After beginning the day with a matchup in London, the NBA has five games on the scoreboard Sunday night. One of the first matchups of the evening includes the Brooklyn Nets visiting the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in an interesting Eastern Conference matchup. If you’re looking for some player prop bets to play in that game, check out my top options highlighted in this post.
The hometown Bulls are 6.5-points favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set at 222.5 points.
The two teams played on Friday night in Brooklyn, with the Nets winning 112-109. That win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Nets, and the team is still only 12-27 compared to the Bulls’ 19-22 record. The Bulls currently sit No. 9 in the Eastern Conference, while the Nets are No. 13.
Let’s break down this Eastern Conference matchup on Sunday night, taking a look at my favorite player prop bets on the board.
Bulls vs. Nets Best Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Noah Clowney over 15.5 Points (-107)
One of the big differences between Friday’s game and Sunday’s matchup is that Michael Porter Jr. (rest) will not play for the Nets. Clowney is one of the players who could help pick up the slack, and he has a great chance to score at least 16 points.
I also like Clowney’s points as a ladder and plan on sprinkling in a little bit on 20+ Points at +223 and even 25+ Points at +630.
Clowney is averaging 13.3 points this season, but he has played more minutes than any other player on the Nets in the seven games he has played without Porter. He has averaged 14.6 points in those contests. He had 17 points last Sunday in the most recent game when Porter was sidelined.
In his last seven games, Clowney has averaged 14.7 points, and he went off for 23 points against the Bulls on Friday. Chicago is a great matchup for power forwards, allowing the second-most fantasy points in the NBA to the position. Without Porter, Clowney should continue to be able to attack this matchup and should get all the work he can handle.
Ayo Dosunmu over 3.5 assists (-133)
While Josh Giddey (hamstring) is getting closer to a return, he is still doubtful for this matchup, so the Bulls will continue to look to alternative creators like Dosunmu.
The versatile guard/forward can excel in lots of different roles, and he continues to flex into different roles depending on the team needs. He only had one assist on Friday against the Nets but only played 20 minutes.
In his previous 10 games, he averaged 26.9 minutes per game and produced an average of 5.4 assists with at least four assists in eight of those 10 contests.
He should be able to bounce back and get over four assists in this rematch, especially if his workload is back to its more typical level.
Jalen Smith over 7.5 Rebounds (-126)
While his role fluctuates from game-to-game, Smith always brings great energy and plenty of hustle. Smith has snagged at least eight rebounds in eight of his last 10 games, including each of his last four games.
He played a season-high 35 minutes against the Nets on Friday and had 14 points and 13 rebounds. He only needed 17 minutes for a double-double against the Jazz on Wednesday, finishing with 10 boards.
While his role continues to shift, he gets enough boards to make this prop attainable in any situation. If he moves into the starting lineup after starting the second half on Friday, he’ll be an even better option across the board.
Bonus Parlay Pick: Cam Thomas under 5.5 Rebounds + Assists (-140)
Thomas got some attention for his negative reaction to the Nets’ win against the Bulls on Friday. He was not in the game and seemed more upset about his own playing time than he was happy about the outcome. Thomas is getting limited minutes on a regular basis, and as a result he’s come in under this prop line in six of his last eight games. He appears to be likely headed elsewhere at the trade deadline, and his role will stay relatively small in most situations. Even when he is involved, he tends to take a ton of shots instead of producing rebounds and assists.
If you’re looking to use these props to create a Same Game Parlay (SGP) or as part of an SGPx, adding in the under on Cam’s rebounds and assists takes the SGP to a solid +800, as you can see below.
