There are nine NBA games this evening, which should offer up a tremendous amount of opportunities in the NBA player props department. Here are some of our favorites for Friday, December 26th.
Friday’s Best NBA Player Props
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Kel'el Ware Under 27.5 Points + Rebounds (-122)
Bam Adebayo is currently listed as questionable for this contest due to lower-back soreness. DraftKings Sportsbook has lines up for Adebayo, which is usually a good indication of availability. Make sure to check back later on the BettingPros App for all of your up-to-date information regarding playing status.
The reasoning behind this selection does correlate with Adebayo being available. However, it's more about the inconsistency of playing time for Kel'el Ware. Ware has played as few as 12 minutes to as many as 35 in December. The Heat center is averaging 23.9 minutes on the floor this month, yet has only been on the floor for 24+ minutes in five out of the last 10 games.
Ware is averaging 12 points and 10.6 rebounds over the last 10 games, and has only eclipsed a combined 27.5 points + rebounds in four out of the previous 12 contests. Again, if Adebayo cannot take the court tonight, it may be best to leave this selection for another day. Having said that, the lines would more than likely be higher if sportsbooks had full confidence that Adebayo would not play.
Tre Johnson 2+ Three-Pointers Made (-109)
It would appear the lines have not caught up to the current three-point production for Tre Johnson. The sportsbooks may be putting too much emphasis on average playing time on the season, which has also increased slightly over the last few games.
Johnson has recorded at least two three-point baskets in five consecutive contests. The Wizards guard is hitting 2.4 baskets per game from three-point distance over that span. The rookie out of Texas made three shots from above the perimeter in only 19 minutes when the Raptors last faced the Wizards.
Johnson is knocking down 2.4 three-pointers when playing at home, compared to 1.4 on the road. When you factor in the current streak, the bump in three-point production when playing at home, and the success in the first meeting, it's hard to pass up on this selection.
Josh Giddey & Tyrese Maxey 2+ Three-Pointers Made (-148)
This is easily the most juiced-up selection of this season. However, the total comes across as a bit of a lapse on behalf of the sportsbooks. If there's even the slightest angle to expose, it makes sense to consider it. The line on Tyrese Maxey to make two three-point shots is -810, which means this is largely predicated on Josh Giddey keeping up his end of the bargain. At -177 for Giddey to hit two three-point baskets, it's only logical to play them together in a combo for a loftier return.
Josh Giddey is connecting on two three-pointers on 4.9 attempts this season. Giddey has knocked-down two baskets from beyond the arc in four consecutive games. The Bulls guard has also made at least two three-pointers in five consecutive contests against Eastern Conference opponents. Giddey hit two baskets from deep when the Bulls and Sixers last met.
In that very same contest, Maxey scored 39 points, with six three-pointers. Maxey may have had Christmas heavily on his mind on Tuesday, when he failed to make a three-point basket. This marked only the second contest of the season in which Maxey failed to make two shots from above the perimeter. We certainly do not expect him to repeat that performance tonight against the Bulls.
Saddiq Bey 6+ Rebounds (-117)
Saddiq Bey is pulling down six rebounds each contest, and 7.3 boards per 36 minutes - the highest of his career. Bey is accounting for 10.9% of the rebounds accumulated by New Orleans. The forward out of Villanova has finished with at least six boards in five out of the last six contests.
Bey is averaging 6.1 rebounds in December, and has only fallen short of six rebounds in three out of 19 games. The veteran forward has recorded six boards or more in 10 out of the previous 15 contests, including nine consecutive games against opponents in the Western Conference.
Bey finished with seven rebounds when the Pelicans matched up against the Suns last month. The 26-year old owns a remarkable success rate on this prop when playing divisional opponents, and we are going to ride the streak to 10 straight games of six boards or more against the Western Conference.
Shaedon Sharpe Under 25.5 Points (-106)
Shaedon Sharpe is averaging 22.1 points per game this campaign. The Trail Blazers guard ranks just outside of the top 25 (26th) in terms of points scored per game. Sharpe is connecting on a very solid 46.2% when shooting from the field, and 31.8% from beyond the arc. The Kentucky product has been on the floor for an average of 31.5 minutes per game in December, while averaging over 18 attempts each contest.
Sharpe has reached 26 points in only three out of 12 games played, with an average of 24 over the last 10 contests. He has scored fewer than 26 points in three consecutive games. Sharpe has failed to reach 26 points in four out of the previous six games against opponents in the Western Conference.
The young guard averages 20.6 points when playing at home - a sizable contrast to the 23.4 points he averages on the road. Sharpe is averaging 21 points against the Western Conference this season, and only 16 points in five games played with three days of rest or more.
Enjoy the games tonight. Best of luck with your picks.
