NBA fans will be trick-or-treated to an eight-game, 16-team slate of non-stop hardwood action. Countless big names are suiting up this evening, making this a Halloween of high-quality hoops. As an added bonus, today marks the start of the 2025 NBA Cup.
The scariest thing for bettors tonight is missing out on a big-time performance. Given the talent taking the floor, there’s ample opportunity to cash in on a few player props. Still, nothing is guaranteed in the association; there’s plenty of potential pitfalls to avoid. Here are my three favorite player prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s NBA matchups.
Top NBA prop bet picks
Josh Minott 10+ points (-120)
A Celtics team desperate for front court contributors may have found an answer in Josh Minott. The former Timberwolves wing has looked great during his first few games in Beantown. During the 22-year-old’s last two outings, both starts, he’s averaging 13.0 points and 12.0 rebounds. In addition, he’s shooting 58% from the field (33 3PT%). That makes him a perfect fit for Boston, arguably the NBA’s most trigger-happy club.
Considering the lack of depth for the C’s, there’s an easy path to 30+ minutes for Minott. That’s especially true against a Philadelphia squad that looks weakest on the wings. Forward Paul George (knee) remains out, leaving the 76ers to rely heavily on Kelly Oubre Jr. and Justin Edwards. When these teams met on opening night, Boston managed to put up 116 points. That was despite getting minimal production from Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman, and Chris Boucher. Expect the Celtics to ride the hot hand and give Minott opportunities to score on Friday.
Collin Murray-Boyles 5+ rebounds (-124)
Jakob Poeltl (back) is out tonight, leaving Toronto short-handed down low. Fortunately for the Raptors, they took Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth pick of the NBA Draft this summer. At 6’7″, the South Carolina alum isn’t your typical center. Still, he’s a defensive specialist that can leap out of the building. Considering the only other viable big man is Sandro Mamukelashvili, CMB will likely start on Friday.
Murray-Boyles has flashed some potential on offense to start the season. Through his first three career games, the 20-year-old is averaging 10.7 points on 48% shooting (60 3PT%). However, he’s only recorded 2.0 rebounds per game. Expect that number to improve with what should be a larger workload. In addition, the Cavaliers are allowing the ninth-most rebounds per game to opponents (59.6). Last season at SC, Murray-Boyles averaged 8.1 boards over 30.6 minutes per game. A similar output should be the expectation tonight.
Karl-Anthony Towns 22+ points (-119)
It was a disappointing outing on Tuesday for both the Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns. During New York’s 121-111 loss to Milwaukee, the center scored just eight points on dismal 2-of-12 shooting. Still, the big fella remains one of the NBA’s most talented scorers, regardless of position. Through four games this season, he’s averaging 17.0 points and 13.5 rebounds on 35% shooting. Given KAT’s career numbers (52 FG%), his efficiency is bound to improve going forward.
If there was ever a spot for a bounce-back, it’s Friday’s contest in the Windy City. Granted, the Bulls enter this game at 4-0, playing quality defense along the way. Still, just as they did last season, the team is allowing the most points in the paint per game to opponents (63.0). To make things worse, Towns has absolutely dominated this matchup since joining the Knicks. Over his previous three meetings with Chicago, KAT is averaging a whopping 40.7 points. A modest total of 22 points feels low for the five-time All-Star in this one.
