There are four games of NBA action across Sunday’s slate.
Kicking things off in the afternoon, the Boston Celtics will play the Orlando Magic, with tip-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. At 5:00 p.m. ET, the Brooklyn Nets will face off with the Indiana Pacers, leading into two games in the late slate. In a Western Conference clash, the Los Angeles Clippers will play the Golden State Warriors at 8:30 p.m. ET before the Toronto Raptors square off with the Los Angeles Lakers at 9:00 p.m. ET.
There are plenty of ways to get involved on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are my top three player prop bets for Sunday’s NBA slate.
Best NBA Prop Bets Today
Pascal Siakam Over 11.5 Rebounds & Assists (+104)
The Indiana Pacers are off to a 2-4 start and have been forced to play without Tyrese Haliburton due to injury once again. The two-time All-NBA guard is not the lone player sidelined, as Ivica Zubac, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard and Johnny Furphy will also miss tonight’s game, while Obi Toppin is questionable with a back injury. This leaves major responsibility on the shoulders of Pascal Siakam.
Through the opening six games, Siakam is posting averages of 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. This is the second matchup of the season against the Brooklyn Nets, who are still searching for their first win of the year. During the first matchup, Siakam finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He has recorded over 11.5 combined rebounds and assists in three of his past four games and will look to build on that performance against a Nets team that leaves plenty to be desired on the defensive end of the floor.
Entering tonight’s game, Brooklyn ranks 25th in opponent points allowed, 21st in defensive rating and 27th in assists allowed. Siakam has seen his rebounding responsibilities increase without Zubac and has pulled down 11 or more rebounds in two of his past three games. Given the lengthy injury report and the key players missing, expect Siakam to have the ball in his hands plenty, with the Nets likely making a focused effort to force others to beat them. The four-time All-Star is averaging 9.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game across his past four contests. Expect that production to continue against a struggling Brooklyn team, making the 11.5 combined rebound and assist line look far too low.
Rui Hachimura Over 15.5 Points (-119)
The Los Angeles Clippers will face off with the Golden State Warriors tonight for the first time this season. Los Angeles went through a drastic identity shift this offseason and has turned the page on a new era. Rui Hachimura is playing a major role in this, posting averages of 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds across his first four games with the franchise.
Efficiency has been a major issue for Hachimura to start the year. The former Lakers standout is shooting just 28.6% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the three-point arc and 58.3% from the free-throw line so far this season. For a player who has shot 49.6% from the field, 39.3% from beyond the three-point arc and 75.5% from the free-throw line across his eight-year career, expect some positive shooting regression as the sample size increases.
This is especially notable with Draymond Green sidelined tonight, along with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. Hachimura ranks second on the Clippers in shot volume at 12.3 field-goal attempts per game and has attempted at least 11 shots in every game this season. Golden State’s defense ranks 18th in opponent points allowed and 22nd in defensive rating this season.
Especially with Green sidelined, expect the Warriors’ defense to be vulnerable and for Hachimura to take full advantage. There is a clear role for him on this Clippers team, and he should continue taking advantage of the green light within the flow of the offense. The Gonzaga product has already tallied more than 15.5 points in one of his four games despite his shooting struggles, and the shots should begin falling at a more consistent rate soon. Expect this Warriors defense to help spark that turnaround and for Hachimura to clear this line for the second time this season.
Scottie Barnes Over 23.5 Points (-103)
In the final matchup of the NBA slate, the Toronto Raptors will face off with the Los Angeles Lakers. The outlook for Toronto has shifted following the injury to Kawhi Leonard, who will remain sidelined as he recovers from a knee injury. However, Scottie Barnes has shown that he is capable of scaling up his offensive role and is taking advantage of the additional shot opportunities in recent games.
Through his opening five matchups, Barnes is averaging 24.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists. He exploded for 41 points in the previous game and launched 34 field-goal attempts to reach that mark. The Florida State product has recorded more than 23.5 points in three of his five games, even while largely struggling with his shooting efficiency. Barnes is shooting just 46.3% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the three-point arc to start the season. He was even held scoreless against the Timberwolves on 0-for-12 shooting from the field.
The Lakers are an elite offensive team, but they remain vulnerable on the defensive end of the floor. Through its first six games, Los Angeles ranks 16th in opponent points allowed and 19th in defensive rating. The leap in shot volume is notable, with Barnes’ 34 field-goal attempts in the previous game marking five more than any other game in his career. Expect him to have success attacking the basket and scoring at a high rate again tonight, making this 23.5-point total seem far too low.
