Category: NBA

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks same-game parlay predictions Jan. 22: Bet on Edwards, Irving at +280

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks predictions

Two struggling teams meet when the Dallas Mavericks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

The pregame narrative: Anthony Edwards is on a tear and I expect him to will the T-Wolves to victory against the Luka Doncic-less Mavs. Bet on Kyrie Irving to clear an alternate point total to round out this +280 wager.

Check out my Timberwolves vs. Mavericks same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 22.

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks predictions

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Parlay: Timberwolves moneyline + Edwards over 3.5 threes + Irving 20+ points (+280)

Timberwolves moneyline (-150): The NBA is a star-dominated league, so I’ll back the team with its top dog available.

Dallas is 10-11 without Doncic in the lineup, including 1-4 across its last five. That includes a pair of double-digit-point losses to the Denver Nuggets and defeats to the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans.

Minnesota hasn’t found its groove this season but still has Edwards, who is having a monster start to 2025 (more on that later).

The T-Wolves beat the Mavericks, 105-99, in Dallas earlier this season with Doncic playing.

SGP legs

Edwards over 3.5 threes (-103): Edwards is back in MVP-calibre form.

The third-year guard is averaging 30.7 PPG this month while shooting 46.5% from deep. He’s hit at least three 3s in nine of 11 games this month, clearing this total eight times.

When backing a player on a 3-point market, bettors want to see either high volume or elite accuracy; Ant Man has both.

Edwards is attempting the fourth-most 3s per game (9.9) and is making them at the 13th-best rate (42.8%).

Dallas ranks 15th in opponent 3-point percentage, so it’s not like this is a tough matchup.

Edwards cleared this mark in both games against the Mavs this year, shooting a combined 11-for-20 from deep (55.0%).

Irving 20+ points (-560): I was debating backing Irving over 2.5 threes (-157) but will opt for a much safer 20-point milestone.

For as heavily juiced as this pick is, it still vaults the SGP from +195 to +280.

The veteran guard is crafty in the midrange and is an elite finisher at the rim. He’s putting up 24.2 PPG this season and has cleared this mark in 23 of 33 starts (69.7%).

The T-Wolves are a great defensive team, but if you were to split hairs, they struggle to defend the mid-range. Check out their defensive metrics courtesy of Cleaning the Glass (NBA ranks in parenthesis):

  • 3-point defence: 35.4% (5th)
  • Rim defence: 64.6% (8th)
  • Mid-range defence: 42.0% (12th)

Irving takes 42% of his shots from the mid-range, which ranks in the 92nd percentile for all NBA players. This should be a cinch.

Picks made at 11:47 a.m. ET 01/22/2025

Best NBA prop bets Jan. 22: Fade Donovan Mitchell, bet on Damian Lillard to shine

NBA prop bets

I’m locking in on the 8 p.m. window for Wednesday’s NBA prop bets, including a pair of picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers versus Houston Rockets matchup.

The pregame narrative: Houston’s Alperen Sengun has a very attainable assists prop tonight, while Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell is worth fading as a scorer. Elsewhere, Damian Lillard should put up solid numbers in a plus matchup.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Jan. 22.

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Best bet: Mitchell under 26.5 points (-118)

Two seasons ago, when Mitchell first joined the Cavaliers, he shouldered a significant workload on a desperate team that hadn’t been to the playoffs since LeBron James’ (second) departure.

Mitchell averaged 28.3 PPG that year, and the Cavaliers won 51 games but flamed out in the first round.

Fast forward to now, and Mitchell is still Cleveland’s centrepiece — but he has a much deeper supporting cast.

The first-place Cavs are on a 70-win pace, and Mitchell is averaging 23.3 PPG. That’s his lowest scoring average since 2017-18, when he was a rookie in Utah.

What does all of this mean? Less is more for Mitchell on a deep Cavs squad, and he’s not typically asked to fill the net the way he used to.

With that in mind, and given the matchup he faces on Wednesday night, I think Mitchell is well worth a fade.

Look at how the Rockets rank defensively:

  • 3rd in defensive rating
  • 4th in opponent PPG
  • 5th in opponent FG%

Houston also allows the third-fewest made 3s per game (12.5), and that commitment to defending the perimeter should be a problem for Mitchell, too.

Key stat: Mitchell has gone under 26.5 points in 13 of his past 18 games.

Quick picks

Sengun over 4.5 assists (-138): I don’t love this price, but I do love how Sengun has established himself as a premier passer for the Rockets.

The 22-year-old centre is averaging a career-high 5.1 assists per game. He’s one of just two Houston players above 3.0 APG.

Centres tend not to be consistent facilitators, but that’s a key to Sengun’s success.

He’s third among all NBA centres in potential assists per game (10.0), a metric that tallies the number of passes that lead directly to a shot.

In his past 25 games, Sengun has cashed this bet 18 times.

Lillard over 30.5 points/assists (-112): The New Orleans Pelicans should be a solid matchup for Lillard in the assist department tonight. Combining that with his recent steadiness as a scorer, and I think this combo market is the way to go.

  • The Pelicans allow the eighth-most assists to opposing point guards (9.7/game), per Betting Pros.
  • Overall, New Orleans allows the sixth-most assists to opponents.
  • Lillard has scored 24+ points in 7/8 games since Jan. 6. He’s averaging 31.7 points/rebounds in that span.

Looking back further, Lillard has hit this over in 14 of his past 22 games.

Picks made at 9:45 a.m. ET on 01/22/2025.

Best NBA prop bets Jan. 22: Fade Donovan Mitchell, bet on Walker Kessler to shine

NBA prop bets

I’m locking in on the 8 p.m. window for Wednesday’s NBA prop bets, including a pair of picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers versus Houston Rockets matchup.

The pregame narrative: Houston’s Alperen Sengun has a very attainable assists prop tonight, while Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell is worth fading as a scorer. Elsewhere, Walker Kessler should rack up solid rebounding numbers in a plus matchup.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Jan. 22.

Best NBA prop bets

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Best bet: Mitchell under 26.5 points (-109)

Two seasons ago, when Mitchell first joined the Cavaliers, he shouldered a significant workload on a desperate team that hadn’t been to the playoffs since LeBron James’ (second) departure.

Mitchell averaged 28.3 PPG that year, and the Cavaliers won 51 games but flamed out in the first round.

Fast forward to now, and Mitchell is still Cleveland’s centrepiece — but he has a much deeper supporting cast.

The first-place Cavs are on a 70-win pace, and Mitchell is averaging 23.3 PPG. That’s his lowest scoring average since 2017-18, when he was a rookie in Utah.

What does all of this mean? Less is more for Mitchell on a deep Cavs squad, and he’s not typically asked to fill the net the way he used to.

With that in mind, and given the matchup he faces on Wednesday night, I think Mitchell is well worth a fade.

Look at how the Rockets rank defensively:

  • 3rd in defensive rating
  • 4th in opponent PPG
  • 5th in opponent FG%

Houston also allows the third-fewest made 3s per game (12.5), and that commitment to defending the perimeter should be a problem for Mitchell, too.

Key stat: Mitchell has gone under 26.5 points in 13 of his past 18 games.

Quick picks

Sengun over 4.5 assists (-136): I don’t love this price, but I do love how Sengun has established himself as a premier passer for the Rockets.

The 22-year-old centre is averaging a career-high 5.1 assists per game. He’s one of just two Houston players above 3.0 APG.

Centres tend not to be consistent facilitators, but that’s a key to Sengun’s success.

He’s third among all NBA centres in potential assists per game (10.0), a metric that tallies the number of passes that lead directly to a shot.

In his past 25 games, Sengun has cashed this bet 18 times.

Kessler over 10.5 rebounds (-137): Tonight marks the fourth consecutive game in which Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren will both sit out for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That means seven-footer Walker Kessler will have quite a size mismatch around the rim. He’ll spend most of the night jockeying for position against Jaylin Williams (6-foot-8) and Aaron Wiggins (6-foot-6).

OKC allows the fourth-most rebounds per game, and Kessler should get his fair share as the biggest player on the court.

Over his past 12 games, Kessler has averaged 13.0 rebounds and cashed this bet nine times.

Picks made at 1:05 p.m. ET on 01/22/2025.

76ers vs. Nuggets same-game parlay predictions Jan. 21: Back Denver and Jamal Murray at +360

76ers vs. Nuggets predictions

The Denver Nuggets are heavily favoured against the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

The pregame narrative: Denver is rolling and I expect it to win by double digits at home. Prop bets on each team’s point guard — Jamal Murray and Tyrese Maxey — round out this +360 wager.

Check out my 76ers vs. Nuggets same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 21.

76ers vs. Nuggets predictions

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Parlay: Nuggets -9.5 + Murray over 25.5 points/assists + Maxey over 5.5 assists (+360)

Nuggets -9.5 (-200): Sometimes teams need a fire lit under its behind. Back on Dec. 27, the Nuggets were blown out by the Cleveland Cavaliers, 149-135, in Denver.

But Michael Malone’s squad has looked like a championship-calibre team since getting embarrassed on its home court:

  • 10-3 record
  • 121.4 offensive rating (best in NBA)
  • +10.0 net rating (second-best in NBA)

The Nuggets covered this number in all 10 wins and didn’t have Nikola Jokic available for two of the losses. It’s been incredible, really.

I can smell a blowout coming with Jokic in the lineup and Embiid out. Philly is 8-20 without the 2023 MVP this season.

SGP legs

Murray over 25.5 points/assists (-112): Murray has been a big part of Denver’s recent success. Check out his numbers during its 10-3 run:

  • 21.7 PPG
  • 5.4 APG
  • 48.9 FG%

The Canadian point guard has cleared this total in three of the last four games, shooting over 50.0% in each contest.

If he keeps up the volume, I believe Murray could clear this mark on points alone.

Philly gives up the 12th-most overall assists per game (24.8) and the ninth-most points per game to opposing point guards (24.9), according to Fantasy Pros.

Maxey over 5.5 assists (-215): I backed Maxey to clear his 6.5 assist total in Tuesday’s best NBA prop bets and will tease that number down for some extra security.

Philly’s point guard averages about one fewer assist without Embiid (5.5) than he does with him (6.6). That said, Maxey has cleared this mark in six of the past eight games without the big man.

Denver is also a good matchup for him to produce, as it allows the third-most assists per game to point guards (10.07).

Maxey had nine helpers in his last game against the Nuggets, though Embiid was playing.

Picks made at 1:02 p.m. ET 01/21/2025

Raptors vs. Magic SGP & predictions Jan. 21: Back Dick, fade Banchero in +290 wager

Magic vs. Raptors predictions

The Toronto Raptors host the shorthanded Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

The pregame narrative: Paolo Banchero is back but on a minutes restriction. With three Magic starters sidelined, back Toronto to cover an alternate spread while fading Bachero’s point total. A prop bet on Gradey Dick rounds out this +290 wager.

Check out my Magic vs. Raptors SGP & predictions for Jan. 21.

Raptors vs. Magic SGP & predictions:

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Parlay: Raptors +5.5 + Banchero under 24.5 points + Dick over 1.5 threes (+290)

Raptors +5.5 (-200): This seems like a safe number to back Toronto at on Tuesday.

Jalen Suggs, Gogo Bitadze, and both Wagner brothers are out while Banchero hasn’t reached 30 minutes of playing time in a game since returning on Jan. 10.

Meanwhile, the Raptors will field a full squad except Immanuel Quickley, who has barely played this season and is currently dealing with a hip injury.

Toronto has been a profitable team ATS despite its horrible record. In other words, the Raps have mastered every tanking GM’s dream, with the “competitive defeat:”

  • 10-32 record
  • 23-18-1 ATS record
  • 13-5-1 ATS record as a home underdog

Darko Rajakovic’s team has won two straight home games against quality opponents in the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. I think another win is in the cards for Toronto, but will buy some points just to be safe.

SGP legs

Banchero under 24.5 points (-127): The Magic are in a tough spot. They need Banchero to produce but can’t be too aggressive with his workload.

The third-year forward has played five games this month and fallen under this number in four of them. He’s not playing a ton — just 27.6 minutes a night — and shooting an uninspiring 42.4% from the field.

And the Raptors won’t be an easy matchup for him.

Toronto owns the league’s ninth-best mid-range defence, according to Cleaning the Glass. Banchero took 43% of his shots from that area of the court last season, ranking in the 91st percentile of all NBA players.

Dick over 1.5 threes (-175): Orlando’s defence is elite, but I still like Dick to nab a couple of 3s.

  • Dick went 0-for-5 from deep in his last outing on Jan. 17 but cleared this mark in his three games prior.
  • He’s hit at least one 3-pointer in eight of nine games this month, going 6-3 against this line.

The Magic give up the fewest 3-pointers per game (11.1) while also allowing the 10th-highest 3-point rate (36.4%).

Teams don’t attempt many 3s against the Magic — but when they do, they’re cashing them.

Picks made at 11 a.m. ET on 01/21/2025.

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Best NBA prop bets Jan. 21: Back Brunson, Maxey to have big nights

NBA prop bets

A trio of guards headline Tuesday’s best NBA prop bets.

The pregame narrative: Jalen Brunson is rolling and in a great position to torch his cross-town rivals. Elsewhere, expect Tyrese Maxey to be active as a facilitator and Jordan Poole to light it up from deep.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Jan. 21.

Best NBA prop bets

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Best bet: Brunson over 25.5 points (-118)

When Brunson gets hot, watch out.

Every season, New York’s point guard seems to go on a heater that gets him into the MVP conversation. Check out the tear he’s been on to start 2025:

  • 29.2 PPG
  • 50.2 FG%
  • 30+ points in four of the past five games

Brunson is coming off a 34-point outing against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. He’s also blown past this mark in his last six games.

And the Brooklyn Nets — Brunson’s opponent Tuesday — are anything but defensively responsible.

  • Brooklyn sits 25th in defensive rating (116.7) and last in opponent field goal percentage (48.9%).
  • They rank 28th in mid-range defence (45.3%), per Cleaning the Glass.
    .
  • Brunson takes 49% of his shots from the mid-range, sitting in the 95th percentile for all NBA players.

My only concern with this wager is a Knicks blowout in which Brunson is pulled early.

Key stat: Brunson is averaging 34.6 PPG across his last five games.

Quick picks

Maxey over 6.5 assists (-120): Joel Embiid is out, again.

That should hamper Maxey’s output as a passer, as he’s averaging 6.6 assists with Embiid in the lineup and 5.5 without him.

But Maxey has cleared this mark in four of the past eight games without the big man, landing on exactly six assists twice. He also gets a nice matchup Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets. Denver is surrendering the third-most assists per game to point guards (10.07), according to Betting Pros.

Maxey had nine assists in his lone matchup against the Nuggets last season, though it is worth noting Embiid was in the lineup for that one.

Poole over 3.5 threes (+105): The Washington Wizards are a mess, but Poole is on a nice run.

Over the past 30 days, the shooting guard is averaging 4.7 threes on 11.1 attempts per game (42.1%). He’s cleared this mark in eight of 12 games.

Kyle Kuzma has been non-existent from deep this season (1.2 threes/game, 25.7 3PT%) and no other Wizard is averaging more than 2.0 threes per game.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ 36.6% 3-point defence ranks 23rd in the NBA.

Expect Poole to keep firing as the team’s only viable option.

Picks made at 9:50 a.m. ET on 01/21/2025.

Best NBA prop bets Jan. 21: Back Brunson, Maxey to have big nights

NBA prop bets

A trio of guards headline Tuesday’s best NBA prop bets.

The pregame narrative: Jalen Brunson is rolling and in a great position to torch his cross-town rivals. Elsewhere, expect Tyrese Maxey to be active as a facilitator and Jordan Poole to light it up from deep.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Jan. 21.

Best NBA prop bets

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Best bet: Brunson over 26.5 points (-107)

When Brunson gets hot, watch out.

Every season, New York’s point guard seems to go on a heater that gets him into the MVP conversation. Check out the tear he’s been on to start 2025:

  • 29.2 PPG
  • 50.2 FG%
  • 30+ points in four of the past five games

Brunson is coming off a 34-point outing against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. He’s blown by this mark in four of the past five games with the only outlier being a 26-point effort against the defensively stout Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 17.

And the Brooklyn Nets — Brunson’s opponent Tuesday — are anything but defensively responsible.

  • Brooklyn sits 25th in defensive rating (116.7) and last in opponent field goal percentage (48.9%).
  • They rank 28th in mid-range defence (45.3%), per Cleaning the Glass.
    .
  • Brunson takes 49% of his shots from the mid-range, sitting in the 95th percentile for all NBA players.

My only concern with this wager is a Knicks blowout in which Brunson is pulled early.

Key stat: Brunson is averaging 34.6 PPG across his last five games.

Quick picks

Maxey over 6.5 assists (-106): Joel Embiid is out, again.

That should hamper Maxey’s output as a passer, as he’s averaging 6.6 assists with Embiid in the lineup and 5.5 without him.

But Maxey has cleared this mark in four of the past eight games without the big man, landing on exactly six assists twice. He also gets a nice matchup Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets. Denver is surrendering the third-most assists per game to point guards (10.07), according to Betting Pros.

Maxey had nine assists in his lone matchup against the Nuggets last season, though it is worth noting Embiid was in the lineup for that one.

Poole over 3.5 threes (+123): The Washington Wizards are a mess, but Poole is on a nice run.

Over the past 30 days, the shooting guard is averaging 4.7 threes on 11.1 attempts per game (42.1%). He’s cleared this mark in eight of 12 games.

Kyle Kuzma has been non-existent from deep this season (1.2 threes/game, 25.7 3PT%) and no other Wizard is averaging more than 2.0 threes per game.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ 36.6% 3-point defence ranks 23rd in the NBA.

Expect Poole to keep firing as the team’s only viable option.

Picks made at 11:16 a.m. ET on 01/21/2025.

Bulls vs. Clippers same-game parlay predictions Jan. 20: Back Norman Powell and James Harden at +265

Bulls vs. Clippers predictions

The Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers wrap up a day-long NBA slate on Monday night.

The pregame narrative: The Inuit Dome will host two fatigued sides on the second halves of back-to-backs. However, the Clippers carry one of the best home records in the NBA, and I expect another for the home team. This +265 SGP also contains picks on Norman Powell and James Harden.

Check out my Bulls vs. Clippers same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 20.

Bulls vs. Clippers predictions

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Parlay: Clippers moneyline + Powell over 22.5 points + Harden over 8.5 assists (+265)

Clippers moneyline (-235): The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard and they played last night, but that doesn’t worry me.

L.A. is 15-6 at home this season, and although Leonard has looked great in his short stints, he hasn’t played more than 25 minutes in a game to this point.

On the other side, the Bulls are on a road back-to-back and travelled last night from Portland to Los Angeles after a 113-102 loss to the Trail Blazers.

They’re 10-10 on the road and currently on a five-game losing streak.

This will also be their seventh game in 11 days, so there are multiple factors responsible for what I expect to be a fatigued team.

SGP legs

Powell over 22.5 points (-167): With Leonard absent, my confidence is sky-high for this prop.

My only concern is a blowout, but I simply can’t ignore how hot Powell has been.

  • Powell is averaging 23.6 PPG.
  • Since Dec. 16, he is 10-5 against this line.

It’s also worth noting that he’s cashed this wager in eight of his last 10 games without Kawhi.

The last time Leonard was sidelined, Powell scored 23 points in just 26 minutes during a 118-89 blowout win against the Trail Blazers.

That takes some of the concern away if this game turns into a blowout in the Clippers’ favour.

Harden over 8.5 assists (-122): Harden is going to have the ball more often with his superstar teammate resting on Monday.

On top of that, he has an advantageous positional matchup. The Bulls allow the most assists per game (10.8) to opposing point guards, per Fantasy Pros.

Chicago plays at an electrifying pace (102.9 possessions per 48 minutes), too. They rank second in the NBA in that department. Faster play means more offensive possessions and potential assists for Harden.

He’s not the stat sheet stuffer he used to be, but he can still dish out dimes with the best of the best. Harden ranks seventh in the NBA in assists per game (8.1).

Dating back to 2022, Harden has double-digit assists in six straight outings against the Bulls.

Picks made at 2:41 p.m. on 01/20/24.

Best NBA prop bets Jan. 20: Fade Murphy, bet on Vucevic to produce

NBA prop bets

I’m backing a guard, a forward and a centre for Monday’s NBA prop bets.

The pregame narrative: In the afternoon, Trae Young’s plus-money value as a passer has my eye. Later on, I’m fading Trey Murphy III against the Utah Jazz and backing Nikola Vucevic against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Jan. 20.

NBA prop bets

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Best bet: Murphy under 3.5 threes (-125)

Unders are often not fun, and I’d say that sentiment applies here. But it makes sense to fade Murphy even in a matchup against the Jazz that seems exploitable.

  • Murphy has gone under 3.5 threes in 18/27 games this season (66.7%).
  • He’s never scored 4+ threes vs. Utah (incl. five games since December 2022).

Murphy averages 8.6 attempted 3s per game, which is the most among New Orleans Pelicans players. But at that volume, you’d still have to shoot above 45.0% to cash this bet.

Utah allows the third-most 3s per game, but that’s also because it allows the most attempts. From an efficiency standpoint, the Jazz hold opponents to the 11th-lowest 3PT% (35.7).

On any given night, Murphy could be the guy to heave 10-plus threes at the bucket. But CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray are just as capable of being that guy, too.

In my view, the Pelicans have too many mouths to feed when all three M’s are healthy.

Murphy is a talented shooter, but his volume isn’t secure enough for me to want the over at this number.

Key stat: Against Utah on Friday, McCollum and Murray combined for 18 attempted threes while Murphy went 2-for-6 from deep.

Quick picks

Young over 9.5 assists (-150): I’ve made some hay recently by betting Young’s points prop, but I think Monday’s matchup against the New York Knicks is a good opportunity to pivot.

Young leads the NBA in assists this season (11.8/game) and has cashed this bet in 22 of 38 games.

Getting over 10.5 assists at plus money looks like a value to me — especially when you consider Young’s recent results against the Knicks.

In his past five games against New York, dating back to February 2023, Young has averaged 12.2 assists and hit this over four times.

Vucevic over 13.5 rebounds/assists (-130): The Clippers have the No. 2-ranked defensive rating (107.3), which seems like an explanation for why this line is lower than I’d expect.

Still, I don’t view strong defence as an inhibitor for a prop market like this (keep in mind that you need missed shots to grab rebounds).

Vucevic is rolling right now as a scorer, rebounder and passer. The Bulls should continue giving him big minutes and letting him do his thing.

Over his past 14 games, Vucevic has averaged 11.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists (15.5 RA), cashing this bet 11 times.

The Clippers allow the third-most assists per game to opposing centres (4.8), per Betting Pros, which should help. If Vucevic hovers around the 10-rebound mark, the over will be in play.

Picks made at 12:10 p.m. ET on 01/20/2025.

Best NBA prop bets Jan. 20: Fade Murphy, bet on Vucevic to produce

NBA prop bets

I’m backing a guard, a forward and a centre for Monday’s NBA prop bets.

The pregame narrative: In the afternoon, Trae Young’s plus-money value as a passer has my eye. Later on, I’m fading Trey Murphy III against the Utah Jazz and backing Nikola Vucevic against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Jan. 20.

NBA prop bets

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Embed: #106809

Best bet: Murphy under 3.5 threes (-143)

Unders are often not fun, and I’d say that sentiment applies here. But it makes sense to fade Murphy even in a matchup against the Jazz that seems exploitable.

  • Murphy has gone under 3.5 threes in 18/27 games this season (66.7%).
  • He’s never scored 4+ threes vs. Utah (incl. five games since December 2022).

Murphy averages 8.6 attempted 3s per game, which is the most among New Orleans Pelicans players. But at that volume, you’d still have to shoot above 45.0% to cash this bet.

Utah allows the third-most 3s per game, but that’s also because it allows the most attempts. From an efficiency standpoint, the Jazz hold opponents to the 11th-lowest 3PT% (35.7).

On any given night, Murphy could be the guy to heave 10-plus threes at the bucket. But CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray are just as capable of being that guy, too.

In my view, the Pelicans have too many mouths to feed when all three M’s are healthy.

Murphy is a talented shooter, but his volume isn’t secure enough for me to want the over at this number.

Key stat: Against Utah on Friday, McCollum and Murray combined for 18 attempted threes while Murphy went 2-for-6 from deep.

Quick picks

Young over 10.5 assists (+108): I’ve made some hay recently by betting Young’s points prop, but I think Monday’s matchup against the New York Knicks is a good opportunity to pivot.

Young leads the NBA in assists this season (11.8/game) and has cashed this bet in 22 of 38 games.

Getting over 10.5 assists at plus money looks like a value to me — especially when you consider Young’s recent results against the Knicks.

In his past five games against New York, dating back to February 2023, Young has averaged 12.2 assists and hit this over four times.

Vucevic over 13.5 rebounds/assists (-108): The Clippers have the No. 2-ranked defensive rating (107.3), which seems like an explanation for why this line is lower than I’d expect.

Still, I don’t view strong defence as an inhibitor for a prop market like this (keep in mind that you need missed shots to grab rebounds).

Vucevic is rolling right now as a scorer, rebounder and passer. The Bulls should continue giving him big minutes and letting him do his thing.

Over his past 14 games, Vucevic has averaged 11.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists (15.5 RA), cashing this bet 11 times.

The Clippers allow the third-most assists per game to opposing centres (4.8), per Betting Pros, which should help. If Vucevic hovers around the 10-rebound mark, the over will be in play.

Picks made at 12:10 p.m. ET on 01/20/2025.