On Friday night, the NBA has nine games on the schedule as NBA Cup group play continues. The first game of Prime Video’s doubleheader is an Eastern Conference Group A matchup between the Cavaliers and Pacers. Both teams have battled injuries early this season, with the Cavs still going 10-6 while the Pacers are just 2-13. Even if the game gets one-sided, there are still plenty of good player prop bets to consider on both sides of the matchup, so let’s jump in and take a look at a few that stand out as my favorites.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Cavaliers are heavy 13.5-point home favorites, with the game total set at O/U 238.5 points.
The Cavs are 1-1 in Cup play, while the Pacers are 0-1. The Raptors can actually become the first team to advance if they win and the Pacers lose, so there is some extra significance to this matchup. Let’s take a look at a few player prop bets that make sense from Friday’s contest.
Pacers vs. Cavaliers Best Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Donovan Mitchell under 28.5 points (-116)
Mitchell definitely can go over this number since he’s averaging 30.2 points per game this season and had 30+ points in three straight games before Wednesday’s matchup against the Rockets. In that game, he was limited to just 21 points, though, as the Cavs fell at home, 114-104.
The reason I like the under here is that I don’t think Mitchell will have to score more than 28 points at home to take care of the Pacers. He could also be getting help since Darius Garland (toe) and Jaylon Tyson (concussion) are questionable after missing the last four games.
Especially if Garland and Tyson return, Mitchell could take the opportunity to go a little bit easier after carrying so much usage over the last four games. If he shares more usage and this game turns into a runaway early, I think he’ll finish under this point total.
Bennedict Mathurin over 1.5 3PM (-151)
Mathurin has a 29.4% usage rate in his four games this season, which is second on the team behind only Pascal Siakam. Mathurin is one of the Pacers best scoring options, but he missed 11 games with a toe injury. He has hit the over on this prop in each of his four games this season on both sides of that extended absence.
In the season opener, he hit three threes on his way to 36 points and followed that up with two threes and 26 points in his second game before being sidelined. He returned last Monday with 25 points and three three-pointers and 24 points and two three-pointers on Wednesday.
The Cavaliers have been one of the best fantasy matchups for shooting guards this season, and since Mathurin has the green light, I think he’ll hit multiple 3-point shots on his way to another big game trying to help the Pacers keep up with the Cavs on Friday. Since this is such a low total, even if the game gets lopsided, he should get enough chances to knock down at least two three-point attempts.
Evan Mobley under 2.5 Steals + Blocks (-110)
Mobley is averaging 2.6 stocks (steals + blocks) per game this season, so I understand why this number is set where it is, but I love the value from taking the under since he has fewer than 2.5 stocks in six of his last seven games.
Most of his high average is from his fast start, but lately his defensive numbers have trended down a little bit. Against the Rockets on Friday, he didn’t have any stocks at all and only went over this total in his big game against Memphis last Saturday.
Mobley has faced Pascal Siakam 10 times in his career, and the Cavs’ big man has gone under this number of stocks in each of their last six head-to-head matchups.
