NBA Player Prop Bets, Picks & Predictions: Friday (1/17)
We are in the dog days of summer (winter but you get it) with the NFL season winding down and the NBA garnering more viewership. If you're joining us for the first time, welcome, it's been a great season, and I hope we continue that trend tonight. We have a solid nine-game slate tonight as we head into the weekend, so there are a handful of props I'm loving.
As always, monitor injury news and lineup announcements. The best way to stay sharp regarding NBA player props is by staying on top of the news. The second-best way is to shop around at different sportsbooks. Player props rarely have identical odds across platforms, so make sure you're getting the best value. Let's get to it.
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Friday's Best NBA Player Prop Bets
Last Time: 1-1 | Season: 82-63
CJ McCollum Over 22.5 Points + Assists (-117 at Caesars Sportsbook)
CJ McCollum has averaged 21 points and three assists in his last eight games. An average outing would put him over his combo prop. But he is in a much more beneficial matchup than average. Utah’s defense ranks 29th in efficiency this season with a 10-29 record. They are a slight pace-up spot for the Pelicans, so the New Orleans guard will get extra possessions against a sub-par defense.
McCollum’s last two games haven't been the best but his splits have improved at home. I understand the Pelicans are getting healthier but they're still favored by double-digits with a 230 total. McCollum has had a 26% usage rate. This prime matchup provides the perfect spot for a high-scoring affair.
Jayson Tatum Under 39.5 Points + Assists + Rebounds (-109 at Caesars Sportsbook)
I don't fade the Celtics much but even as 10-point favorites tonight this feels like an under game. Paolo Banchero is back in the Orlando lineup and their defense should be back to their elite status. Even with the injuries they've suffered, the Magic still own the second-best defense in the league. They also are the slowest-paced team in the league. There's a reason why the total is only 210.
Jayson Tatum has gone over this line only once in his last five games. Orlando limits opposing power forwards’ combined points + rebounds + assists at the third-best clip in the league. I don't understand this line, so I am throwing two units on Tatum's points + rebounds + assists under. Get on it before it's too late, especially at this line.
Brandon Miller Over 27.5 Points + Assists + Rebounds (-120 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Holy Trinity of teams to bet against when it comes to opponent props have been Chicago, Washington and Utah. There are a few other honorable mentions like Toronto and Portland but those three take the cake. Chicago has a bottom-seven defense with the second-fastest pace-up play after getting usurped by Memphis.
Branond Miller is questionable while he deals with a wrist alignment, but he's played about 32 minutes in each of his last four games, so I'm expecting him to be a full go tonight. No Bulls defender scares me and Charlotte is a top-10 rebounding team while the Bulls rank bottom 10 in that metric. Miller should eat tonight, so I'm willing to lay the juice.
Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @ryancoleman_98. For more from Ryan, check out his archive.