Thursday marks the last night in NBA action before players are given a rest for the All-Star Break. There are five games on tap in the Association for tonight and we'll be taking a look at our two favorite prop bets on the board. The Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets get things started at 7:00 p.m. ET and the nightcap features the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers at 10:30 p.m. ET.
We started things off with a 2-0 day on Wednesday, as Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter Seth Curry went well over his three-point prop in an upset win over the New York Knicks while Orlando Magic rookie Franz Wagner came in below 15 points. Let's see if we can keep building.
For this article, we use the odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to pinpoint spots for value. Please note that betting lines and our game projections may change throughout the day after this article is published.
As always, we stand behind our predictions, but take a look to see if any other players jump out at you by using the SportsGrid Player Prop Tool. Ensure you always check back throughout the day, as odds and projections may change with news and starting rotations. The FanDuel Sportsbook has you covered with the most up-to-date and top odds in the industry.
Dallas Mavericks vs. New Orleans Pelicans
The Bet: CJ McCollum Over 21.5 Points (-110)
The long-discussed CJ McCollum trade finally happened this season, although he ended up in a destination other than what many predicted. McCollum has been thriving for the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 26 points per game with his new squad.
It seemed like the same narrative was repeated year after year in Portland, as media personalities debated whether or not the Blazers could succeed with two undersized ball handlers leading the team. Now, McCollum is the clear-cut number one option for the Pelicans, freeing him up to run wild and let loose with some impressive box scores. In his first four contests as the go-to guy in New Orleans, McCollum is averaging a robust 20.8 shot attempts per game. For reference on how impressive the sheer amount of volume is, consider that Devin Booker ranks second in the NBA, behind only Luka Doncic, also with 20.8 field goal attempts per game.
Booker (25.5) and Doncic (27.0) both average well over 21.5 points per game, the mark set for McCollum in this match. We can see that the books have not properly adjusted for McCollum's increase in usage and shot share since joining the Pelicans and therefore we must pounce on this opportunity to take the Over on an alpha scorer who isn't being priced as such.
Several McCollum props stand out in addition to his points prop. His assist line is set at Over/Under 4.5 (-124 to the Over), and he's handed out at least five dimes in every game with New Orleans. His points, rebounds, and assists line is set at 31.5 (-118), which he's cashed the Over in three of four games with his new squad. Still, we're sticking with Over 21.5 points (-110) as our best bet. This cuts down the juice and allows us to focus on McCollum's greatest skill: putting the ball in the net.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bet: Tobias Harris Over 1.5 Made Threes (+154)
How about a nice plus-money odds prop for our second bet of the evening?
The Philadelphia 76ers require shooting in the short-term after sending Seth Curry and his 2.8 made threes per game to the Brooklyn Nets. James Harden, who returned in that deal, is out through the All-Star break. This should free up shots for the rest of Philadelphia's roster until Harden dawns a 76ers jersey for the first time and we're counting on Tobias Harris to be a beneficiary.
The Milwaukee Bucks' defensive philosophy involves forcing teams to hoist up three-point attempts. The Bucks give up the most three-point attempts per game (41.1) and also allow the most made threes per contest (14.1). Mike Budenholzer and company will be happy to force Harris into being a shooter on Thursday night.
Harris is a respectable 35.4 percent shooter from downtown. If he sees the uptick in volume from three-point range that we're anticipating, he has a good chance at cashing this plus-money prop for us before the All-Star break commences.
All NBA predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid.
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