Seven games between 14 teams make up Saturday’s NBA action. Among the must-watch matchups, an afternoon matinee between the Knicks and 76ers could shake up the Eastern Conference. Elsewhere, the shorthanded Warriors will hope to earn a road upset over the Timberwolves. Later, the Cavaliers battle the Magic in a clash between postseason contenders.
On such a jam-packed slate, which players should bettors trust? Here are my three favorite NBA prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Saturday’s contests.
Top NBA prop bet picks
Tyrese Maxey 4+ three-pointers made (+130)
In spite of injuries to almost all of their veteran players, the Sixers are very much alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The biggest catalyst behind Philadelphia’s success is Tyrese Maxey. Entering his sixth year in the pros, the guard is emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate. Through 41 games, he’s averaging 30.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists. In addition, he’s been dominant from beyond the arc. Maxey is connecting on 39% of his three-point attempts so far.
This afternoon, the 76ers have a pivotal matchup on tap against the Knicks. New York’s perimeter defense is lackluster, giving up the third-most three-pointers made per game (14.6). This is a spot that Maxey has already thrived in multiple times this season, as well. The 25-year-old made six treys in each of his two meetings with the ‘Bockers. In fact, he’s recorded four 3PM or more in 23 of his 41 appearances. Don’t be shocked if that trend continues on Saturday in Philly.
Brandin Podziemski 14+ points (-102)
It’s been a brutal week for the Warriors. Following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL tear, backup Jonathan Kuminga also suffered a knee injury. That leaves Golden State incredibly thin, especially on the wings. As a result, more minutes should be on tap for Brandin Podziemski going forward. The third-year pro is a bit of an enigma for the Dubs. Still, he’s shown flashes of greatness during his brief NBA career. This season, Podz is putting up 12.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Saturday’s date with the Timberwolves isn’t the easiest on paper. Regardless, there’s not enough internal competition to fade Podziemski. The guard started in each of Golden State’s previous two contests, the first time he’s done so since early December. He shot a lackluster eight-of-23 combined in those two games combined. Besides, it’s not as if this is an impossible environment to score in. Minnesota has allowed 124.3 points over its last three games, fifth-most in basketball during that time. That bodes well for Podziemski heading into this pivotal Western Conference showdown.
Kyle Filipowski 12+ points (-104)
Keeping with today’s theme, injuries have seriously hindered Utah’s roster. It’s not as if the Jazz were world-beaters at full strength. However, this roster looks absolutely barren at the moment. Leading scorer Lauri Markkanen (reconditioning) is questionable to play tonight. Fellow big man Kevin Love (knee) is out, while Jusuf Nurkic (illness) is doubtful. Even if Markkanen does suit up, there’s minutes to go around in the frontcourt. That means more playing time than normal should be the expectation for Kyle Filipowski.
The Duke alum, if nothing else, is a reliable presence off the bench for Utah. He’ll look to cash tonight in what should be an advantageous matchup. The Heat operate at the NBA’s quickest pace (104.1) on offense. Utah isn’t far behind, ranking third on that list (101.8). It doesn’t take a genius to see that this one could turn into a shootout. Filipowski has logged at least 24 minutes in 18 games this season; he’s tallied 12 points in ten of those appearances. The second-year pro has what it takes to reach this total yet again on Saturday.
