The Phoenix Suns are urgently entering the stretch run of the regular season, and Friday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers marks a pivotal opportunity to keep pace in the Western Conference play-in race.
Phoenix has won three of its last four games and is tied with Dallas for the final spot in the West’s play-in tournament. The Suns opened their five-game homestand with a narrow victory over the Chicago Bulls, and they’ll now face a Cavaliers team coming off a pair of tough losses on the West Coast.
Cleveland arrives in Phoenix riding a rare three-game losing streak. Despite holding the best record in the East, the Cavaliers have dropped back-to-back road games against the Clippers and Kings, surrendering 132 and 123 points, respectively. With both teams playing the second leg of a back-to-back, this could be a high-scoring contest — which sets up a favorable opportunity to back Kevin Durant.
Here is the featured Durant prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s game involving the Suns and Cavaliers:
Best Kevin Durant Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Kevin Durant over 24.5 Points (-120)
Durant is averaging 26.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists across 57 games this season. While his scoring output has dipped slightly since the All-Star break (23.9 points per game over 16 contests), the context around Friday’s matchup puts him in a favorable position to bounce back offensively.
Cleveland has struggled defensively during its recent skid, allowing an average of 121 points per game over its last three contests. The Cavaliers are also wrapping up a grueling West Coast trip, which could create more opportunities for Phoenix’s top scorers to take advantage of a fatigued group.
Durant has surpassed 24.5 points in more than half of his appearances this season, and given the current circumstances — Beal’s absence, Cleveland’s defensive slippage and the Suns’ urgency — this is a spot where the former MVP will likely set the tone.
If Phoenix will hold off other teams in the play-in chase, it will need a high-impact night from Durant. This number leaves a substantial margin for him to deliver in a game where his offensive contributions could be the difference.
