Three days in, and the 2026-27 NBA regular season is already heating up. Thursday’s two-game slate presents a pair of can’t miss primetime matchups. To kick things off, LeBron James’ 76ers battle a new-look Cavaliers squad in a potential postseason preview. Later, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander meet up for a clash between the Nuggets and Thunder.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here is a look at my two favorite player prop bets for Thursday night’s NBA matchups.
Best NBA Prop Bets Today
Jaylon Tyson 9+ points (-127)
The big move of the summer in Cleveland, other than bringing back James Harden, was a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson. A key piece on both ends of the floor in Denver, the wing becomes an immediate day one starter for the Cavaliers. With that being said, his addition could come at the cost of playing time for Jaylon Tyson. The former first round pick carved out a sizable role in Cleveland’s rotation; it remains to be seen if that will continue this season. On paper, it should. The Cal alum averaged 13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists during a productive 2025-26 campaign.
The Cavs come into this one with some notable injury issues. Starting center Jarrett Allen (knee) is questionable, while key reserve Nae’Qwan Tomlin (back) has already been ruled out. That should open up more potential touches for Tyson, even if he comes off of the bench this evening. It’s not as if a reserve role is the worst scenario on Thursday. The star-studded 76ers are a bit top heavy, essentially running an eight-man rotation on Tuesday vs. New York. Knicks reserves managed to put up a combined 32 points as a result. Tyson has done well in this spot before, notching ten or more points in each of his previous four contests vs. Philadelphia. That bodes well for his chances heading into tonight’s contest.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7+ assists (-110)
Our nightcap features a pair of MVPs in action, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way for OKC. The point guard got off to a terrific start on Tuesday, notching 32 points, six rebounds and four assists against the rival Spurs. None of those numbers should come as a surprise. Last season, the Canadian averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 55% from the field. Unlike some of the NBA’s other elite teams, SGA is the undisputed number one option on this Thunder offense as well. If you’re seeking consistency from night to night, look no further.
As tempting as it is to back Gilgeous-Alexander as a scorer, there are other ways he can impact a game. That includes court vision, where he remains one of the NBA’s top playmakers. Last year, SGA recorded 7+ assists in 32 of his 68 regular season appearances. However, he managed to reach this total in all three of his meetings with the Nuggets. In fact, the guard is averaging 9.4 dimes over his last five matchups against Denver. The Nuggets allowed 116.9 points per game last season, tenth-worst in the NBA. Even worse, opponents racked up the association’s ninth-most assists per game against them (27.5). All signs are pointing to a productive evening as a distributor for Gilgeous-Alexander.
