As the NBA hits full gear, today will be among the busiest days of the entire season. All 30 teams are set to face off, with a new game tipping off every 15 minutes.
The night will begin at 7:00 EST in the second straight matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers. The rest of the league will each suit up for their games and the slate will be finalized by a matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers, tipping off at 10:30 PM EST.
This jam-packed slate of games presents plenty of intrigue and provides numerous options on the betting board. While you can check out each matchup on DraftKings Sportsbook, here are my favorite player props on November 4.
Jaden Ivey Over 16.5 Points (-130)
There were high hopes for Jaden Ivey when the Pistons selected him with the fifth pick in the 2022 draft. Finally, the version of the player they believed in when they selected him seems to have shown up in Detroit.
In his third season, Ivey has averaged 18.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across the opening seven games. He also is logging a career-high 31.7 minutes per game. Ivey’s athletic pop remains evident and his processing of the game has taken notable strides forward from the start of his NBA career.
Through the opening seven games, Ivey has eclipsed 16.5 points five times. He shot a combined 8-24 from the field in the two games he hasn’t reached this number. The opportunities to shoot will be there for Ivey as the Pistons take on the Lakers tonight. Look for him to remain in attack mode and establish himself as a key piece of Detroit’s plans. Expect him to shoot up to his typical standard and record over 16.5 points in tonight’s matchup.
Trae Young Under 28.5 Points (-125)
Trae Young has been mostly a bright spot through the early part of the season. Through the opening seven games, Young has averaged 27.0 points, 11.7 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. He has shouldered more of an offensive burden on his shoulders following the loss of Dejounte Murray this offseason.
However, don’t expect tonight’s matchup with the Celtics to be one where Young shines. Boston is holding opponents to the 12th-fewest per game so far this season and has several lengthy, athletic defenders who will be able to keep Young in check.
Throughout his career, Young has averaged 25.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.4 rebounds per game against the Celtics and scored just 20 points in their most recent matchup. Young has been held to under 28.5 points in four of the seven games so far this season and is shooting just 41.4% from the floor which is a career-low. This is not the type of matchup in which Young will be able to snap out of his shooting funk with Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday each set to spend portions of the game as Young’s primary defender. Expect him to fall short of the 28.5-point line.
Franz Wagner Over 5.5 Rebounds (-142)
The Orlando Magic were off to a hot start to the season but suffered a tough loss as Paolo Banchero suffered a torn oblique, sidelining him for an extended period. While the 29.0 points per game will be the most notable void, the Magic will also need to make up for the 8.8 rebounds per game that Banchero was averaging.
Both of these responsibilities will be put on Wagner’s plate. Through the opening seven games, Wagner has averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He has tallied six or more rebounds in four of the six games including both games without Banchero.
As the Magic face off with the Oklahoma City Thunder, expect Wagner to play a key role in helping out with the rebounding. The Thunder rank eighth in the NBA in team rebounding thus far with Chet Holmgren as their leading rebounder at 9.8 per game. Wendell Carter Jr. is also listed as questionable for the Magic, which would further increase the need for rebounding help. While there is some value on the alternate lines, feel confident in Wagner recording over 5.5 rebounds in this game.
Paul George Over 17.5 Points (-125)
The original debut of Paul George was pushed back due to a bone bruise he sustained in preseason. He is now set to make his season debut tonight as the Sixers face off with the Phoenix Suns. Philadelphia has struggled to start the season as they are off to a 1-4 start and have desperately lacked offensive production.
Tyrese Maxey is attempting 26.0 shots per game which leads all players in the NBA. Luka Doncic ranks second in this category with 24.3 field goal attempts per game. Maxey is also shooting just 38.5% from the field and 26.3% on three-pointers. Kelly Oubre Jr. is the only other player attempting more than 10 shots per game and also is shooting just 40.3% from the field. Simply put, there is a desperate need for offensive creation in the Sixers’ offense.
While George will likely be eased back into things, he is more than capable of clearing over 17.5 points even in limited minutes. George has averaged over 17.5 points per game every year of his career since 2014-15 and had 18+ points in 56 of the 74 games he played in. Expect the Sixers to inch towards contender status and for George to reach his point prop in his Sixers debut.
Victor Wembanyama Under 23.5 Points (-125)
The final game of the NBA slate will take place between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers. As is the case in every Spurs game, Wembanyama will be the center of attention. However, last year’s number-one overall pick has struggled a bit to start the season.
Through the opening six games, Wembanyama has averaged 18.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. He has produced under 23.5 points in four of the six games including tallying just six points against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Teams have had success putting a more perimeter-oriented player on Wembayama as the primary defender and allowing a big man to float as a second line of defense. The Thunder nearly perfected this with Chet Holmgren as the roamer and the Clippers have the personnel to employ a similar strategy with Ivica Zubac set to fill these shoes.
The Spurs star is too talented to fully keep in check, but the 23.5-point line feels too lofty for this matchup. This is all part of the learning curve for the young star and nothing to worry about in the long haul. However, capitalize in the short term as Wembanyama begins to speed up his processing of the game and adjust to the increased defensive attention. Expect him to remain under 23.5 points again tonight and for better days for Wembayama to be on the horizon.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
