Now that an exhausting/action-packed weekend of NFL is in the books, let’s shift our focus to tonight’s six game NBA slate. There are a lot of matchups that will be fun to watch, so we’ll do our best to act accordingly! With prop bets, we don’t need to wait for season-long storylines to play out. Every day is a new day. Fantrax wants to help you win a bit of money, so we will be giving you NBA Player Prop Bets every week. We’ll shy away from keying in on any particular sportsbook, as we know odds vary, and so do props. We’ll focus on our projections, and allow you to find your best odds. Let’s get into today’s props.
NBA Player Props for January 9
Giannis Antetokounmpo, UNDER 40 Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Friends, I don’t know what’s going on with the Bucks. They just got blown out by the famously tanking Charlotte Hornets. There’s probably just some re-integration needed since Giannis, Holiday, Middleton, and friends haven’t played together in such a long time. Chemistry is not a stat to be tracked, but rather something to be witnessed. That said, the Bucks play the Knicks tonight. The Knicks have plenty of chemistry and are hitting on all cylinders. Believe it or not, the Knicks actually have a better net rating (8th) than the Bucks (13th), despite the Bucks’ 3rd-ranked defense. I think as the Bucks continue to get comfortable with one another again, they will struggle against the Knicks’ top-10 defense and top-10 offense. You can’t really defend a player like Giannis. You just have to hope he’s not in rhythm. After a 9-point, 4-rebound performance in Charlotte, I think it’s safe to say Giannis is not in rhythm.
Ja Morant OVER 28 Points:
If you’re reading this article for the first time, you wouldn’t notice the almost daily trend of betting on the star player that is playing against the Spurs. The Spurs still have the worst defense in the league and play at a top-10 pace. That’s the formula for scoring a lot of points. Ja Morant has scored 32 points or more in three of his last five games. Now would be a good time to ride that wave. A large reason that Memphis is top-10 in the offense this year is on the back of Ja Morant’s explosiveness and efficiency. If the Spurs could stop that, they wouldn’t be the worst team in the league.
LeBron James OVER 40 Points + Rebounds + Assists:
LeBron is showing no signs of slowing down. Minutes be damned. He’s had 40+ PRA in ten of his last ten games. That’s absurd for anyone, let alone someone in the twilight of their career. In a recent interview with ESPN, he spoke about his desire to break the all-time scoring record, which he will do this year, provided he stays healthy. He’s got a decent matchup against the Nuggets tonight. Denver has the 23rd-ranked defense in the league, which bodes well for LeBron’s prospects. The reason I’m not choosing a higher line for better odds is that Denver plays at a very slow pace, meaning fewer possessions for LeBron to produce with his high usage rate. Regardless, tonight, you will see LeBron continue to play at the incredible level we’ve become accustomed to. I wouldn’t be surprised if he hit his 40+ PRA line before the end of the third quarter.
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