The final matchup of today’s NBA slate will take place between the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls. Nikola Vucevic and company will remain on the West Coast and this will be the second night of a back-to-back for both teams in this game.
The Clippers will be riding high after defeating the Lakers last night in the first-ever matchup between the two taking place at the Intuit Dome. They have exceeded expectations on the season and hold a 24-17 record, which keeps them in fifth place in the Western Conference. Kawhi Leonard has battled injury issues for most of the season and will not be playing tonight after playing a season-high 24:17 of game time last night.
Things have not been as promising for the Chicago Bulls this season. They hold a record of 18-25 on the season and are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are just 3-7 in their last 10 games and will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak tonight. Despite this, Nikola Vucevic has quietly been one of the most productive big men in the NBA this season. The 34-year-old is averaging 20.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
The Clippers enter this game as six-point favorites and -230 on the Moneyline. The Bulls hold +190 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 227.
Here are my favorite Vucevic prop bets for the Monday night matchup.
Best Nikola Vucevic Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Vucevic’s props are listed at over/under 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 made three-pointers and 33.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Nikola Vucevic Over 1.5 Made Three-Pointers (-125)
Three-point volume is at an all-time high in the NBA but this has been an area where Nikola Vucevic has had success across his career. The 6-foot-10 big man is shooting a career-high 41.6% from beyond the three-point arc while launching 4.7 perimeter shots per game. This comes out to an average of 2.0 made three-pointers per game and he has made over 1.5 three-pointers in 26 of the 42 games he has played.
It will be a fun matchup tonight as Vucevic prepares to match up with Ivica Zubac, who is also in the midst of an impressive season. Zubac is averaging 15.0 points and 12.7 rebounds, which is the fourth-best rebounding output in the league. He is also adding 1.2 blocks per game, so expect Vucevic to space the floor as a way to eliminate Zubac’s presence as a shot blocker. These two big men have faced off 10 times in their careers and Vucevic has knocked down at least two three-pointers in six consecutive matchups.
While the 41.6% three-point percentage is a career-high, Vucevic has taken at least four three-point attempts per game over each of the past six seasons. For his career, he is a 34.7% three-point percent shooter. Look for Vucevic to continue utilizing his perimeter shooting and space the floor tonight. Los Angeles is a hard-nosed defensive team and getting Zubac away from the rim will be a part of Chicago’s method of attack. Look for Vucevic to make this a priority and knock down at least a pair of three-pointers in the process.
Nikola Vucevic Over 10.5 Rebounds (-110)
Nikola Vucevic is averaging 10.4 rebounds per game on the season, which is tied for 11th in the NBA. He has been especially impressive of late, averaging 11.9 rebounds in the month of January and he has tallied 55 rebounds across his past four games. Vucevic has pulled in over 10.5 rebounds in four consecutive games and 10 of his past 12.
This will be a tough matchup as he faces off with Zubac and their battle on the boards will play a major role in impacting the outcome of this game. However, expect some additional rebounding opportunities to be available with neither of these teams ranking in the top 10 in field-goal percentage and each being on the second night of a back-to-back. The Clippers offense should also take a hit with Kawhi Leonard set to miss this matchup.
The outlook is bleak for the Bulls as a team but Vucevic has been a consistent bright spot for this team. Expect rebounding opportunities to be more prevalent with tired legs showing on a back-to-back and for Vucevic to continue making the most of these on a shorthanded Bulls roster. Look for him to continue building on this and record over 10.5 rebounds for the fifth consecutive game and 11th time in the past 13 games. It will be a battle with Zubac but Vucevic has been up to the challenge of late, so count on him to deliver again tonight.
