The post-Trae Young era is underway for the Atlanta Hawks, leaving Jalen Johnson free to work as the primary star on a nightly basis without any questions about the team’s pecking order. The group heads to the West Coast for a Tuesday night matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, who have a couple stars’ statuses in question but can still challenge teams even in their absence if Luka Doncic or LeBron James sits out.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Atlanta is a -2.5 favorite with -148 odds to win on the Moneyline. The game total is set at 231.5 combined points.
Here’s the top Hawks vs. Lakers prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook for Tuesday night’s game.
Best Hawks vs. Lakers player prop bet
Jalen Johnson to record a triple-double (+291)
Few players in the NBA’s recent history have burst onto the scene with such a dramatic leap as Jalen Johnson has this season. Last year, he was a favorite pick by many (including myself) to win Most Improved Player before an injury shortened his campaign prematurely. It turns out that sentiment was just a year too early as the Duke product has blossomed into a true superstar in front of our very eyes.
Johnson averages career-bests across the board with 23.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game as the focal point of the Hawks’ rotation. The 6-foot-8 forward stepped up when injury sidelined star guard Trae Young, and his performance in a featured role is surely part of the reasoning which resulted in Atlanta’s former franchise player being traded away to the Washington Wizards in something of a salary cap dump. It’s clear to see what Johnson can do as a lead creator, dishing out plenty of assists and drawing defensive attention away from teammates thanks to his ability to drive the paint or knock down shots from distance off the dribble. Double-digit points and rebounds are no problem for the newfound star, and with 14.5 potential assists per game (seventh in the NBA), it’s simply up to his teammates to hit their own shots in order to record a triple-double at excellent plus value.
The Lakers aren’t a bad matchup by any means either, ranking 20th in opponent assists allowed per contest. While they are first in opponent rebounds allowed, Johnson is one of the best talents in the league when it comes to crashing the glass and should only see his chances of double-digit boards increase if either of James or Doncic are ruled out as well. Plus, this could easily become a back-and-forth affair with plenty of possessions since Los Angeles allows 116.5 PPG (17th).
All in all, the +291 odds for a Johnson triple-double are quite compelling given the environment and his own ability and role.
