The 36-12 Detroit Pistons are hosting the 33-17 Denver Nuggets tonight. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Detroit is favored by 4.5 points and this game carries a total of 228.5 points. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite player prop bets for this game.
Best Pistons vs. Nuggets Player Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Jamal Murray U 22.5 Points
Murray’s been cold in his previous two, scoring just 12 and 20 points apiece. Coincidentally, these totals lined up with Nikola Jokic’s return from injury. Not that Murray’s scoring is affected by Jokic’s presence all that much; arguably Jokic’s gravity opens up more scoring opportunities for Murray.
But tonight’s matchup probably isn’t the time nor the place for Murray to bounce back quite yet. The Pistons have been ferocious on defense this season, limiting opponents to 109.7 PPG, the third lowest mark in the NBA. They also hold the second-highest defensive rating in the league with 108.3. Long gone are the days of Detroit putting up sub-30 win seasons. They now have multiple All-Stars on their roster, which has been made cohesive over the last few seasons through good draft picks and offseason acquisitions. Detroit’s holding opponent PGs to 21.9 points per 48 minutes on 41.9% shooting from the field.
Nikola Jokic U 8.5 Assists
Jokic has posted five and eight assists in his two games since returning from a month-long injury. He’s averaging a triple double this season with 29.3 PPG, 12 RPG, and 10.7 APG, so this line falls a bit short of his average, but the Pistons have been excellent at denying opponents assists, which seems corollary to limiting opponent points. They’re allowing the fewest assists at 22.9 APG to opponents, which leads the NBA. If we account for the fact that Jokic is still ramping up after a lengthy absence, it seems ambitious to expect a ton of Jokic assists tonight.
Peyton Watson O 15.5 Points
What number one defense? Peyton Watson doesn’t care. He just dropped 29 points on OKC on 11-17 shooting.
Watson’s having an incredible season and should be a contender for MIP. He’s been an absolute beasting stepping in for the various injured Nuggets starters, producing for Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, and Christian Braun. He’s shooting a career-high 50.4% from the field and is shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. Watson’s also averaging 1 SPG and 1.1 BPG, doing a little bit of everything for this depleted Nuggets team. Watson should be in a good spot to surpass his 15.5 O/U, even despite the tough matchup.
