There are seven games on the NBA schedule today while the NFL playoffs continuing to hold center stage on the sports world. Even still, the NBA waits for no one, and there are a few noteworthy matchups set to take place.
The Miami Heat will host the San Antonio Spurs in the first matchup of the day tipping off at 3:00 p.m. ET. This will be the lone afternoon game with the next matchup tipping off at 6:00 p.m. ET between the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic.
Two matchups will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. ET between the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brooklyn Nets. Three games will tip off at 9:00 p.m. ET to conclude the night. These matchups will be the Washington Wizards vs Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls vs Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Clippers vs Los Angeles Lakers.
With plenty of action on the NBA schedule, here are my favorite prop bets across the Sunday slate.
Russell Westbrook Over 23.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists (-110)
The Denver Nuggets needed a spark on their roster this season, and Russell Westbrook has provided exactly that. The former MVP has seen his role and importance to the team grow significantly over the recent stretch, and he has found some nice chemistry as a cutter playing off Nikola Jokic. Looking at the season as a whole, Westbrook is averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.0 rebounds across his 27.3 minutes per game.
Across his last ten games, Westbrook is shooting 58.9% from the floor with his shot selection and off-ball movement being the driving force of this success. Westbrook is averaging 31.7 minutes per game during this period, and he has started 13 straight games entering tonight’s matchup. Denver has played at the third-quickest tempo in the NBA over the past 20 games with Westbrook being a tone-setter in this category.
Denver will take on the Orlando Magic today who are one of the premiere defensive teams. However, Westbrook has recorded over 23.5 points, rebounds, and assists in eight of the past 12 games and finds ways to impact winning even if the shots are hard to come by. His activity stands out on this Denver roster and become increasingly important of late. Jokic continues to show more trust in the 36-year-old and he has settled into his role on the team. Count on him to make his impact felt and record over 23.5 points, rebounds, and assists again today.
Kelly Oubre Jr Over 13.5 Points (-115)
It has been a nightmare season for the Philadelphia 76ers, who slipped to 15-25 on the season following last night’s loss to the Indiana Pacers. While the production from the team has been inconsistent and frustrating, Kelly Oubre Jr has been a bright spot.
Looking at the season as a whole, Oubre is averaging 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across his 33.4 minutes per game. He has been especially impressive of late averaging 16.4 points per game across the past eight games he has played and recording over 13.5 points in six of these. Oubre will now face a favorable matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks who have struggled against opposing forwards this year. Over the past five games, they are allowing 19.8 points to opposing small forwards which is the third-worst rate in the league. Milwaukee also has played at the fourth-quickest pace in the NBA over the past 15 games which should lead to more offensive possessions.
Oubre himself has shown an increased willingness and ability to get out in transition of late. Joel Embiid remains out, Tyrese Maxey continues to struggle, and Paul George’s status remains uncertain after missing last night’s game. The Sixers still need someone to step up and score and look for Oubre to continue filling these shoes. Count on him to record over 13.5 points and maintain his high level of play tonight.
Kyle Kuzma Over 20.5 Points & Rebounds (-125)
The Washington Wizards will face off with the Sacramento Kings as the biggest underdogs on today’s slate. While it is fair to be pessimistic about the outlook for the 6-34 Wizards, this is a favorable matchup for Kyle Kuzma.
So far this season Kuzma is averaging 14.4 points and 5.2 rebounds across his 27.1 minutes per game. He has battled injuries this year and has been limited to just 23 overall games. This has prevented him from fully settling in but the former NBA Champion is set to suit up for his 12th consecutive game which will be the longest stretch he has played this year. He finished last night’s matchup with the Warriors with 22 points and six rebounds and has recorded over 20.5 combined points and rebounds in 12 of the 23 games he has played- including five of the past nine games.
Looking at the matchup, the Kings have struggled defensively this year. They rank 19th in opponents’ points per game and are 12th in total rebounds. Domantas Sabonis is one of the premier rebounders in basketball and currently leads the NBA with 14.1 rebounds per game, but Keegan Murray is the only other member of the team to average more than 5.2 boards per game. Opposing starting power forwards are also shooting 52.6% from the field this season against the Kings which is the sith-worst rate in the league. Expect Kuzma to assert himself on the boards and create some easy shots as a result. He looks to finally be settling in on the season and look for him to record over 20.5 points and rebounds in this matchup.
LeBron James Over 6.5 Rebounds (-140)
The cross-town rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers is taking place tonight with this game being played at the Intuit Dome. This will mark the first trip to the new arena for LeBron James and the rest of this Lakers team.
The Clippers and Lakers sit in fifth and sixth place in the Western Conference, respectably, and this will be a matchup that means something for pride and in the standings tonight. Even at age 40, James is the driving force of so much of the Lakers’ production. While he will make his impact felt in a variety of ways, look for him to have no trouble eclipsing 6.5 rebounds tonight.
On the season, James is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game and has recorded over 6.5 rebounds in 20 of the 36 games he has played. The Clippers rank 14th in total team rebounds and sixth in opponent rebounds per game on the season. While they have embraced a more defensive-minded and rebounding-oriented approach this season, James has had great success against the Clippers during his Lakers tenure. He is averaging 9.1 rebounds per game against the Clippers and has recorded over 6.5 rebounds in ten of the last 11 matchups.
Expect there to be some increased intensity in the air for the cross-town matchup in the new building for the first time. Look for James to assert himself on the boards and pull in at least seven rebounds in tonight’s matchup.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user 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.
