Eight NBA games will be taking place today to ring in the New Year.
It has been a feisty stretch of basketball across the league, and the hierarchy of each conference is beginning to be established. About 40% of the NBA season has been completed and the rumor mill is swirling as the unofficial start to NBA trade season has arrived.
Looking at the matchups tonight, the Orlando Magic will face the Detroit Pistons, and the Washington Wizards will host the Chicago Bulls at 7:00 p.m. ET. Three games will tip off a half hour later with the Nets playing the Raptors, the Heat hosting the Pelicans, and the Jazz facing the Knicks. At 8:00 p.m. ET, the Dallas Mavericks will face the Houston Rockets without Luka Doncic. An hour later the Denver Nuggets will host the Atlanta Hawks and then in the lone 10:00 p.m. ET matchup, the Philadelphia 76ers will travel to face the Sacramento Kings.
You can check out each matchup and all prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are my favorite prop bets on the Wednesday night slate.
Josh Giddey Over 29.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists (-120)
The Chicago Bulls’ franchise direction is unclear. In recent games, they have put more on Josh Giddey’s plate, and the 22-year-old has delivered. Chicago made a surprising decision this offseason, trading Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Giddey.
Through the opening 29 games with the Bulls, Giddey is averaging 12.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game. He missed four games over the past two weeks but has returned for the past two and has played with some increased aggression. Giddey finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in his first game back and added 13 points. 12 rebounds, and six assists on Monday. Overall, Giddey has recorded over 29.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists nine times. This includes three of his past four games played.
The Bulls will take on the Wizards tonight who hold a 5-25 record this season and are dead last in points allowed on the season. This will be the second matchup between the Bulls and Wizards this season. Giddey was limited to a mild output of 11 points, eight assists, and four rebounds in the first matchup but played just 25:40 of game action as it turned into a blowout. As the Bulls evaluate their best long-term path, expect them to continue exploring how much Giddey can manage on his plate. There have been promising signs for the Australian guard in recent games and expect this to continue against a vulnerable Wizards squad with over 29.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists.
Jimmy Butler Over 29.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists (-115)
All eyes will be on Jimmy Butler and the Heat as the disgruntled star returns to the team after a five-game absence. The rumors will continue to swirl surrounding Butler and he has done nothing to slow these down. Regardless if he currently wants to be in Miami or not, Butler is in the final year of his contract with a player option for next season. While Butler has shown he is willing to do just about whatever it takes to force a trade in the past, it is in both his and the team’s best interest to continue playing well on the floor.
Overshadowed by the drama has been some really strong play by the six-time All-Star. Through the opening 20 games, he is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. He also is shooting a career-high 55.2% from the field and connecting on 35.7% of his three-point attempts. His impact has been felt as the Heat have a +7.1 net rating when Butler is on the floor compared to -0.6 without him.
The Heat will face the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans tonight. They enter with a 5-28 record and rank 25th in opponents points per game. New Orleans also is allowing the fourth-most points per game to small forwards which comes out to 24.6 points per game. Expect Butler to give teams around the NBA a statement performance for why he should be desired in a trade. He has recorded over 29.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists in 11 of the 20 games he has played this season. Expect Butler to make a statement tonight and record over 29.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists against the Pelicans tonight.
Trae Young Over 11.5 Assists (-135)
Trae Young has leaped to the front of the line for the NBA leader in assists. He is averaging 12.1 assists on the season with Cade Cunningham behind him with 9.5 assists per game. The Hawks have found a nice identity surrounding Young with versatile defenders. Atlanta has a more defensive-minded approach compared to what has been the case for most of Young’s tenure.
The Hawks will face the Denver Nuggets tonight which presents a favorable matchup for the guard. Denver is allowing the 10th-most points per game this season and has given up the third-most assists per game to opposing point guards. While Nikola Jokic is one of the best offensive engines of all time, his limitation can still be seen on the other side of the ball. This is especially the case when facing athletic big men like the Hawks possess. Expect Young to manipulate the pick-and-roll opportunities and for the lob to be an option consistently tonight.
Young averaged 12.2 assists per game in December and has gone over 11.5 assists in 16 of the 31 games. This is the second matchup between the Hawks and Nuggets this season. Denver rolled in a 30-point victory in the first game in which Young was limited to 10 assists. The 2023 NBA Champions have not looked like the same team in recent games while Atlanta has played above expectations thus far. Expect a better effort from the Hawks tonight and for Young to lead the way with 12+ assists in the process.
Kelly Oubre Jr Over 19.5 Points & Rebounds (-115)
Despite the disastrous start to the season for the Philadelphia 76ers, Kelly Oubre Jr has consistently been a bright spot for the team. The Sixers brought in the veteran on a minimum contract last season and he vastly outperformed expectations. Oubre Jr was rewarded with a notable contract this offseason and has continued to see his production grow. He has started 27 of the 30 games this season and is averaging 12.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Rebounding has been an issue for the Sixers this season, with Philadelphia’s ranking 29th in total rebounds, and Oubre has been a part of this solution. Across the past 10 games, he is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game including three games with 10+ rebounds. Overall he has recorded over 19.5 combined points and rebounds 14 times this season.
In addition, Joel Embiid will miss tonight’s game as the Sixers face the Kings. While Paul George and Tyrese Maxey will primarily be looked at to pick up the slack, Oubre will also see his role in the offense expand. The 29-year-old is attempting just 10.8 shots per game which is his lowest offensive output since the 2017-18 season with the Wizards. Without Embiid on the floor, expect Oubre to be in attack mode and produce over 19.5 combined points and rebounds tonight.
Place your NBA bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
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.
