Eight games are set to tip off on Thursday across the NBA, with 16 teams in action. Among the matchups to watch, Memphis and Oklahoma City will meet in a battle between Western Conference contenders. Elsewhere, Anthony Davis and the desperate Mavericks face an elite Magic defense in Orlando. With so many enticing contests, there are plenty of bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are three player props catching my eye tonight.
Andrew Wiggins over 20.5 points (-105)
It’s been a difficult second half for the Heat, who have nearly dropped out of the Eastern Conference play-in. One bright spot for Miami is the play of Andrew Wiggins, acquired from the Warriors in February’s Jimmy Butler trade. The former All-Star has been a major boon to an otherwise dormant offense, taking on a primary scoring role next to Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. In 14 games with his new team, Wiggins has averaged 20.2 points.
The two-way wing has been on fire recently, recording at least 22 points in five of his last eight appearances. He’ll have a chance to notch another quality stat line on Thursday against the Hawks. This season, Atlanta has surrendered 118.8 points per game to opponents, fifth-most in the NBA. When these teams met on February 24th, Wiggins put up 23 points. Another high-scoring outing could be in the cards tonight.
Jarrett Allen over 10.5 rebounds (-115)
The Cavaliers will be without Evan Mobley (rest) on Thursday, leaving a massive void down low. To pick up the slack, expect more production out of Jarrett Allen. It’s been another stellar season for the center, one of the sport’s more underrated two-way players. This season, he’s posted 13.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while shooting a league-leading 69.9% from the field.
Cleveland faces a banged-up Spurs team missing Victor Wembanyama (blood clot). Without the seven-footer active, a savvy pro such as Allen should take advantage. Opponents have snagged 53.1 rebounds vs. San Antonio, eighth-most in the NBA. In addition, Allen has produced 11.0 rebounds over eight games played without Mobley this season. The former All-Star is poised for a dominant performance on the glass against a weakened front court.
Matas Buzelis under 12.5 points (-130)
A much-needed rebuild is underway in Chicago. That means more work for some of the younger players on the roster, including Matas Buzelis. Last summer’s first-round pick didn’t make much of an impact to start the season. However, he’s shown flashes of greatness over the past two months. Since February 1st, the 20-year-old has averaged 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
As good as Buzelis has been recently, his production can be very erratic. In six of his last eight appearances, the forward has recorded ten points or less. It’s difficult to picture a big outing occurring vs. the Lakers. Since the All-Star break, Los Angeles has the fifth-best defensive rating in basketball (114.8). Chicago’s youngster, despite his massive talent, is a clear fade candidate on Thursday.
