The dust has begun to settle across the NBA after the most hectic NBA trade deadline of all time. With names like Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, Brandon Ingram and plenty of others switching sides- the league landscape was shaken up in a way that does not typically occur in the middle of the season.
But each of these stars must be on the fast track to fitting in with the season already past its halfway point. Seven games will be taking place across the NBA slate tonight with the action picking right up.
The San Antonio Spurs will face the Charlotte Hornets while the Washington Wizards host the Cleveland Cavaliers with each matchup tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET. A half-hour later, three games will be taking place as the Bucks face the Hawks, the Heat face the Nets, and the Pistons will host the 76ers. At 8:00 p.m. ET, the Oklahoma City Thunder will play the Toronto Raptors. The final matchup of the night will be taking place at 10:00 p.m. ET as the Phoenix Suns face the Utah Jazz.
With the stage set and the NBA beginning to settle down after a hectic stretch, here are my favorite prop bets for the Feb. 7 slate of games.
Da’Aaron Fox Over 7.5 Assists (+110)
In most seasons, the Spurs’ decision to trade for De’Aaron Fox would have dominated the headlines. This has been overshadowed by some of the other big names changing locations, but the impact of it has not. Fox announced his presence to his new fan base in his first game finishing with 24 points, 13 assists, five rebounds, and three steals in his Spurs debut.
San Antonio will now prepare to face off with the Charlotte Hornets. This is a great matchup for Victor Wembanyama to dominate with the Hornets having traded away their top big man options in Mark Williams and Nick Richards leading up to the deadline. Even with these guys on the floor, the Hornets ranked 12th in opponents’ points allowed, 17th in opponents’ rebounds allowed, and 12th in opponents’ points in the paint conceded. Expect these metrics to further shrink without their top big men options.
Fox is averaging 6.3 assists per game this year but has averaged as many as 7.2 over a season. He also has tallied 13 games with over 7.5 assists already this season without playing next to a player the caliber of Wembanyama. It will take some time for the chemistry to fully build, but Fox came to the Spurs to fit in and his focus will be on getting on the same page as San Antonio’s star. Expect him to prioritize playmaking first and for Wembanyama to be capable of asserting himself in this favorable matchup. Count on the Spurs making it a priority to run two-man actions with their new duo and for Fox to have plenty of opportunity in the pick-and-roll and feeding Wembanyama lobs. Expect Fox to record over 7.5 assists as he settles into with his new teammates for the second straight game.
Cameron Johnson Under 18.5 Points (-110)
Despite being one of the more prevalent names in trade rumors, Cameron Johnson remains with the Brooklyn Nets following the trade deadline. The 28-year-old is averaging 19.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game this season. He has been held to under 18.5 points in 19 of the 36 games he has played.
The Nets will take on the Miami Heat tonight who are happy to have turned the page on the Jimmy Butler saga. With the distractions now behind them, Miami will return to their identity as a defensive-minded team and begin to build some continuity for the final stretch of the season. So far this year the Heat rank seventh in opponents’ points allowed and are ninth in defensive rating. In addition, the Nets play at the slowest tempo in the league while the Heat play at the fourth-slowest tempo so don’t expect and abundance of shot opportunities.
With Johnson sure to be at the top of the Heat scouting report, count on there being a conscious effort to get the ball out of his hands and force other players to beat them. Cam Thomas remains out for Brooklyn and Johnson will be responsible for generating the vast majority of the offense. He has been held to under 18.5 points in each of the past three games he has played and also made his return from a six-game absence on Wednesday. Expect him to continue shaking off the rust and struggle while facing the vast majority of the defensive attention tonight against the Heat.
Isaiah Joe Over 10.5 Points (-110)
The game with the most blowout potential tonight will take place between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors. The Thunder enter this game as 19-point favorites and there may be some additional playtime for players like Isaiah Joe. This should especially be the case with Cason Wallace set to miss the game with a shoulder injury.
Even without the potential spike in playtime considered, Joe is averaging 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across his 21.0 minutes per game. The Arkansas product is one of the premiere shooters in the NBA and is connecting on 39.9% of his long-range attempts this season. Joe has recorded over 10.5 points in 18 games already this season including tallying as many as 31 points in a matchup.
While Toronto joined the list of teams that changed their identity at the trade deadline, they hold a record of just 16-35 on the season and have struggled defensively. Toronto ranks 25th in opponents’ points per game and 22nd in opponents field goal percentage. The Raptors improved their outlook moving forward but it will take some time to tie up the loose ends of getting Brandon Ingram on the court while RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl are each set to miss tonight’s game due to injury. Isaiah Joe is capable of getting red hot from the floor and should see a boost in minutes with Cason Wallace out and this game having a clear chance of becoming a blowout. Count on him to record over 10.5 points for the 19th time already this year.
Isaiah Collier Over 22.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists (-120)
The Utah Jazz have multiple talented young players competing for minutes as they sit in the early parts of their organizational rebuild. Isaiah Collier is a key part of this puzzle after being selected with the 29th pick in this year’s NBA draft. The USC product slid down draft boards further than expected and has been unleashed on the court at a greater rate in recent games. Collier plays with a high IQ and impressive composure for his age. He has become a key contributor for the Jazz and expect this to continue tonight.
On the season, Collier is averaging just 6.2 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds across his 22.7 minutes per game. However, he has been given more freedom of late and logged 30+ minutes on the floor in seven of the past ten games. Collier also has started 14 of the past 16 games. Across his past 12 games, he is averaging 13.0 points, 8.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds across his 31.4 minutes per game.
Buy up some Isaiah Collier stock before it gets too expensive and expect the rookie to continue his level of production tonight. The Phoenix Suns have issues to address on both sides of the ball and enter this game ranking 20th in opponents’ points per game, 21st in opponents’ rebounds per game, and 17th in opponents’ three-point attempts allowed. Collier has opened some eyes with his play and is proving capable of running the Jazz offense. Look for him to continue building off his strong stretch of performances and for Collier to log over 22.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists against a struggling defense as he climbs up the list of the top rookies this season.
