Friday night marks another set of NBA Cup matchups as the group stage nears a close. Teams will be suiting up for their second or third matchup of NBA Cup play with eight games of action on the slate.
Most notably, the 76ers will play the Brooklyn Nets, as Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will likely each hear boo’s from the Philadelphia faithful. The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers are set to square off, each holding a 6-9 record on the year. The Sacremento Kings will play the Los Angeles Clippers and the final game will be between the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks.
You can check out each matchup on DraftKings Sportsbook, but here are my favorite player props for November 22.
Trey Murphy Over 17.5 Points (+100)
No team has been bothered by injuries as much as the New Orleans Pelicans this season. Most recently, the team played a game with all five expected starters coming into the season being held out. While they are beginning to move in the right direction, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray will continue to miss time. Brandon Ingram was listed as questionable, but is set to play.
Trey Murphy also has battled injuries this season and has suited up for just four total games. Across those four games he has averaged 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds. He will be on the floor tonight as the Pelicans face the Warriors, and he’ll be higher up in the offensive pecking order than would be the case if the team was healthy.
The Warriors have been an impressive defensive team this season and rank fifth on the year in opponent points per game. However, there is enough shot volume available for the 24-year-old to eclipse 17.5 points for the second consecutive game. He has attempted at least six three-pointers in all four games he has played this season and taken 12 or more shots from the field, as well. We have seen several young talents across the league leap with an expanded role due to the injuries around them and Trey Murphy should be expected to fall in line with this trend.
Zach LaVine 3+ Made Three-Pointers (-130)
The Chicago Bulls continue to operate in NBA purgatory, but there is some intriguing talent on the roster. Zach LaVine is one of the headliners in this conversation and is en route to reminding the rest of the NBA of the caliber of talent he remains to be. The two-time All-Star is one of the premier shot-makers in the league. He is still capable of getting red-hot and it took a 27-point output on Wednesday against the Bucks to just keep the Bulls in the game.
On the season overall, LaVine has averaged 22.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists while knocking down 3.2 made three-pointers per game. The UCLA product is shooting 43.2% from beyond the arc while launching 7.3 long-range attempts per game. He has knocked down three or more three-pointers in seven of the 13 games he has played this season. He also has made 11 three-pointers across the past two games.
To add to this, the Atlanta Hawks rank dead-last in opponent three-point percentage, allowing teams to shoot 39.2% from beyond the arc this season. Outside of Dyson Daniels, the team has struggled to defend the perimeter. LaVine will have a green light shooting the ball and the Bulls will need him to produce offensively. Look for him to knock down at least three three-pointers in this game for the eighth time this season and build off his impressive offensive output.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 32.5 Points (-120)
The Milwaukee Bucks are set to face off with the Indiana Pacers, as both teams attempt to get back on track for the season. While Milwaukee has struggled as a team, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been every bit the MVP version of himself. So far this season he is leading the NBA in scoring at 32.1 points per game while shooting 61% from the field on 21.4 attempts per game.
Indiana has struggled defensively this season and ranks 25th in the league in opponent points per game. They are most effective when getting out in transition, but this is a dangerous game when going toe-to-toe with Antetokounmpo. The eight-time All-Star leads the entire NBA with 8.8 points per game in transition and he’s averaging 1.25 points per possession in these opportunities this season. No other player in the league is averaging more than 7.1 points per game in transition.
Expect Antetokounmpo to be in attack mode both in transition and in the halfcourt. He has gone over 32.5 points in six of the 14 games he has played and against tougher defenses than Indiana’s. Look for the Greek Freak to build off this and benefit from the up-tempo style of play the Pacers prefer to play at. Count on him to record over 32.5 points in this matchup and continue growing his MVP case.
Dereck Lively Over 15.5 Points & Rebounds (-125)
The Dallas Mavericks are set to face off with the Denver Nuggets and will be without Luka Doncic as he recovers from his wrist injury. This changes the outlook for the team significantly. There also is uncertainty with the Denver Nuggets, as Nikola Jokic is listed as questionable for personal reasons. Jokic has missed the past three games and his status will be one to watch as the game gets closer.
Amid all of the injuries, look for a strong performance from Dereck Lively in this matchup. The second-year big man has averaged 8.6 points and 6.8 rebounds across his 22.5 minutes per game this season. If Jokic is unable to go, which is on the table, Lively should be in line for an even bigger day. However, even if the three-time MVP plays, expect Lively to have success catching lobs through the air. He has a massive 7-foot-7 wingspan and a leaping ability to make his catch radius even more impressive.
Across the 11 games he has played this season, Lively has recorded over 15.5 points and rebounds six times. Expect Dallas to lean on his athleticism and size in this matchup and for his ability through the air to grow into a more notable portion of the offense. Injuries have gotten in the way to start this season, but expect Lively’s minutes share to grow over Daniel Gafford as the season continues. There is no one on Denver’s roster capable of matching his combination of size and athleticism and the team will give Lively the opportunity to prove his.
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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.
