Following a loaded night of exciting NBA action, there are just three games on the quiet Friday night slate.
To start the night, the Philadelphia 76ers will host the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers will play the Charlotte Hornets, each tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Sixers have lost seven straight games entering this matchup while the Cleveland Cavaliers have maintained the best record in the NBA from start to finish. Both the Hornets and Trail Blazers are at least 12 games below .500 although each youthful roster has shown some signs of life.
Then, at 8:00 p.m. ET, the Memphis Grizzlies will face off with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Grizzlies sit in third place in the Western Conference with a 29-15 record. In comparison, it has been a disastrous start to the season for the Pelicans with injuries headlining the issues. However, they have won four consecutive games entering this matchup and are beginning to show some signs of life.
While there will be busier nights of NBA basketball, here are my favorite prop bets for each Friday night matchup.
Jarrett Allen Over 25.5 Points & Rebounds (-125)
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been on a tear this season and will travel to South Philadelphia with a 36-7 record and looking to bounce back from a rare loss. Jarrett Allen has been a huge reason for this successful start and has a case for one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The former All-Star center is averaging 14.1 points and 10.0 rebounds so far this year.
Allen has a great chance to add to these averages as he faces a Sixers team set to be without Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond. Philadelphia has played with a concerning lack of effort of late. They have dropped to 15-27 on the season and across this seven-game skid, they rank 29th in the NBA in points allowed and 19th in opponent rebounds conceded. Philadelphia will be without their top two big man options meaning Guershon Yabusele and two-way rookie Adem Bona will receive the primary task of matching up with Allen.
The Cavaliers big man has recorded over 25.5 combined points and rebounds in 19 games this season. While he was held under this number in the two previous matchups with Philadelphia, Allen had 17 points and 13 rebounds in Wednesday’s matchup with the Rockets and should feast on an undersized Philadelphia front-court. Evan Mobley also remains out with a calf injury which will put more of the rebounding and offensive responsibility on Allen’s plate. Expect him to have his way in the rebounding department and create several easy put-backs for himself. Count on Allen recording over 25.5 points and rebounds for the 20th time this season as the Cavaliers jump on the opportunity to get back in the win column.
LaMelo Ball Under 31.5 Points (-120)
The Charlotte Hornets are trending in the right direction as an organization but this has not translated to the win column as much as they would hope. LaMelo Ball has been at the heart of the team’s growth and is averaging 29.0 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.4 rebounds so far this season. Ball sets the tone for this Hornets team and has the freedom to do whatever he wants offensively. His 24.0 field goal attempts and 12.6 three-point attempts each lead the entire NBA.
While the shot volume is there, efficiency is still a work in progress for the 23-year-old. He is shooting 41.9% from the field and 33.5% from beyond the three-point arc this season. Ball has been held to under 31.5 points in 14 of the 29 games he has played including five straight games entering tonight’s matchup.
The Hornets will face off with the Portland Trail Blazers tonight who are finally showing some signs of life. While they are still 16-28 on the season, Portland enters on a three-game winning streak including defeating the Orlando Magic 101-79. Ball has cooled down as a scorer from his red-hot start to the season and Portland has shown some more encouraging defensive flashes in recent games. Expect him to still make his impact felt in this matchup but for Ball to be held under 31.5 points for the sixth straight game.
Yves Missi Over 8.5 Rebounds (-125)
The final matchup on tonight’s slate will take place between the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans. Injuries have derailed the Pelicans’ outlook this year but they have shown some signs of life of late. Their current four-game winning streak marks their longest win streak of the season. However, Zion Williamson will return to the sideline tonight and miss the game while Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones remain out.
While Williamson’s absence is a huge hit for the Pelicans, Yves Missi will benefit from the additional rebounding opportunities. The rookie big man is averaging 9.1 points and 8.2 rebounds on the season and has recorded over 8.5 rebounds in 18 of the 41 games. He is averaging 8.8 rebounds in games that Williamson does not play in.
Memphis is a solid rebounding team that ranks second in total rebounds and 10th in opponents’ rebounds allowed. However, Missi is tied with Williamson for the most rebounds per game on the team with no other member recording more than 6.6 per game. His athleticism and verticality will provide a unique challenge to Zach Edey and look for Missi to make his impact felt. He missed the previous two matchups battling an illness but is listed as probable for tonight. Look for him to make up for Williamson’s rebounding production and record over 8.5 rebounds tonight.
