Nine games are on the Friday NBA slate. After the rematch of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers underwhelmed last night and resulted in a blowout Thunder victory, plenty of new action is taking place tonight.
The Orlando Magic will face the Boston Celtics for the night’s opening game. Next, the New York Knicks will host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Four games are scheduled to tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET, including the Raptors vs Bucks, Hornets vs Bulls, Nuggets vs Heat, and Jazz vs Pelicans. The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Dallas Mavericks in the second half of their back-to-back, tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET. Next, the San Antonio Spurs will host the Memphis Grizzlies before the Los Angeles Lakers face the Brooklyn Nets in the final matchup tipping off at 10:30 p.m. ET.
With plenty of action on the NBA schedule, here are my favorite prop bets across the Friday slate.
Wendell Carter Jr Over 17.5 Points & Rebounds (-110)
The Orlando Magic will travel to face the Boston Celtics tonight and continue to battle their injury issues. Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris, Jett Howard, Goga Bitadze, and both the Wagner brothers remain out with various injuries. While it has been a tough stretch for the team, this creates some additional opportunities in the frontcourt for minutes for Wendell Carter Jr.
The Duke product is averaging 8.1 points and 6.9 rebounds across his 24.7 minutes per game on the season. It has been a disappointing start to the year for Carter Jr, who has seen a reduction in his opportunity on the floor and the production in the chances he has received. Just three seasons ago, he averaged 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds while serving as a regular starter. Carter Jr will look to make the most of his increased level of opportunity and logged 32:38 of game time last game, which marked his third-most minutes played this season.
Overall, Carter Jr has recorded over 17.5 combined points and rebounds in 14 of the 29 games he has played. He tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday and has recorded over 17.5 combined points and rebounds in five of the past nine games. The Magic will face the Celtics tonight, who play with a perimeter-oriented attack and rank 18th in opponents’ rebounds and 14th in opponents’ points in the paint. Orlando does not have the multitude or caliber of shooters that the Celtics do and will need some interior production if they are to have a chance in this matchup. Expect Carter Jr to make the most of his increased minutes and be active on the glass and around the rim. Count on him to record over 17.5 combined points and rebounds as he makes his case for an expanded role to continue as this team returns to full health.
Nikola Vucevic Under 18.5 Points (-115)
It has been a terrific season for Nikola Vucevic, who has quietly been one of the most productive centers in the league. The former All-Star is averaging 20.1 points and 10.4 rebounds this season. This has been his best scoring output since the 2020-21 season.
However, Vucevic has slowed down as of late. The 34-year-old is averaging 17.4 points over his past five games and 17.9 points across his past nine. Vucevic was held to 14 points in Wednesday’s matchup with the Hawks, and has recorded under 18.5 points in five of the past nine games. The Bulls will face off against a Hornets team that has lost Nick Richards. They traded Richards earlier this week, who will immediately walk into a starting center role with the Suns after receiving limited opportunity this year. Mark Williams will be the primary matchup and is coming off a 31 point and 13 rebound performance on Wednesday. Despite their 9-28 record, the Hornets rank 15th in opponents’ points, 16th in opponents’ rebounds, and eighth in opponents’ points in the paint.
With the combination of Vucevic slowing down on the season and having a tough matchup in front of him, count on a modest scoring output tonight. Expect the length and athleticism of Mark Williams to bother Vucevic and for the Bulls to rely on a more perimeter-oriented attack in this matchup. Look for Vucevic to be held under 18.5 points for the 17th time this season against the Hornets tonight.
P.J. Washington Over 8.5 Rebounds (+105)
The Dallas Mavericks will travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff rematch from last year. The Thunder produced an impressive victory over the Cavaliers last night, in which they leaped out to a double-digit lead within the first quarter and never looked back. While it did not prove to be a problem last night, rebounding concerns will return to the forefront for this Thunder team as Isaiah Hartenstein returned to the injury report with a calf issue that will keep him out for at least a week. Chet Holmgren also remains on the sideline with his hip injury.
Enter P.J. Washington, who is averaging 7.8 rebounds per game on the season and does not back down to anyone on the floor. Washington has recorded over 8.5 rebounds in 13 games this season. He also logged a season-high 17 boards in his first matchup with the Thunder this year. Washington logged 10+ rebounds in three of the six playoff games last year against the Thunder.
While this matchup will not carry quite the same weight with Luka Doncic remaining out due to injury, Washington should also see an increase in opportunity with Derek Lively III also set to miss the game. The Thunder rank 28th in the NBA in opponent rebounds per game, and Washington will be prepared to expose this. Count on the veteran to record over 8.5 rebounds tonight and take advantage of the +105 odds.
Cam Johnson Over 18.5 Points (-120)
Cam Johnson continues to scream “Come Get Me” to contenders with his level of play on the floor. The Brooklyn Nets’ forward has been a bright spot on an otherwise frustrating team that has signaled their desire for a top pick with their trade decisions in recent weeks. Johnson has had plenty of trade chatter surrounding his name. It would not be a surprise if he is suiting up in a different uniform in the coming weeks.
Regardless, the play on the court must continue and Johnson will continue to produce whenever and wherever he is given the chance. The 28-year-old is averaging a career-high 19.6 points per game this season and has recorded over 18.5 points in 17 of the 33 games he has played.
The Nets will face the Lakers tonight, who have struggled on the defensive side of the ball. They have looked disconnected of late and rank 18th in opponents’ points per game, 26th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage on the season. Brooklyn is limited in their available offensive options, and Johnson has the freedom to attack whenever he sees fit. Expect him to be aggressive in this matchup and put another strong audition for other teams on display. Johnson has recorded over 18.5 points in three straight games and five of the past six he has played entering this matchup. Count on him to continue producing and reach this total in Los Angeles tonight.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
