12 games of NBA action will take place on tonight’s slate.
Four games will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET, headlined by the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. A half-hour later, the Orlando Magic will play the Toronto Raptors in another Eastern Conference clash. Four more games will start at 8:00 p.m. ET, with the Golden State Warriors facing off against the Minnesota Timberwolves as the most notable matchup. Closing out the late slate in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs will face off against the Utah Jazz at 9:00 p.m. ET before the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Dallas Mavericks a half-hour later. Finally, the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers will square off for the second time this season, with a 10:30 p.m. ET tip-off between the crosstown rivals.
There are plenty of ways to get involved on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are my top three player prop bets for Wednesday’s slate.
Best NBA Prop Bets Today
Tyrese Maxey Over 24.5 Points (-116)
There was plenty of conversation surrounding who would headline the offensive attack for this new-look Philadelphia 76ers team coming into the season. But it has become clear that Tyrese Maxey remains the focal point, leading the team in minutes and attempting 15 more shots than any other member of the roster through the first four games. He has led the Sixers in field-goal attempts in all four matchups so far this year.
Maxey is averaging 28.8 points per game, while adding 4.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He has posted scoring totals of 28, 32, 26, and 29 through the opening four games, and has attempted 19 or more field goals in each. The All-NBA guard will lead the charge against the Pacers tonight, and expect both sides to put up points at a high rate. Indiana and Philadelphia both rank in the top eight in the league in pace. Each Eastern Conference opponent creates their most effective offense by leaking out on the fast break, and this will be a priority in the matchup tonight.
Philadelphia is expected to have its full starting lineup with none of Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, or V.J. Edgecombe being listed on the injury report. You cannot throw multiple bodies at each of these star offensive weapons, and Maxey’s off-ball movement is especially vital in helping to create open looks for the star guard. Especially with this expected to be a fast-paced matchup, count on Maxey leading the scoring charge once again and for him to record over 24.5 points for the fifth straight game to start the year.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4+ Made Three-Pointers (+147)
The Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks will face off tonight, with Miami off to a disastrous 0-4 start to the season. The Heat have looked disconnected on both ends of the floor. Miami ranks 24th in points allowed, 21st in defensive rating, 27th in opponent three-point percentage, and last in opponent three-point attempts allowed. There are issues with the offensive approach, as well, but the lack of defensive impact creates a clear path for several key Hawks players to play significant roles on Wednesday.
Expect Nickeil Alexander-Walker to headline this, and especially capitalize on the vulnerable three-point defense that Miami possesses. Alexander-Walker had a breakout season last season, posting career-best averages of 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds, all while earning the NBA’s Most Improved Award in the process. The 28-year-old is off to a strong start to this season, posting averages of 18.8 points per game while shooting 44.6% from the field and 38.2% from beyond the three-point arc.
NAW shot 39.9% from beyond the three-point arc last season on 8.1 perimeter shots per game. Alexander-Walker is attempting 8.5 perimeter shots per game to start this season, and has connected on four or more three-pointers in two of the four games. He has launched at least seven long-range shots in all four games and as many as 12 in a single matchup. Expect a similar amount of volume against a vulnerable Miami team.
Jared McCain Over 3.5 Made Three-Pointers (+126)
It has been an ugly start to the season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, with injuries already casting a massive shadow over their championship hopes. Jalen Williams suffered a fractured left fibula and dislocated his left ankle earlier this week and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future. Cason Wallace will join him on the sidelines as he recovers from the torn labrum he suffered in his left shoulder. In addition, Chet Holmgren is dealing with a right knee injury, while Alex Caruso has an ankle sprain. Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber will also remain sidelined, and Ajay Mitchell is questionable tonight with an ankle sprain of his own.
Someone has to put the ball in the basket for the Thunder, and expect Jared McCain to willingly step into that role. Oklahoma City acquired the former Duke product last year, and he has already shown flashes of taking his game to new heights in his second season with the organization. Across his 30 games with the franchise last season, McCain averaged 10.4 points per game and shot 39.1% from beyond the three-point arc on 4.6 attempts. Through the opening four games of this season, the 22-year-old is averaging 11.3 points per game and shooting 47.8% from three on 5.8 attempts per game. He went 6-for-8 from deep in the season opener and has made at least four three-pointers in two of his four games, including a 4-for-7 performance in his most recent outing.
The Thunder will face off with the Mavericks tonight, who have done an average job defending the three-point line this season. Dallas ranks 14th in opponent three-point attempts allowed and 15th in opponent three-point percentage. McCain does an excellent job moving off-ball to create shot opportunities for himself and play off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the lead playmaker. The Thunder are in need of more scoring options to step up, and McCain has never shied away from these opportunities.
