NBA Player Props Bet Picks & Predictions: Friday (1/5)

by Ryan Coleman |
Jan 05, 2024

Happy New Year! I hope everyone's resolutions included winning more bets because that is exactly what I am here to provide. It's been an electric season so here is to continuing the winning ways. It's a massive 14-game slate so keep out for injury news because value will appear late. With so many games heading into the weekend, the books aren't going to be as sharp, especially with any late news. As always, shop around for the best odds.

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Fridayâ€™s Best NBA Player Prop Bets

Last Time: 1-1 | Season: 67-42 |Unless specified otherwise, each bet will be a single unit.

Saddiq Bey Over 12.5 points (FanDuel)

It's been a story for the Pacers who have handled Milwaukee in consecutive games. Don't let it go unnoticed that Indiana allowed 122 points and 130 points in each respective game. They've won five consecutive, but they also own the 28th-ranked defense. When projections go with a pace-up spot against a bad defense, the stars truly align. This will be a two-unit bet because Bey is due for a monster game. He's averaged nearly 13 points a game already and has a fantastic matchup. The Pacers have allowed the third-most points to opposing small forwards so feel free to bet some alt overs for this one.

Jalen Brunson Under 32.5 Pts + Ast (FanDuel)

After showing up against Chicago with a 31-point and 13 assist outing, now is the perfect time to fade Brunson on this combo prop. Philadelphia is a significantly better defensive unit than the Bulls, second-best actually. Playing on the road should bring Brunson back down to earth, who has been averaging 25 points and six assists on the year. To set his line this high is a spot where he's expected to go below his averages is great value, especially around even odds. The 76ers have allowed the third-fewest points to opposing point guards and I expect that trend to continue tonight.

Scottie Barnes Under 35.5 Pts + Ast + Reb (DraftKings)

Sometimes I trust the projections and this is the case. The BettingPros Prop Bet Cheat Sheet projects this line around 31 with a 73 percent chance of going under. The Sheet has been a remarkably useful tool for me all year and is a big reason for success. Despite playing Sacramento I simply feel this prop has gotten too high. He's due for a bit of regression compared to his last couple of weeks so don't be tempted to take his over.

Anthony Edwards Under 28.5 points (FanDuel)

After betting on Edwards all season, now is my time to fade him, especially with a prop set this high. Coming off four 30-plus point outings, I am a little scared for this, but Houston is the perfect team for Edwards to settle down a bit against. The Rockets own a top-five ranked defense with a bottom-five pace. There's a reason this total sits below 220 and recency bias has people running to bet his overs. Houston is the second-best team at limiting opposing shooting guard scoring and I simply don't see Edwards continuing his run of dominance in Houston.

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Friday:

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Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @ryancoleman_98. For more from Ryan, check out his archive.

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