Five games between ten teams tip off on Thursday across the NBA. The main event is a primetime rematch between the Thunder and the Cavaliers. Both squads, currently sitting atop their respective conferences, met on January 8th, resulting in a 129-122 Cleveland win. Later on, the 27-12 Rockets travel to Sacramento to battle the surging Kings.
With a select group of games to choose from, 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.
Tyus Jones over 5.5 assists (-125)
Outside of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns haven’t had much to get excited about this season. That includes offseason pickup Tyus Jones, who has struggled over the past month. Since December 15th, the point guard has averaged just 9.9 points and 4.3 assists on 26.4 minutes of play. Inconsistent rotations from head coach Mike Budenholzer have made it even more difficult to predict Jones’ production each night.
Sometimes, all a player needs is the right matchup to get back on track. That could come tonight against a Washington team giving up the most points (122.4) and the fourth-most assists (28.4) to opponents. For all his recent struggles, Jones has still recorded five or more assists in five of his last nine outings. This game could see plenty of points, so look for the former Wizards guard to come alive against his old team.
Evan Mobley over 29.5 points + rebounds (-120)
The Cavaliers are the talk of the NBA, ranked first in the Eastern Conference with a 34-5 record. There’s no singular factor responsible for Cleveland’s success, but Evan Mobley’s continued growth has helped. The power forward has improved as a scorer, putting up a career-best 19.0 points per game on 57.7% shooting from the field. Solid rebounding on both ends of the floor (9.0 RPG) have made the USC alum one of basketball’s best all-around threats.
It’s usually difficult to go against the Thunder, as they’ve given up an NBA-best 103.2 points per game to opponents. However, that’s primarily due to an elite perimeter defense. Down low, Oklahoma City has allowed the second-most rebounds in the association (55.7). When these two teams last met on January 8th, Mobley tallied 21 points and ten rebounds through 35 minutes. In another high-profile showdown, expect the big man to flirt with his 19th double-double of the season.
Fred VanVleet over 2.5 three-pointers made (-115)
Fred VanVleet’s production can be inconsistent, but he’s the perfect leader for a team on the rise. The Rockets find themselves in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race despite lacking a true ‘superstar’ talent. Bringing together a young roster can be difficult, so it’s no surprise that head coach Ime Udoka has leaned on FVV at point guard. The veteran’s shooting has been poor (38.8 FG%), but he’s posted 15.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists this season.
VanVleet has looked much better lately, generating 16.2 points on 48.3% shooting during his last five appearances. In that time, the point guard knocked down 14 total three-pointers (2.8 per game). That trend should continue tonight against a subpar Kings defense. Sacramento has allowed opponents to connect on 37.6% of their attempts from beyond the arc, fifth-worst in the NBA. The former All-Star can be a difficult player to back, but he has a terrific opportunity on Thursday night.
