NBA Player Prop Bet Picks & Predictions: Friday (12/1)

While I may have cooled off a bit of late, it has still been an incredibly successful season and I plan on continuing that trend before we get to the weekend. This time of year books become sharper with more and more games being played and it gets a bit more difficult to find value but don't worry, it's still out there. We have a solid six-game slate with plenty of opportunity to make some money. Be sure to keep up with who is playing and who is not because there is bound to be some great value available right before tip-off.

Unless specified otherwise, each bet will be a single unit.

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Friday’s NBA Best Player Prop Bets

Last Time: 1-2
Season: 42-23

Victor Wembanyama Under 9.5 rebounds (-125, FanDuel)

As I type this out I realize taking under on Wembanyama's props may be one of my least favorite things to do when it comes to NBA betting. But it's the right thing tonight. Of course, the Spurs star rookie is questionable tonight with a hip injury so this play is only valid if he sees minutes against the Pelicans.

That injury is part of why I love the under, though. He played 29 minutes yesterday against Atlanta - which is below his average. Playing in consecutive games, especially on the road while riding a 13-game losing streak is a recipe for Unders galore. I can't imagine morale will be high for the rookie.

Even if he does play regular minutes and is fully healthy, the Pelicans are a solid rebounding team, ranking fifth in both overall and defensive rebound rate. The Spurs' worst defensive efficiency simply means more shots made – look at the 137 points by Atlanta – and fewer opportunities for boards.

CJ McCollum Over 17.5 Points (-120, FanDuel)

On the other side of the ball, blindly betting overs against the Spurs is essentially the definition of a plus-expected value bet. I've decided to back the Pels guard here, who has the best value when it comes to scoring props.

I've mentioned how the Spurs' defense is not only bad, but far and away the least efficient defense in the league. But it gets worse. San Antonio has allowed 26.7 points per game to opposing point guards - second-highest in the league.

If you want, feel free to sprinkle some money on alternative Overs for McCollum tonight. The Pelicans guard picked up where he left off after missing 12 games, scoring 20 points in 28 minutes against a much better team in Philadelphia. I am quite surprised this line isn't higher with the number of possessions this game will have. CJ will get his looks and playing at home against the Spurs makes me run to bet this prop.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Over 28.5 Pts + Ast + Reb (-115, DraftKings)

After averaging nearly 20 points a game with six boards and a pair of assists in the last two weeks, this line is set too low against the 25th-ranked Dallas defense.

I expect Jackson Jr. to thrive in the frontcourt tonight. The Mavs have allowed the second-highest scoring to opposing power forwards this year - more than 27 points a game. I'm not expecting Jackson Jr. to get there, but it is a great start for the combo prop. With Dallas allowing the fourth most assists to the same position, the Memphis big man should sail past his averages tonight.

The BettingPros Prop Bet Cheat Sheet gives this bet a 74 percent chance of hitting as well which is another reason to back it. The Sheet is an excellent resource for all your betting needs and is a big reason for my success on the season, beyond just basketball.

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.