It’s another busy evening for basketball fans, with seven games and 14 different teams suiting up. The headliner on Tuesday is a potential Western Conference Finals preview between the Spurs and the Thunder. However, that’s not the only must-watch matchup on tap tonight. The upstart Suns will travel to Miami in a battle between playoff contenders. Elsewhere, the Timberwolves will take on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks in Milwaukee.
With so many intriguing games on tap, which players should bettors trust tonight? Here are my three favorite NBA prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Tuesday’s contests.
Top NBA prop bet picks
Aaron Gordon 21+ points (-114)
Even without Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets remain competitive in the Western Conference. Jamal Murray is more than capable of carrying this offense, while Denver’s depth ranks among the NBA’s best. One name that’s provided a recent boost is Aaron Gordon. The power forward missed over a month of action due to a hamstring strain. However, since coming back on January 4th, he’s looked solid. In four games since then, Gordon has posted 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 46% from the field.
Denver has kept the 30-year-old on a modest minutes restriction since his return. However, Gordon saw his playing time jump up to 32 minutes on Sunday vs. Milwaukee. That suggests a similar total entering Tuesday’s contest with the Pelicans. New Orleans has been terrible on defense, allowing the third-most points per game (122.4) to opponents. In addition, the team is without arguably its best defender in Herb Jones (ankle). Gordon is set up nicely to cash in on this 20-point total tonight.
Ayo Dosunmu 16+ points (-110)
Without Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Coby White (injury management), Chicago’s backcourt is looking incredibly thin. Fortunately for the Bulls, Ayo Dosunmu is one of the association’s best backups. The Illinois alum has a knack for scoring, capable of putting up points in limited minutes. This season, he’s putting up 14.5 points on 52% shooting (45% 3PT). That’s despite averaging just over 26 minutes a night. With a bigger role on Tuesday, Dosunmu could enjoy a productive outing.
The one caveat is that the Bulls will take on one of the NBA’s best defenses this evening. Houston has held opponents to just 110.8 points per game, third-lowest in the NBA. Regardless, the opportunity for Dosunmu tonight trumps any opposition. The fifth-year pro has tallied at least 16 points in four of his last five appearances. Two of those came against quality defensive clubs, the Magic and Pistons. It’s no coincidence that Giddey was out during that entire stretch, as well. Even against the stingy Rockets, I’m expecting a solid showing from Chicago’s underrated guard.
Julius Randle 6+ assists (+102)
On a title-contending Timberwolves club, Julius Randle is essential to any dreams of winning a championship. The three-time All-Star serves as the perfect Robin to Anthony Edwards’ Batman. On Tuesday, with the latter ruled out, the power forward should command an even larger amount of touches in Minnesota. Through 40 games this season, Randle has accounted for 22.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists. While he can deliver buckets, the big man is also willing to serve as a distributor.
The latter scenario might take place tonight. If the Bucks are smart, Giannis Antetokounmpo will take on the challenge of slowing down Randle. Against a terrific defender, Big Ju should prioritize getting his teammates open. The 31-year-old has delivered at least six assists in nearly half (19) of his outings this season. Keep in mind, most of those came with Edwards operating as lead ball handler. Milwaukee ranks as one of the association’s worst defenses, so there should be opportunities to score in this one.
