Only four NBA teams are set to take the court Wednesday night, but the double-header on Prime Video will feature plenty of star power. Before you place any bets on the Western Conference side of the NBA Cup quarterfinals, here is one parlay you can tail as the games tip off.
Using DraftKings’ NBA Consistency Sheets, I built out a parlay of player props for Wednesday night’s action. The tool features players’ averages, win percentages, home-road splits and a brand-new matchup grade, all of which are adjustable for different sample sizes and prop markets. Balancing each of those factors against each other, here’s a breakdown of all four legs featuring insights from the sheet:
Spurs G Stephon Castle
Pick: Stephon Castle O 25.5 points + rebounds + assists (-106)
There are few picks more reliable this season than Castle clearing 25.5 combined points, rebounds and assists per game. Castle has gone over that total in 86% of his appearances, only failing to do so when he exited early on November 16 and when he faced the Nets back on October 26. When he returned from his hip injury on Monday, Castle immediately notched 28 PRA in spite of a minutes restriction.
If Castle can hit the over on that PRA line in 23 minutes of action, fresh off a three-week absence, against a Pelicans team with a D season matchup grade, it’s easy to see him replicating that success against a Lakers team with a B season matchup grade two days later.
Lakers F Rui Hachimura
Pick: Rui Hachimura O 1.5 three-pointers (-108)
Hachimura has been a steady force from beyond the arc this season, hitting multiple triples in 77% of his games – including 80% of his last five contests. He cleared 1.5 three-pointers made in eight straight appearances between October 31 and November 18. Hachimura is averaging 2.0 three-pointers a night while shooting 46.2% from long range – both career-highs. His game-winner at the buzzer against the Raptors last Thursday, notably, was a corner three.
Seeing the D- season matchup grade that the Spurs present might be a little daunting, but Hachimura just hit three triples against another D- matchup in the 76ers on Sunday.
Thunder F Luguetz Dort
Pick: Luguentz Dort U 7.5 points (-112)
Dort, who has missed Oklahoma City’s last three games with an adductor issue, is set to rejoin the lineup Wednesday. Before he went down, the small forward was averaging 8.0 points per game. He had cleared 7.5 points in just 33% of his appearances to that point in the season, though.
The Thunder are also getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso back from brief absences, not to mention Jalen Williams being two weeks removed from his season debut. Oklahoma City is going to have a crowded rotation against a Suns team that DraftKings has graded at a D- for opposing small forwards. Plus, the last time Dort faced Phoenix, he only finished with seven points.
Suns G Dillon Brooks
Pick: Dillon Brooks O 0.5 steals (-161)
Long known as a hard-nosed enforcer, Brooks has recorded at least one steal in 83% of his games this season. He is averaging 1.5 takeaways a night, having notched one or more in each of his first 12 games of the season. Brooks has only cleared 0.5 steals in 60% of his last five games – failing to do so in each of his last two outings – but he is still getting 30-plus minutes of action on a nightly basis.
And while the Thunder have a D season matchup grade, Brooks already recorded two steals when he faced them on November 28.
