There are eight games of NBA action across today’s Sunday slate. The Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat are getting the action started with the lone afternoon matchup, and there is a full slate of seven games in the evening. Most notably, the Clippers will play the Cavaliers, the Magic will face the Celtics, and the Suns will host the Spurs.
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.
Desmond Bane to Record 3+ Made Three-Pointers (+116)
The Orlando Magic made a big splash in the offseason to trade for Desmond Bane. But it has not been the easiest transition for the former Grizzlies star. Through the opening 17 games, Bane is averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds. After struggling as a shooter to start the year, the 27-year-old has seen his three-point percentage climb to 33.7%.
This is still well below the 40.7% career-average Bane has produced, but it is trending in the right direction. He has made three or more three-pointers in back-to-back games and four of his last six. This comes after only reaching this total once over the first 11 games.
The Magic will face the Celtics today, who attempt the third-most three-point attempts per game. Orlando will need to attack from the perimeter at a similar rate to match their scoring. This has been a problem for the Magic for several seasons, and exactly what Bane was brought in to fix. Expect Bane’s uptick in three-point production to continue and for him to see plenty of volume tonight. He has attempted six or more three-pointers in each of his past seven games and is settling into his role in the offense. Count on him connecting with at least three perimeter shots for the fifth time in the past seven games.
Toumani Camara Under 14.5 Points (-126)
The offensive growth of Toumani Camara has been encouraging this season. The 25-year-old is averaging 12.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He is shooting 41.1% from the field and 32.1% from beyond the three-point arc.
Camara is coming off a season-best 20 points on Friday, and this prop number feels a bit overinflated. He has been held to under 14.5 points in 11 of his 16 games played overall. This includes six of his last eight, even with the 20-point performance in the previous game in mind.
This level of concern will further increase as the Trail Blazers prepare to face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder tonight. They are off to a 16-1 start to the season, with defense setting the tone for their identity. The Thunder are allowing just 106.3 points per game, which is the fewest in the league, and also rank first in opponent field-goal percentage and are producing the top defensive rating.
There is no path to easy baskets against this Thunder team. Expect the Trail Blazers to struggle collectively in this matchup and for Camara to fail to assert himself to the necessary level offensively. Count on him to be held under 14.5 points for the 12th time this season and for the championship-quality defense to have the upper hand in this matchup.
Lauri Markkanen to Record 4+ Made Three-Pointers (+143)
The Utah Jazz will face the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time in five days. While the Lakers pulled off the 140-126 victory, Lauri Markkanen impressed in the matchup, which has been a recurring theme all year. The 7-footer finished with 31 points and five rebounds, which snapped a streak of back-to-back 40-point games. The former All-Star is off to an excellent start to the season, averaging 29.9 points and 6.1 rebounds.
Markkanen has especially impressed from beyond the three-point arc. He is shooting 38.8% from the perimeter this season while attempting a career-high 9.3 three-pointers per game. The 28-year-old is averaging 3.6 made three-pointers per game and has made four or more in eight of the 25 games.
The Lakers rank 13th in the league in opponent points allowed, 18th in defensive rating, 14th in opponent three-point percentage, and 23rd in opponent three-point attempts allowed. The standard three-point prop is set at 2.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the over favored at -161 odds. For what it is worth, Markkanen has cleared this line in 11 of the 15 games. However, I am pushing it a bit further and backing the +143 odds of the Jazz star making at least four three-pointers. He was limited to three in the previous matchup against the Lakers, shooting 3-for-9 from beyond the arc. But the looks came fairly easy, and Markkanen will be ready to punish them with this same outlook and the home crowd behind him. Count on the 2022-23 Most Improved Player connecting on at least four three-pointers for the ninth time already this season.
