NBA Player Prop Bets, Picks & Predictions: Friday (3/21)
Welcome to another day of basketball as we are deep into the NBA season with teams jockeying for playoff positions or a better draft slot. If you're joining us for the first time, welcome. It's been a great year, and I hope we continue that trend as we look to the playoffs.
We have a 10-game slate tonight while the NCAA Tournament continues, so we have plenty of options for player props as the sportsbooks are distracted making lines for college teams you've never heard of. 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 ensure you get the best value. Let's get to it.
Unless specified otherwise, each bet will be for a single unit.
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Friday’s Best NBA Player Prop Bets
Last Time: 2-0 | Season: 124-91
Devin Booker Under 35.5 Points + Assists (-120 BetRivers)
The Phoenix Suns haven't exactly been a delight this season with a sub-.500 record across a back-and-forth season. Tonight against Cleveland, I expect more of the same for Devin Booker and company. The Cavs have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing shooting guards this season. That number has dropped by five points to bring it down to the lowest points allowed to opposing shooting guards in their last seven games.
This is a top-10 defense that has limited Booker in the past. He's projected closer to 32 on the combo prop. After a 40+ point performance, it's an over-inflated line. Taking unders against Cleveland is a comfortable proposition. I'm riding that with Booker.
Harrison Barnes Over 16.5 Points + Assists + Rebounds (-115 ESPN Bet)
What a betting paradise we have here. This is a game with a total of around 241 with two of the worst defenses in basketball. There aren't two that rank worse in the NBA since the All-Star break than the Spurs and the 76ers. This means most props are over-inflated, but not Harrison Barnes.
The Spurs forward has covered this line in over half of his games and has been averaging 14+ points a night over his last eight matches. There isn't a single team that allows more combined points + assists + rebounds to opposing power forwards than the 76ers. This is a pace-up spot for the Spurs, who have leaned a bit more on Barnes recently, with over a 17% usage rate in the last week of play. This is one of the easier bets I've made all year.
Desmond Bane Under 22.5 Points (-110 ESPN Bet)
Sometimes, you gotta trust the projections and the BettingPros Prop Bet Cheat Sheet puts Desmond Bane closer to 18 with immense value on the under. The Clippers are a big pace-down spot, ranking as one of the five slowest teams in the league since the All-Star break and third slowest overall.
The Clippers have also stepped up defensively of late, ranking in the top 10 in defensive rating over their last 10 games. Los Angeles is a top-five team in limiting opposing shooting guards from scoring and Kris Dunn should get his assignment. He is a solid defender. Bane is due for regression after a 44-point outing the other night.
Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @ryancoleman_98. For more from Ryan, check out his archive.