Tuesday’s NBA action winds down with an 11 p.m. EST start out in the Bay Area as the Golden State Warriors host the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. With Steph Curry (quad) ruled out tonight, there’s a little less hype for the matchup, but fear not. There’s still plenty of betting value as these postseason hopefuls battle on the West Coast, so grab some coffee or your favorite energy drink and prepare to watch into the wee hours of the morning.
Here are a couple of the best Thunder vs. Warriors prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for Tuesday’s contest.
Best Thunder vs. Warriors Player Prop Bets
Brandin Podziemski 14+ points (-102)
While not a star by any means, Brandin Podziemski sees the opportunity to make a major impact with Curry sidelined. The third-year guard averages a career-best 12.3 PPG on the year while pitching in 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists, and his role is likely to grow without the Warriors’ star point guard in the lineup. Podziemski has record 14+ points in 9/21 games this season, but averages 14.3 PPG in 23 career games without Curry active. Across five games this season in which the superstar didn’t play, Podziemski averaged exactly 14.0 PPG while taking 12.6 shots per night. He’s the perfect player to see a bump in usage and should slot into the starting lineup again as he did last time Curry didn’t play, and with Jimmy Butler (glute) also questionable, there could be even more work available for the taking. Podziemski can score 14 points even if Butler plays, but in the event he doesn’t suit up, the young talent could fill an even larger role. In that case, consider laddering his points lines up for better odds.
Chet Holmgren 10+ rebounds (+103)
Is Chet Holmgren the most imposing physical presence on the court? Certainly not given his thin frame at 7-foot-1, but the big man still pulls down plenty of boards nonetheless. The third-year star averages 8.0 rebounds per game this season, right in line with his career average. He’s notched 10+ boards just four times this season, but sits primed for a big night on the glass on the road at the Chase Center. Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (soleus) won’t play tonight, making Holmgren the primary big for Oklahoma City with less competition on the glass in his own frontcourt. The opposing Warriors ran 20th in rebounds per game and 23rd in opponent rebounds allowed, and Trayce Jackson-Davis (knee) is also questionable. All of these factors align to put Holmgren in a positive matchup, so there’s plenty of reason to believe he’ll pull down double-digit rebounds tonight. This is one of my favorite picks of the night without a doubt.
