It’s a select three-game, six-team slate across the NBA on Thursday. The action gets started with a potential postseason preview between the red-hot Knicks and Hornets. Other Eastern Conference contenders such as the Magic and Pistons are also taking the court tonight.
Who can bettors trust ahead of this evening’s games? Here are my three favorite NBA prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Thursday’s contests.
Top NBA prop bet picks
Karl-Anthony Towns 32+ points + rebounds (-106)
Despite some rough patches this season, Karl-Anthony Towns is turning in another stellar campaign in New York. Through 66 games this season, the center is averaging 20.2 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 49% from the field. Despite mediocre efficiency from three-point range, KAT remains one of basketball’s most dangerous scorers. Make no mistake: the Hornets are excellent defenders inside the paint. They’ve held opponents to the fewest rebounds (48.0) and 13th-fewest points in the paint (49.8) per game this season.
With that being said, Towns enters this one on a hot streak. He’s putting up 24.1 points and 12.9 rebounds over his last eight appearances. We’re not asking for a Herculean effort from KAT here. Simply notching a double-double will likely put him right near this total. He’s managed to record at least 32 points + rebounds in three of his last four meetings with the Hornets. Given the All-Star’s stellar play as of late, I’m expecting another productive outing.
Paolo Banchero 2+ three-pointers made (+120)
The Magic are in a major rut, having now lost six straight. If anyone needs to step up for this squad, it’s Paolo Banchero. The former first overall pick has yet to take the leap into true superstardom. Still, he remains an effective player on most nights. The power forward is averaging 22.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game along with 46/32/78 shooting splits. With Anthony Black (abdominal) and Franz Wagner (ankle) sidelined, there aren’t many go-to scorers in Orlando.
One area of Banchero’s game that remains a work in progress is his floor spacing. However, the Duke alum is shooting 37% from beyond the arc over his last ten matchups. In three of his last five games, Paolo has knocked down at least two treys. He’ll be looking for a repeat performance on Thursday against a miserable Kings defense. Opponents are shooting 37.5% from long distance vs. Sacramento, the NBA’s second-worst mark. Given Orlando’s recent struggles, there’s also no guarantee this becomes a blowout. In a must-win for the reeling Magic, Banchero should have no hesitation pulling up from deep.
Tobias Harris 9+ rebounds + assists (-135)
Cade Cunningham (lung) is out, leaving an already top-heavy Pistons offense in shambles. That means a talented supporting cast will need to take on larger roles going forward. Tobias Harris isn’t the first name one thinks of when looking over this Detroit roster. However, the veteran remains a valuable two-way presence for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Through 55 games, he’s averaging 13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 46% from the field.
Harris has done a little bit of everything in Cunningham’s absence. The 33-year-old has notched at least 11 rebounds + assists in four of his last five outings. He’ll hope for something similar this evening against a lackluster Pelicans defense. New Orleans is giving up the NBA’s fourth-most rebounds (55.2) and ninth-most assists (27.6) per game. It’s not as if Detroit has a ton of players more worthy of touches, either. Harris is never the most exciting name on the board, but he’s well positioned to clear this reasonable total tonight.
