A seven-game, fourteen-team slate of NBA action tips off on Tuesday night. Among the matchups to watch, a battle between Jayson Tatum’s Celtics and Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets should make for appointment viewing. With so many stars taking the floor, narrowing down a few players to back is easier said than done. Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t bets worth placing. Here are three props catching my eye tonight.
Bradley Beal over 14.5 points (-120)
A disastrous season for the Suns took a turn this week, with head coach Mike Budenholzer opting to play starters Jusuf Nurkic and Bradley Beal off of the bench on Monday night. The results for the latter were surprisingly good: 25 points and five assists through 30 minutes of play vs. the 76ers. For all his flaws, the veteran hasn’t been bad this season, averaging 18.1 points on 48.9% shooting from the field (39.7 3PT%). Still, his iso-heavy play style is a difficult fit next to superior scorers in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
Beal’s new role has created justifiable doubt in the betting market; a situation like this is where savvy bettors pounce. Against the right opponent, the 31-year-old is still capable of knocking down some buckets. The Hornets are an improved defensive team, but they’re still giving up a league-average 112.5 points per game. Charlotte’s weaknesses also play into Beal’s strengths, as the team is allowing the seventh-most three-point attempts to opponents this season (39.1). Look for Phoenix’s new sixth man to go over this modest number as a sharpshooter off the bench.
Russell Westbrook over 5.5 rebounds (+105)
Russell Westbrook has become an easy target for some fans, as his infamous struggles to shoot the ball can make for a difficult watch. Still, the future Hall of Famer is beginning to thrive in his first season with the Nuggets. Over the guard’s previous ten games, he’s putting up 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists. After coming off of the bench for most of the season, head coach Mike Malone has started Westbrook in each of Denver’s last six contests.
The Celtics, when healthy, are a near-perfect basketball team. However, they can struggle on the glass at times, giving up the 13th-most rebounds to opponents this season (52.7). It can be difficult to predict Westbrook’s production on any given night, but he has gone over this total in four of his previous five outings. Expect Boston to focus on boxing out Nikola Jokic, leaving plenty of boards up for grabs.
Collin Sexton over 2.5 three-pointers made (+135)
There isn’t a lot to love about the Jazz, but four wins over their last nine games shows improvement over the first two months of the season. During that stretch, Collin Sexton has come alive, averaging 21.7 points, 6.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds on 48.4% shooting from the field (44.1 3PT%). On a Utah team that often struggles to score the ball, any offensive contributions are welcome.
The Jazz will look to keep their momentum going at home tonight vs. the Hawks. Atlanta’s perimeter defense has struggled mightily this season, giving up the most three-pointers made (15.4) and the highest three-point percentage (38.3%) to opponents. Sexton isn’t known as a sharpshooter, but he has cleared this total in four of his last seven appearances. Against one of the association’s worst defensive units, he should make an impact from beyond the arc.
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