There are nine games of action across tonight’s Monday NBA slate. Most notably, the Bucks will face the Pacers, the Houston Rockets will host the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Miami Heat will play the Los Angeles Clippers.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action across DraftKings Sportsbook. This article will look at my three favorite NBA prop bets across tonight’s slate.
Pascal Siakam Over 24.5 Points (-117)
The Indiana Pacers will take on the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, with their injury report fully loaded. This rivalry has lost a little steam given the context of where these teams are at, with this shaping into a bit of a gap year for Indiana. But this has not stopped Pascal Siakam from doing everything he can to keep the team afloat.
Through the first six games, Siakam is averaging 25.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. He is recording the highest usage rate on the Pacers and has gone over his point prop in three of the last four games. In total he has posted scoring totals of 32, 13, 33, 27, 18, and 27. The former NBA champion is attempting a career-high 20.3 field goal attempts and 5.8 three-point attempts per game.
Milwaukee has built an identity of surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo with five shooters and allowing him to attack the paint at the highest rate of any player in the NBA. While the early results of this are impressive, the Bucks have multiple players who can be vulnerable on the defensive end. Expect Siakam to hunt switches and attack these matchups to lead the offensive charge. His offensive production may level out a bit as the season progresses, but Indiana needs the three-time All-Star to continue being the foundation of the offense given how much talent is unable to currently take the floor. Expect him to play in attack mode tonight and record over 24.5 points for the fifth time this season.
Ja Morant Over 23.5 Points (-102)
Things are getting ugly in Memphis quickly and Ja Morant is right at the heart of it. He is coming off a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team and has not looked like himself on the court this season. Through the six games he has played, the two-time All-Star is averaging 20.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. He has struggled as a shooter at just 40.6% from the field and 15.6% on three-point attempts. Most concerning, his rim frequency has dipped down to a career-low 28% for the high-flyer.
This feels a turning point where Morant will either look himself in the mirror and play like the player he is capable of or the whole season slips into disaster territory. It is best for all parties for Morant to showcase what he can do regardless of the future and this is a crucial game for the Grizzlies star to deliver. Even amid the struggles he has scored over 23.5 points twice this season.
Memphis will be facing a Detroit Pistons team that is 4-2 to start the season. The Grizzlies will be playing at home and it will be interesting to see the response from the crowd surrounding their star. No matter how you cut it, Morant is still the most talented player on the roster and the bulk of their offense has been designed around him. Look for him to shut out the noise and have his most focused performance of the season. There will be plenty of attention paid to his level of engagement and style of play in this matchup, but expect a throwback performance and for Morant to provide a reminder to the rest of the NBA with over 23.5 points for the third time this season.
Donovan Clingan Over 9.5 Rebounds (-117)
The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Portland Trail Blazers for the second time already this season. The biggest concern surrounding this Lakers team is their level of front court talent and this is an area that Portland will look to exploit. In the first meeting between them, Donovan Clingan pulled in 14 rebounds and has tallied over 9.5 in three of the six games he has played. Overall the UConn product is averaging 9.5 points and 10.0 rebounds across 25.7 minutes per game.
Portland is still in the rebuilding process, but has found a defensive identity they will continue to build on. Clingan is a huge part of this effort with his monstrous 7-foot-2 frame and 7-foot-7 wingspan serving as the anchor of the defense. He has played 21+ minutes in every game and as many as 30 in a matchup.
The Lakers rank 24th in rebounds per game and 23rd in offensive rebounds allowed so far this season. Clingan has a size and motor advantage over his front-court matchups in Jaxson Hayes and Deandre Ayton. Look for the 21-year-old to assert himself on the glass and look to replicate the 14 rebounds he pulled in during the first matchup with the Lakers, or the 15 he pulled in during the previous game against the Nuggets. Count on Clingan to record his fourth double digit rebounding performance of the season in this favorable matchup and continuing to make his case as a foundation piece of Portland’s future. .
