Zach Thompson details his 3PM prop bets for Sunday, including bets for Bennedict Mathurin, Coby White, Trey Murphy III, and Jrue Holiday.
On Friday night, the NBA has nine games on the scoreboard as NBA Cup group play continues. With star players getting a few more minutes and an increased focus on point differential for tiebreakers, these games tend to be high-scoring overall. One fun way to attack a high-scoring slate is to pinpoint some players poised to produce wins in their 3-point prop bets. My top three-point prop bets for Friday include plays for Bennedict Mathurin, Coby White, Trey Murphy III, and Jrue Holiday.
None of the 18 teams in action are playing for the second day in a row, since these are NBA Cup matchups, but the Bulls, Mavs, Nuggets, Pelicans and Wizards will be back in action on Saturday. Normally, I try to target lower three-point prop totals so they can hit quickly, either early or late, without needing much build-up. I also usually play these props in a round robin style so that even if they don’t all hit, they still carry solid returns.
Breaking down the numbers and matchups, here is why I like these four three-point props on Friday night.
Top 3-point prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Bennedict Mathurin over 1.5 3PM (-151)
Mathurin has made multiple 3-pointers in all four of his games this year for the Pacers, and he has the second-highest usage on the team. I included this prop in my top player props from that specific game, and I’m running it back again in my top 3-point player prop bets as well.
He is averaging six 3-point attempts per game and has made 2.5 per game, never being held under this prop line. When you add in that the Cavs have been a great matchup for opposing wings so far this season and Mathurin’s constant green light, this quickly becomes a very strong play at these odds, even though they’re a little shorter than the ones I like to target. Don’t worry, we’ve got longer shots ahead.
Coby White over 2.5 3PM (-127)
The Bulls are at home against the Hornets after winning back-to-back games to finish their road trip in Denver and Portland. White returned for the team on the trip, making his season debut on Sunday against the Jazz. In that contest, he went 5-for-14 from the field and 3-for-8 from long range in 30 minutes in that game. On Wednesday, he went 9-for-17 from the field and 5-for-9 on 3-point attempts.
He averaged 4.0 3PM in those two games and has stepped right back into a productive and very involved role for the Bulls, even while coming off the bench. White is questionable for the matchup since he will likely only play one of the two games on the team’s back-to-back, but if he plays, he should have no problem connecting on at least three threes as he continues to ramp up into a bigger role for the Bulls. If he is ruled out, Matas Buzelis would be a solid pivot of over 1.5 at 3PM since he’d get more work if White rests.
Trey Murphy III over 2.5 3PM (-142)
Murphy has helped carry the scoring load for the Pelicans over the last few weeks, and the team will look to snap a seven-game losing streak on Friday when they take on the also-struggling Mavericks. With Zion Williamson back in their most recent game, they played the Nuggets tough, but still lost, 125-118. In that game, Murphy had 23 points and made five 3-pointers. He has at least three three-pointers in four of his last five games, and he continues to get more looks with Jordan Poole (quad) still out.
Murphy is averaging 3.0 3-pointers per contest on the season, although he only made a single 3-pointer in his first meeting this year with the Mavs. That game was on the second night of a back-to-back, though, and he has delivered at least three threes in five of his seven games since then.
Jrue Holiday over 2.5 3PM (+145)
Holiday and the Blazers are set to visit the Warriors in the final game of the night, and Holiday is questionable with a calf injury after missing the team’s last three games. There’s a lot of variability in the Blazers’ rotation and usage for this matchup since Shaedon Sharpe (calf) is also questionable.
The veteran was off to a strong start for the Blazers before his injury, averaging 16.7 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. He made an average of 2.6 3-pointers in his 12 games, including at least three 3-pointers in four of his last six contests before going on the shelf.
He hit two 3-pointers and finished with 12 points and 11 assists in the first meeting this season between these teams, which the Blazers won by 20 points.
If he’s back in the lineup on Friday, I think he has a good chance to hit at least three threes, and I think this prop brings lots of value as a plus-money option in the late-night hammer for my 3-point prop bets on Friday.