An eight-game, 16-team slate sets the stage for Tuesday’s hoops action. Looking for some must-watch matchups? Fear not – there are several worth tuning in for this evening. To kick things off tonight, the Heat and Hornets battle it out for playoff positioning. Elsewhere, the streaking Magic hope to keep it going against the defending champion Thunder. Later, the Suns and Timberwolves face off in a contest with major Western Conference ramifications.
Which players are poised to surpass, or fall short of, their totals? Here are my three favorite NBA prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Tuesday’s contests.
Top NBA prop bet picks
Kon Knueppel 4+ three-pointers made (+106)
A midseason turnaround in Charlotte has been made possible in part by Kon Knueppel. The fourth overall pick during last summer’s NBA Draft, the rookie has exceeded the loftiest of expectations in Year One. Through 67 games, the sharpshooter is averaging 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. That’s before mentioning a sparking 49% field goal percentage and 44% clip from three-point range. The Hornets star is averaging 3.5 treys per game, third-most in basketball. Even with established names such as LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, Kon has carved out a sizable role for himself on offense.
On most nights, Charlotte would prefer to operate at a modest, slowed-down tempo. That’s unlikely to be the case on Tuesday; Miami wields the NBA’s fastest-paced offense. As a result, there should be more chances for Knueppel to go off from beyond the arc. In each of the previous three meetings between these clubs, Kon knocked down at least five shots from long distance. As a team, the Heat are allowing the 11th-most three-pointers made per game to opponents (13.7). Keeping that in mind, Knueppel could deliver another stellar performance.
Giannis Antetokounmpo under 27.5 points (-103)
The return of Giannis Antetokounmpo has gone about as expected. Despite some impressive individual statistics, the Bucks remain on the outside looking in for the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot. Still, with about a month to go, Milwaukee isn’t ready to shut down its face of the franchise just yet. Over his last six games since returning, Giannis has recorded 25.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 53% from the field. Given the lack of internal competition for touches, the Greek Freak has a fairly safe floor.
Giannis comes into Tuesday with some momentum, having recorded 31 points in each of his last two appearances. However, those games came against below-average defenses in Miami and Indiana. Tonight represents a step up in competition against the Cavaliers and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley. Cleveland is giving up 46.1 points in the paint this season, sixth-fewest in the association. Antetokounmpo, with his minutes still being monitored, has gone under 27 points in four of his last six outings. He’s never easy to fade, but I’m expecting a slight letdown from the former MVP.
*Antetokounmpo (ankle) is questionable to suit up tonight.
Adem Bona 7+ rebounds (+121)
Joel Embiid (oblique) has been ruled out yet again this evening. That means the 76ers will have to get creative at center. Adem Bona has gotten most of the work down low during the past few weeks. Over the big man’s previous seven games, he’s averaging 6.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. However, his playing time can fluctuate. In that stretch, Bona has garnered anywhere between 32 and 15 minutes from head coach Nick Nurse.
Against superstar center Nikola Jokic, Philly will need some height on the floor tonight. The Nuggets are one of the NBA’s better rebounding teams. However, they’ve allowed 59.0 boards per game to opponents over their last three contests, tied for third-most in that time. Bona has snagged at least seven boards in three of his last five matchups. If his playing time total hovers around 20 minutes, that mark should be obtainable once again. At +121, this is one of the best available value plays this evening.
