After a strong start to the season, the Phoenix Suns now have their hands hovering over the panic button. Kevin Durant and company sit in 11th place in the Western Conference with their 27-29 record and are looking to make a final playoff push to cement their postseason opportunity.
They have a great chance to pick up a victory tonight as they face the 17-39 Raptors. However, the youthful squad competes on an every-night basis and this is not a matchup the Suns can sleepwalk through if they are to get their desired result.
Even at the age of 36, Kevin Durant continues to perform at an extremely high level. The 15-time All-Star is averaging 27.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He is also connecting on 40.9% of his three-point attempts while launching 5.9 perimeter shots per game.
The Suns enter this matchup as two-point favorites and -135 on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Raptors hold +114 odds on the Moneyline with the game total set at 227.5.
With the stage set, here are my favorite Kevin Durant prop bets ahead of the Sunday night matchup.
Best Kevin Durant Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Kevin Durant’s props are listed at over/under 25.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 made three-pointers and 35.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Kevin Durant Over 25.5 Points (-115)
While Durant likely hoped to be able to take some offensive responsibility off his plate at this stage in his career, he still drives the bus for the Suns offense more nights than not. The four-time scoring champion is the Suns’ leading scorer at 27.2 points per game and has recorded over 25.5 points in 24 of the 43 games he has played this season. He is coming off a 27-point performance yesterday and the desperation of the outlook of the season looks to have hit Durant and the team.
While Toronto has shown some positive signs this season, its defense still carries some significant concerns. The Raptors rank 25th in the NBA in opponent points per game and have allowed 120+ points in five of their past seven games. They also rank 19th in opponent field-goal percentage and are 21st in offensive rebounds allowed, which could lead to some additional offensive possessions.
Durant is showing that he feels the pressure of the situation the Suns are in with his play on the court. He has recorded over 25.5 points in four of the past five games and still has plenty left in the tank. With Durant continuing to be the most gifted scorer on every court that he walks on, look for him to be in attack mode and capitalize on this winnable matchup against the Raptors. Count on him to lead the scoring charge and record over 25.5 points again tonight.
Kevin Durant Over 5.5 Rebounds (-135)
There are plenty of problems to identify within this Phoenix team, but its lack of production at the big man spot has plagued it all season. The Suns attempted to address this at the trade deadline by adding Nick Richards, which has improved their outlook, but they still rank 24th in opponent rebounds allowed and 25th in team total rebounds.
This has led Durant to become more active on the boards as the season has progressed. He is averaging 5.9 rebounds per game and has recorded over 5.5 rebounds in 24 of the 43 games he has played. The two-time NBA Champion is coming off a 10-rebound performance yesterday and Toronto has its own struggles on the boards.
The Raptors rank 21st in team rebounds and 17th in opponent rebounds allowed. Jakob Poeltl is listed as questionable for this matchup but has missed the past six games with a hip injury. He is the team’s leading rebounder at 10.1 boards per game and the Raptors have felt his absence as of late. With or without Poeltl on the court, expect Durant to be active on the boards. Per basketball reference, Durant is logging 24% of his minutes at the center position and this is a trend the Suns will continue to lean on, with the Raptors a good matchup to unleash it. Look for him to record over 5.5 rebounds for the 25th time this season as this game should be viewed as a must-win from Durant and the Suns’ perspective.
