Nine games of NBA action will be taking place across the Monday night slate.
The action opens with a doubleheader as the Minnesota Timberwolves face the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards take on the Charlotte Hornets, with both games starting at 7:00 p.m. ET. A pair of games will tip off at both 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. ET before transitioning to the late slate. The final two games will feature Western Conference matchups, with the Memphis Grizzlies facing the Utah Jazz at 9:00 p.m. ET before the Golden State Warriors take on the Denver Nuggets to close out the night.
There are plenty of ways to get involved on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are my top three player prop bets for Monday’s slate.
Best NBA Prop Bets Today:
Davion Mitchell Over 7.5 Assists (+111)
It has been a nightmare start to the season for the Miami Heat, who have slipped to 0-3 and looked increasingly concerning in the process. There are some clear growing pains with the new-look Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo duo, with spacing seemingly difficult to come by in the offensive attack. Miami will attempt to pick up its first win and get on the right track against the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
One bright spot to start the year has been Davion Mitchell. The defensive-minded guard is responsible for setting the table for this Heat offense and has pulled his weight through the opening three games. Mitchell is averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 assists, recording assist totals of 11, five and 10 through the first three games. He has cleared the 7.5-assist prop line in two of those three contests, with the lone game in which he fell short coming against a Pistons defense that finished last season ranked third in opponent points allowed and second in defensive rating. Detroit looks on a path to a similar level of output this year, and don’t expect the Mavericks to put up this level of resistance tonight.
Mitchell has played at least 33 minutes in all three games, and the Heat roster is lacking in overall playmaking options beyond him. He is recording 14.3 potential assists per game and has gained clear trust from head coach Erik Spoelstra. Miami is feeling the pressure of its poor start, and Mitchell will be expected to get the two star forwards involved by creating easy scoring opportunities. There has been an impressive leap in production to start the season for the Heat guard, and expect this to continue against the Mavericks tonight, with the 7.5 assist bar being too low.
Jalen Johnson Over 16.5 Assists & Rebounds (-106)
Jalen Johnson emerged as the clear face of the Atlanta Hawks franchise last season as the Trae Young era came to a close, and he has picked up right where he left off. After averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists across last season, Johnson is contributing 21.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists through his first three games this year. The Duke product has finished with 20, 15 and 25 combined assists and rebounds across those opening three matchups.
Atlanta will turn its attention to the Houston Rockets tonight, who are off to a strong start themselves. This is the second consecutive matchup between these two teams, with Johnson finishing with 26 points, 16 assists and nine rebounds in their previous meeting. Houston has built an identity around multiple high-level athletes who compete defensively and rebound at a high rate. Atlanta has established a similar foundation, with Johnson spearheading that effort. The early metrics have not fully backed up the defensive identity the Rockets are looking to establish, despite their 3-0 start. They enter the matchup ranked 17th in defensive rating, 18th in rebounds per game and 20th in opponent field-goal percentage.
The Hawks are not shy about keeping the ball in Johnson’s hands, and he has shown that he is capable of elevating his teammates around him. Houston also ranks 20th in opponent three-point attempts allowed, and Atlanta has capable perimeter shooters that Johnson can target in drive-and-kick situations. The 24-year-old finished with 25 combined assists and rebounds in Saturday’s matchup between these two teams, and the 16.5 combined assists-and-rebounds line feels far too low based on the level of opportunity he should see in this matchup.
Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 Points (-116)
Closing down tonight’s NBA slate, the Denver Nuggets will face off with the Golden State Warriors. Both of these former Western Conference powerhouses have taken a step back from the height of their powers and are hoping the championship window remains open this season. Nikola Jokic continues to headline the production for Denver, but he has struggled a bit to start this year. While the three-time MVP is still posting averages of 24.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists, he has shot just 40.5% from the floor and 23.5% from beyond the three-point arc in his first two games.
This is a great matchup for the Nuggets star to improve his efficiency and get back on track as a scorer. The Golden State Warriors are limited on the interior, with Draymond Green continuing to play the bulk of the center minutes. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has also contributed to the frontcourt rotation, while Al Horford and Charles Bassey provide more traditional center options. Golden State’s approach has required it to lean on a more versatile, small-ball lineup at a high rate.
Expect Jokic to be eager to call his own number and attack in the paint at a high rate in this favorable matchup tonight. He is coming off a 35-point outing against the Pelicans in his previous game and averaged 27.7 points per game last season. With few clear answers for his combination of size and skill, Jokic has an opportunity to benefit from positive shooting regression. Green is not the defender he once was, and Golden State has limited options capable of consistently matching Jokic’s size. This 26.5-point scoring prop line is far too low, and the +143 odds of the Nuggets star scoring 30+ points on DraftKings Sportsbook also catches my eye.
