Pacific Division foes are set to meet on Tuesday in The Bay. The veteran Warriors (21-19, 8th in West) are still hoping for another crack at an NBA title. Their opponents, the Trail Blazers (19-21, 9th in West), are pushing for a postseason spot. Portland comes into this one with momentum, having won five of its last six games.
Which players will make an impact in this West Coast showdown? The Warriors are favored by 10.5 points (-110) over the Trail Blazers, with the over/under set at 227.5 points. Here are two of the top prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for tonight’s Portland vs. Golden State matchup.
Trail Blazers vs. Warriors prop bet picks
Shaedon Sharpe 25+ points (-123)
Deni Avdija (back) is out tonight, leaving Portland without its leading scorer. Fortunately, the forward isn’t the only player on this roster capable of putting up buckets. Shaedon Sharpe is, for better or worse, the ultimate score-first guard. Through 36 games, he’s averaging 21.5 points on 45/33/78 shooting splits. That level of production, if not better, is needed tonight. In addition to Avdija, Jerami Grant (20.0 PPG) is also sidelined with an Achilles injury.
Given the lack of healthy scorers for the Blazers, this looks like a prime opportunity for Sharpe to take over. He’s tallied at least 20 points in each of his previous four outings, all of which came with Avdija active. The Warriors wield one of the NBA’s better defensive units. Still, this is a spot Sharpe has thrived in before. When these clubs last met on December 14th, he notched 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting. A similar showing, even one slightly worse, on Tuesday will be enough for the 22-year-old to clear this total.
Jimmy Butler 6+ rebounds (-130)
An elder Warriors team is at its healthiest in a long time. Every key member of Steve Kerr’s rotation is ready to go tonight. At full strength, the Dubs are still a tough out for almost every team. One notable weakness is their lack of size. Golden State is only grabbing 51.8 rebounds per game, eighth-fewest in the NBA. Without a traditional center, 6’6″ Draymond Green is often tasked with boxing out seven-footers. That makes it imperative for some other Warriors to chip in.
Jimmy Butler is still one of the association’s best, even at 36 years old. The wing isn’t a sharpshooter, but he brings a Swiss Army knife skillset to Golden State. Through 35 games, he’s accounted for 5.5 rebounds. In 17 of those appearances, Butler has hauled in at least six boards. Portland has struggled boxing out opponents over the past week. During their last three games, the Blazers have given up an NBA-worst 63.7 rebounds. In his previous two meetings with Portland, Butler has snagged a combined 15 boards. The future Hall-of-Famer is poised for a productive evening on the glass.
