Bryan Armetta shares his three favorite player prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s six-game NBA slate.
Six games between 12 teams make up Friday’s NBA slate. That includes a clash between the red-hot Hawks and the title-contending Rockets. Elsewhere, the Raptors will hope to boost their playoff standing against Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets. Other top squads such as the Celtics, Knicks, Pistons and Timberwolves are all taking the court.
Who should you be backing ahead of tonight’s action? Here are my three favorite NBA prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s contests.
Top NBA prop bet picks
Gui Santos 14+ points (+100)
On an injury-plagued Warriors team, Gui Santos has been invaluable. The _-year pro has emerged as a main contributor in the second half, even earning a contract extension. In 14 games since the All-Star break, he’s accounted for 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists. During that time, Santos has also delivered 49/33/79 shooting splits. With Steph Curry still sidelined, there’s a major need for scoring in Golden State. That’s kept the forward’s floor for production relatively high.
Santos comes into Friday’s contest on a hot streak. The Brazilian has notched at least 14 points in seven of his last eight outings. Granted, that won’t be easy to replicate against a terrific Pistons defense. However, Detroit’s greatest strength is defending the interior. Santos, who takes 3.1 three-point attempts per game, could find success from long distance. Given the lack of internal competition, the 23-year-old is set up nicely for another stellar performance.
Baylor Scheierman 2+ three-pointers made (+102)
Jayson Tatum is back, bolstering an already dangerous Celtics squad. Boston maintained its status as a contender in his absence due to some enviable depth. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has plenty of options to choose from on any given night, especially on the wings. That includes Baylor Scheierman; the second-year pro has made a major impression as of late. Since the start of February, the Creighton alum has recorded 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
Those aren’t exceptional numbers, but it’s not nothing either. For someone who was primarily a G-Leaguer last season, it’s a major step up. During this recent two-month stretch, Scheierman is knocking down 1.7 of his 4.8 three-point attempts (36.0%). In addition, the guard has drained two or more treys in four of his last six contests. Friday’s opponents, the Grizzlies, are giving up the fifth-most three-pointers made per game this season (14.0). There’s also a good chance this one turns into a blowout. Should that occur, Scheierman could get even more playing time than usual.
Julius Randle 24+ points (-115)
Anthony Edwards (knee) is still out, which means Minnesota’s offense goes through Julius Randle. The three-time All-Star has been the perfect number two option behind Ant Man. However, he’s more than capable of putting a team on his back. This season, Randle is averaging 21.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game on 49/32/82 shooting splits. Looking over this current Timberwolves roster, there aren’t many other players capable of creating their own shot.
It’s not as if Randle is a stranger to serving as a go-to scorer. In 12 games played this season without Edwards, the veteran has posted 26.4 points on 54% shooting. During eight of those appearances, he’s tallied at least 24 points. Portland possesses impact defenders, including center Donovan Clingan. However, the Trail Blazers also operate at the NBA’s eighth-quickest pace on offense (100.9). As a result, they’ve allowed the ninth-most points per game (117.3) to opponents. Randle is in a good spot to reach this total on Friday.