (+102)
Odds available at FanDuel at time of publishing.
Am I crazy for thinking Joel Embiid becomes a passer fresh off his 70-point game? Ironically enough, Embiid led the team in potential assists in the last game with 13. He finished the night with 5 assists and stayed under this line for just the 14th time in 32 games this season. Tonight against the Indiana Pacers, Embiid will look to go 3-0 in recording at least 6 assists against them this season.
In the Pacers’ last game, they faced off against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Jokic finished the night with 10 assists on 16 assist opportunities. Embiid is nowhere near the passer Jokic is, but the offenses are similar. The Nuggets surround Jokic with Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who can all knock down perimeter shots. Aaron Gordon floats around the rim waiting for Jokic to make another circus-style pass. The 76ers surround Embiid with 4 shooters. Tyrese Maxey, Nicolas Batum, Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre are all capable of knocking down multiple 3-pointers and racking up the assists for the MVP favorite.
Read our full Philadelphia 76ers vs Indiana Pacers predictions
Jamal Murray, PG, DEN, Under 24.5 points (-105)
Odds available at Bet365 at time of publishing.
We’re getting a great price on this pick, as FanDuel and DraftKings have this same player prop bet line priced at -120. That’s the first indicator that we’re on the right track of finding a top play on the slate. Next, we’re looking at who Jamal Murry and the Nuggets will be facing off against. The New York Knicks come in as one of the most daunting defenses in the league — especially with the acquisition of OG Anunoby. Since they acquired Anunoby, the Knicks are first in defensive rating and play at a bottom-10 pace in the NBA, which is perfect for the Nuggets as they also play at a slow pace.
If you’ve been following my NBA props this season, it’s no secret that I love unders. You have far more outs, including blowouts, foul trouble and usage. I expect this game to be close, as 2.5 points favor the Nuggets, so expect Murray to play his usual 32+ minutes. But even when Murray gets a full workload, he’s still under this line in 12 of 18 games. I fully expect Murray to be hounded by Anunoby all night, as he’s guarded point guards in the past like Tyrese Maxey. Look for the Nuggets to play through Jokic and Porter Jr., as they have much better matchups.
After yesterday’s winner, don’t miss our NBA mega parlay for today at +1230 odds!
