With just three days remaining in the NBA regular season, playoff positioning has begun to take shape. Two Western Conference squads with plenty on the line will face off on Friday night. The Grizzlies, 47-33, are currently seventh; as things stand, they’ll have to earn their way to the postseason via the play-in tournament. The Nuggets, 48-32, are in fourth, but can stumble as far as eighth between now and Sunday evening.
If Memphis is going to earn a crucial victory, it’ll need a terrific performance from Ja Morant. The former All-Star has had an up-and-down season, but he’s still one of the NBA’s most talented guards.
The Grizzlies enter tonight’s contest as seven-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 244.5 points. Here’s the best Ja Morant prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook before Friday’s game tips off.
Ja Morant O 7.5 assists (+105)
Each team enters tonight having recently fired their head coach. Taylor Jenkins was let go by Memphis two weeks ago, while Denver parted ways with Mike Malone on Tuesday. Still, given how late in the season it is, we’re unlikely to see a dramatic change in play style for either squad. That’s promising as far as counting stats go, as both the Nuggets and Grizzlies rank inside the top seven in pace.
Morant, when he’s not making headlines for non-basketball reasons, is the engine behind this Memphis offense. However, it’s been a difficult season for the 25-year-old on the court. Through 49 games, he’s posted 23.2 points while shooting 45.6% from the field. Those numbers are the fifth-year pro’s lowest marks since the covid-shortened 2020-21 campaign.
As inconsistent as Ja’s production has been, he remains a terrific passer. The guard has dished out seven or more assists in 29 of his 49 appearances this season (59.2%). There’s a good chance that trend continues tonight against one of the Western Conference’s worst defenses. Opponents have averaged 29.0 assists per game vs. Denver, the third-highest total in the NBA.
Memphis has faced the Nuggets twice this season, during a three-day span in November. Morant, injured at the time, missed both contests. The former All-NBA selection has had success vs. Denver, recording ten dimes in two of his previous three meetings. Since those matchups, which took place two years ago, the Nuggets have gotten much worse on defense.
In a showdown with shootout potential, bettors are spoiled for choice with enticing player props. Few are more appealing than the leader of the NBA’s fastest offense, taking on a team that can’t guard anyone. Even if Morant’s shooting is off, he should find success as a passer on Friday.
