There are seven games of NBA action taking place across tonight’s Saturday slate.
The action will kick off with a special Mexico City matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets, tipping off at 5:00 p.m. ET. Then, the Brooklyn Nets will face off with the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. ET, before a doubleheader of games gets underway at 8:00 p.m. ET between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers as well as the Washington Wizards and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Orlando Magic will face the Golden State Warriors a half hour later, before the Phoenix Suns host the Houston Rockets at 9:00 p.m. ET. The San Antonio Spurs will close out the slate with a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers at 10:00 p.m. ET.
There are plenty of ways to get involved on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are my top three player prop bets for Saturday’s NBA slate.
Best NBA Prop Bets Today
Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 Made Three-Pointers (+105)
It has been a frustrating start to the season for the defending champion New York Knicks. They hold a 4-4 record to start the year, although they have won four of their last five games as they begin inching in the right direction. Jalen Brunson continues to headline the production for New York, posting averages of 25.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.6 rebounds through the opening eight games. The three-time All-Star is shooting 36.1% from beyond the three-point arc to start the season on 7.6 perimeter attempts per game.
Similar to the Knicks’ team outlook, Brunson’s three-point production is trending in the right direction. He shot a combined 4-for-20 (20.0%) from beyond the three-point arc across the first four games and has connected on 18 of his 41 attempts over the last four games, or 43.9% of his long-range attempts. The efficiency alone is encouraging, with Brunson making 18 three-pointers across this four-game stretch. However, attempting at least 10 long-range shots in each matchup is even more telling.
Brunson and the Knicks will prepare to face a Cleveland Cavaliers team playing on the second half of a back-to-back and with some defensive concerns even under the best of circumstances. Cleveland enters the matchup ranking 19th in opponents’ points per game, 19th in opponents’ three-point attempts, and 13th in opponents’ three-point percentage. The defending champions have begun digging themselves out of their early-season hole following the disappointing start, and this is centered around the performance of their star. Expect Brunson to have success attacking the Cavaliers’ poor defensive backcourt and knock down over 2.5 made three-pointers for the fifth straight game.
Kevin Durant Over 21.5 Points (-118)
Some offseason comments from Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia and his former player Kevin Durant made it clear that there are still some harsh feelings about how Durant’s Phoenix tenure ended. Now, Durant will have his first chance of the new season to face his former team. Through his opening nine games, the four-time scoring champion is posting averages of 20.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
It has been a bit of a strange start to the season for Durant, with his average of 12.4 field-goal attempts marking the lowest of his career. His previous career low was approximately 16.5 attempts per game, which came during the 2016-17 season with the Golden State Warriors. It has not been an issue with his efficiency, as Durant is still shooting 52.7% from the field and 40.6% from beyond the three-point arc. Even with the limited volume, Durant has scored at least 22 points in four of his nine games played.
If it is not revenge that fully gets Durant going, the Suns’ defensive struggles could certainly play a factor. Phoenix has had difficulty consistently limiting opposing scorers this season, creating a favorable opportunity for one of the most talented offensive players in NBA history. The Suns have not shown they are capable of consistently slowing down high-level offensive players, and Durant is certainly among the most difficult matchups in the league. Expect a more conscious effort from Durant to get involved in the flow of the offense tonight given the favorable matchup and the opportunity to face his former team. This is a great buy-low spot for one of the greatest scorers in NBA history – back Durant to surpass 21.5 points tonight.
Jrue Holiday Over 4.5 Assists (-128)
Closing out tonight’s NBA slate, the Portland Trail Blazers will square off with the San Antonio Spurs. Both sides have gotten off to strong starts to the season, with San Antonio holding a 7-2 record and Portland sitting at 6-2. Both will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back after suiting up for NBA Cup matchups last night. Portland did a nice job adding some talented and experienced guards to its roster to help accelerate its leap into the contending mix. Damian Lillard made his return to the floor, Ja Morant came over in a trade, and Jrue Holiday remained on the roster after playing all of last season in Portland.
During his first year with the Trail Blazers, Holiday posted averages of 16.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game. Across his first eight games this year, in which he has come off the bench in each, the two-time All-Star is posting averages of 13.3 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds. Holiday has seen his minutes shrink from 29.4 to 26.4 a night, but has still tallied as many as 10 assists in a matchup and recorded at least five assists in three games.
It is never easy when facing the elite Spurs defense. However, Holiday is as seasoned of a playmaker as a player can be and should be in line for an expanded role tonight. Morant remains sidelined with his hamstring injury, and Portland could look to manage Lillard’s workload as he continues working his way back from an Achilles injury. Holiday has logged 30-plus minutes in two of his last three games and tallied 17 combined assists across that stretch. Expect him to embrace an expanded role running the offense, with the 4.5-assist line offering an appealing opportunity for the two-time champion, who has averaged approximately 6.2 assists per game throughout his career.
