Eight games between 16 different teams make up Thursday’s helping of NBA action. To kick things off, the Rockets travel to Philly for a date with the 76ers. Later, the Lakers and Clippers meet once again for the Battle of LA. As a nightcap, the surging Trail Blazers host the fast-paced Heat.
Given the amount of games on tap, narrowing it down to a few picks is difficult. Which players should you trust, or fade, tonight? Here are my three favorite NBA prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Thursday’s contests.
Top NBA prop bet picks
Joel Embiid under 8.5 rebounds (-140)
In many ways, it’s been a solid bounce-back campaign for Joel Embiid. The former MVP has been productive for a contending Philadelphia squad; at this point, 76ers fans can’t ask for much more. With that being said, the center’s athleticism has declined in recent years. Nowhere is that more evident than on the glass. Embiid is hauling in 7.0 rebounds over 23 games played. That’s a good, not great, mark that falls short of his career-long numbers.
In the right spot, the 31-year-old is still capable of putting up a double-double. That doesn’t look to be the case on Thursday. The Sixers will take on a Houston club that is formidable down low. This season, the Rockets are allowing just 48.8 rebounds per game to opponents, tied for the second-fewest in basketball. The duo of Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams excel at boxing out. Embiid has failed to secure nine or more boards in 16 of his 23 appearances. There’s no reason to expect anything different tonight.
De’Aaron Fox 19+ points (-115)
Victor Wembanyama isn’t the only reason behind San Antonio’s stellar 30-14 record. The Spurs have assembled an impressive array of talent, especially in the backcourt. It all starts with De’Aaron Fox, the ninth-year veteran acquired from Sacramento last winter. This season, the former All-Star has recorded 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He’s done so while shooting an efficient 47% from the field (34% 3PT).
That level of production, while serving as a second option on offense, is nothing to sneeze at. Fox is poised for a terrific showing tonight against arguably the association’s worst defensive unit. The Jazz have coughed up an NBA-worst 127.4 points per game to opponents. Swipa has tallied at least 20 points in 20 of his 35 outings this season. That includes nine different games in which he’s shared the court with Wembanyama. Against a miserable perimeter defense, there’s a good chance Fox reaches this mark yet again on Thursday.
Davion Mitchell 7+ assists (+104)
Speaking of former Kings, Davion Mitchell has thrived in South Beach. The fifth-year pro isn’t much of a scorer, but he does a little bit of everything for Erik Spoelstra’s squad. Over 40 games this season, the Baylor alum has produced 9.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists. That’s all without mentioning his excellent work on the other end of the floor. On a Miami team that struggles to get stops, the guard’s knack for generating steals is invaluable.
Keeping that in mind, it makes sense that Mitchell garners close to 30 minutes per game. A busy workload goes a long way in helping the 27-year-old rack up some counting stats. In addition, the Heat operate at the NBA’s fastest pace on offense. Their opponents on Thursday, the Trail Blazers, rank ninth in that category. Portland is also allowing the ninth-most points per game in basketball (118.2). In comparison, Mitchell has delivered at least seven assists in more than half of his contests this season. At plus money, I’m willing to bet he does so once again on Thursday.
