LeBron James' assists total is set at 1.5 assists below his season average. Is there value in taking him against the Orlando Magic or are oddsmakers setting a trap? Can Zach LaVine continue to shoot well against the Boston Celtics? Will RJ Barrett find success against the Washington Wizards and their shaky three-point defense?
Here are the three best NBA player props for Monday, March 24th.
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Monday’s Best NBA Player Prop Bets
This Season: 48-57 (-3.25 units) | Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
LeBron James 7+ Assists (+100)
LeBron James ranks sixth in the NBA with 8.5 assists per game. He only dished out four in Saturday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, but he's recorded at least eight in three of his last five games. He went through a cold spell at the end of February, recording six or fewer assists in five consecutive games to end the month. However, the fact James' average is still where it is shows just how good he can be when things are going his way.
James hasn't faced the Magic since November 21st, but he did assist on seven made baskets in that game. Why are we getting this number at such a great price considering James' season average and past performance? Well, the Magic are allowing just 22.9 assists per game, which is the second-lowest mark in the league. They're giving up the fewest points per game in the NBA, which means there will be fewer opportunities for James. Still, getting him 1.5 assists below his season average at plus odds is worth the risk.
Zach LaVine Over 2.5 Three-Pointers Made (-105)
Zach LaVine has made just one three-pointer in each of his last two games. During that span, he's just 1-of-11 from beyond the arc. However, he's still averaging 3.1 made threes per game. He's knocked down at least four shots from beyond the arc in three of his last five games. In March, LaVine is averaging 2.9 made threes per game, so his last two performances aren't indicative of how effective he has been from deep.
LaVine gets a very tough matchup tonight, as the Celtics are allowing just 12.9 threes per game. That's sixth-best in the league. But LaVine has had incredible success against the Celtics this season. He's made at least four threes in all three of his games against them, going 14-for-27 from beyond the arc in those three contests. LaVine played all of those games with the Chicago Bulls. While his team has changed, his talent level hasn't.
RJ Barrett Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made (-115)
RJ Barrett has made just one three-pointer in three consecutive games. He was 3-for-16 during that span. In one of those games, he went 1-for-6 against the same Wizards team he is facing tonight. But on March 8th, Barrett also faced the Wizards, and he went 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, his best shooting performance since the end of January.
Barrett has faced the Wizards three times this season, and he's made exactly one three-pointer in two of those games. Yet, I like him to hit his over tonight because the Wizards are bad at defending the three-point line. They're allowing the fourth-most three-pointers per game, which makes them the perfect team to break out of a funk against. Barrett is averaging 1.9 made threes per game and he should be able to top his season average against one of the worst three-point defenses in the league.
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.
