In one of the opening matchups of the 12-game NBA slate, the Charlotte Hornets will host the Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony Davis and company are kicking off the first matchup of a four-game East Coast road trip and are looking to add another win tonight.
Despite some recent frustrations from Davis publicly, the Lakers sit fifth place in the Western Conference with a 25-18 record. This is a great chance to add another win with the Hornets holding a record of 12-30 on the season, which keeps them at 14th place in the Eastern Conference.
Anthony Davis has slowed down a bit after an extremely impressive start to the season but is still having a solid year. The nine-time All-Star big man is averaging 25.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game.
The Lakers enter this game as five-point favorites and -205 on the Moneyline. The Hornets hold +170 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook with the game total set at 222.
Here are my favorite Anthony Davis prop bets for the Monday night matchup.
Best Anthony Davis Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Anthony Davis’ props are listed at over/under 25.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.5 made three-pointers and 42.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Anthony Davis Over 25.5 Points (-125)
Anthony Davis has recorded over 25.5 points in 21 of the 40 games he has played this season and is averaging 25.9 points per game overall. This will be the first matchup against the Hornets this season, but Charlotte ranks 12th in opponent points per game and 14th in opponent field goal percentage.
The Hornets quietly have depth at the big-man spot with Mark Williams headlining the production. The organization reinforced its belief in the Duke product by trading away Nick Richards just two weeks ago. Williams is averaging 15.7 points and 9.4 rebounds across his 23.8 minutes of play on the year and boasts a ridiculous 9-foot-9 standing reach.
Even still, there is a polish to Davis’ game that will stand out here, and expect him to get the better of the young center. The five-time All-NBA center is averaging 27.9 points per game in his career when playing the Hornets and has recorded over 25.5 points in six consecutive matchups. Davis has eclipsed this point total against Charlotte in every matchup in a Lakers uniform and you have to go back to 2018 to find the last time he did not score at least 26 points against this opponent.
The Lakers last played on Saturday, with Davis dropping 36 points against the Golden State Warriors. JJ Redick’s new offense has leaned more heavily on the big man’s shoulders this season, with his 18.2 field goal attempts per game marking the most shot attempts Davis has seen since his days in a Pelicans jersey. Expect him to be in attack mode and get the better of Mark Williams in this matchup. Los Angeles needs to capitalize on every opportunity for a win, so expect Davis to lead the charge tonight. Look for him to record over 25.5 points for the 22nd time this season and for Williams to be unable to hang with Davis in this matchup.
Anthony Davis 3+ Blocks (+140)
He has taken on more of an offense-oriented role as his career has progressed, but Anthony Davis remains one of the premiere defenders in all of basketball. The five-time All-Defensive team member and three-time block champion is still patrolling the paint at a high level and is the foundation of everything the Lakers do defensively.
On the season, Davis is averaging 2.2 blocks per game which is only the eight-best average of his career. The Lakers rank 18th in blocks as a team with Davis making up nearly 45% of the team’s blocks per game. Los Angeles also ranks 27th in points in the paint allowed, which is a bit of a concern.
Davis’ block numbers are beginning to creep up with him averaging 2.5 blocks per game over his past 15 games. Overall he has recorded 3+ blocks in 16 of the 40 games this year including three of the past four games played.
Charlotte has a youthful roster that plays a fearless brand of basketball. Expect them to challenge Davis around the rim throughout this matchup and for the Lakers star to be ready to match this. Getting +140 odds for Davis to record at least three blocks is solid value, so consider taking a chance on him to reach this number for the fourth time in the past five games.
