With the NCAA men’s basketball action taking center stage this weekend, the NBA schedule is significantly pared down from a normal Friday as only six contests are slated for tonight. Despite a reduced offering, fans have multiple enticing games to choose from for their viewing pleasure.
Three of the six games will have NBA playoff implications for both teams, giving bettors reason to believe players from these teams have something to play for beyond bragging rights. Which games and players should be on bettors’ radar this evening? We’ll cover our four best NBA player prop bets for Friday, March 15.
Charlotte Hornets’ Brandon Miller OVER 19.5 Points
Despite a rough season to date, the Charlotte Hornets (17-49) have won two of their past three games. Much of that has come with the quick maturation of rookie forward Brandon Miller, the No. 2 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft. To date, Miller is averaging 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
The Hornets’ opponent – the Phoenix Suns (38-28) – sit a half-game behind Sacramento for the sixth spot in the Western Conference. In their first matchup, Miller notched 20 points in a 133-119 loss. Expect Miller to at least meet that mark again in Friday’s contest to secure bettors a win in this player prop bet.
Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George OVER 3.5 3-Pt Field Goals
A battle for the Western Conference's fourth seed – and the opening round playoff home court advantage – occurs tonight when the Los Angeles Clippers (42-23) take on the New Orleans Pelicans (39-26) tonight in the Smoothie King Center.
Los Angeles should expect Paul George to have a better-than-average showing tonight. George is actually a better shooter away from Los Angeles. Through 31 games, George is hitting 41.4% of his three-point shots in road contests while making 3.5 three-point field goals per outing. Bet with confidence George will exceed the 3.5 3-point field goal mark Friday night.
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama OVER 36.5 Pts + Rebs + Ast
Despite being eliminated from the playoffs; the San Antonio Spurs (14-52) are a team to watch for the remainder of the season. Most of that falls on the 7’4” shoulders of Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft. Through 59 games, Wemby is averaging 20.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.4 blocks per game.
Tonight, San Antonio faces the Denver Nuggets (46-20), who are tied atop the Western Conference with Oklahoma City. In their only other matchup, Wembanyama notched 22 points, 11 rebounds and two assists. Expect the Spurs’ star to improve those figures Friday night and easily eclipse this player combo prop bet.
Atlanta Hawks’ Clint Capela OVER 11.5 Rebounds
Two teams needing wins to make the NBA playoffs face off tonight as the Atlanta Hawks (29-36) travel west to play the Utah Jazz (28-37). Atlanta is currently the final team in the playoff slots in the Eastern Conference while Utah needs help to reach the same level in the Western Conference.
In these two teams’ first matchup, Hawks center Clint Capela nearly finished with a double-double with nine points and 13 rebounds. In this matchup, Capela should again finish above that rebound total to give bettors an easy player prop bet win Friday night.
