The Hornets are hosting the Kings on Tuesday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Charlotte is favored by 17.5 points and this game carries a total of 231.5 points.
Let’s dive into two of my favorite player prop bets for Tuesday’s matchup between the Hornets and the Kings.
Best Hornets vs. Kings Player Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
LaMelo Ball 2+ points in the first three minutes (-127)
Ball is usually ultra-aggressive to open games. This season, the guard is leading the Hornets with 2.6 PPG and a 31.8% usage rate in the first three minutes of contests. Ball has scored at least two points in the first three minutes of 38 of his 58 starts this season (65%) and he has reached this feat in eight of his past 10 entering tonight.
The Kings rank 28th in defensive rating this season and are likely only going to have eight healthy players tonight. Charlotte has an implied team total of 32.5 points for the first quarter on DraftKings Sportsbook and Ball should begin this tilt with a few quick points.
DeMar DeRozan U 18.5 Points (-107)
The Kings are going to be very thin tonight, but they have been understaffed on a nightly basis for weeks and DeRozan has only topped 18.5 points three times in his last 12. Russell Westbrook (foot) is one of the more notable players out for Sacramento tonight, but even with the former MVP inactive this past Sunday, DeRozan only scored 10 points in 31 minutes with a low 14% usage rate vs. the struggling Nets, who rank 24th in defensive rating since the All-Star break.
Conversely, the Hornets rank sixth in defensive rating over this time. Sitting dead last in the Western Conference, the Kings want to lose right now and DeRozan doesn’t appear motivated to score much. The veteran is likely fine with letting Sacramento’s young players see most of the shots and this 18.5-point line just feels too high for DeRozan.
