Welcome to another day of NBA prop betting, and happy April! Since the All-Star break, these picks have been flaming hot, and I hope you've been able to capitalize with me. If you aren't taking advantage of the BettingPros prop tools, you're missing out, but there's no time like the present. As always, monitor any potential news and lineup announcements. The best way to stay informed about NBA player props is to stay current with the latest updates. The second best way is to shop around at different books. Player props rarely have identical odds across platforms, so ensure you get the best value.
We have a healthy six-game slate, which means plenty of options to choose from. Of course, there are still players with questionable tags across the board, so make sure to stay on top of the news. Anyways, let's get to the best bets of the day.
Unless specified otherwise, each bet will be a single unit.
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Thursday Best NBA Player Props & Bets
Last Time: 1-1 | This Season: 78-61
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 31.5 Points (-115 DraftKings)
After breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record of 127 consecutive 20-point games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't stopped putting the pedal to the medal. Shai is coming off a 47 point effort in a win over a tough Detroit team, playing over 40 minutes. We've seen SGA step up in big ways when OKC dons the bat signal. The Lakers are the perfect matchup for the Thunder guard to step up to the plate. Jalen Williams is back, but SGA's usage is still a whopping 38 percent over his last three games, and his playing time has seen a bump, which is the main draw to the over. Besides the narrative aspect to this prop, Los Angeles enters with the 20th ranked defense, and Shai did well against Los Angeles the one time he's played against the Lakers way back in November. This prop is only expected to move up, so jump on it while you can. Even if he plays to his seasonal averages, this is an easy cover.
Devin Booker Under 25.5 Points (-110 HardRock)
Charlotte has been quietly clawing their way into the playoffs with a 14-7 record since the All-Star break. In the same time frame, the Hornets rank sixth in overall defense with the second slowest pace of play. Combine that with the fact that the Suns rank 27th in pace of play, and you can see why I like the under here. To add some icing to this cake, Charlotte has allowed the second fewest points to opposing guards over their last 30 games and the sixth fewest to opposing small forwards, if you consider Booker in that position. Booker has also had fewer minutes in his last couple weeks of play, coming in just fewer than 30 minutes a game compared to his 33 minutes seasonal average. The Suns’ star has gone over this prop in consecutive games, which has bumped this line, but I'm selling stock here.
Jalen Duren Over 34.5 Pts + Reb (-110 DraftKings)
Without Cade Cunningham in the lineup, Detroit's usage rates have shuffled around, with Jalen Duren getting a big boost. The Pistons center has averaged over 23 points and nearly 11 boards in a night in his last seven games. The total is only 224 points, but Minnesota is a pace up spot, and Minnesota is a completely different team on the road. Their defense at home ranks third, and when they travel outside of Minnesota, that number drops to 18th. Duren, meanwhile, gets a bump while playing at home, and with Isaiah Stewart still out, Duren will continue to get additional work. Don't be afraid of the Timberwolves in Detroit here, despite what the overall numbers may suggest.
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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.