We have a packed slate for Thursday night in the NBA with a ton of highly contested games. Coming off the Bucks' victory in the NBA Cup, we should have some teams starting to lock in on the season and making a push for playoff position.
Today we’ll break down my four favorite prop bets for Thursday night. Check them out below!
Live player props data coming soon for Lauri Markkanen.
F Lauri Markkanen (UTA) Over 24.5 Points + Rebounds
It has been a rough season so far for the Jazz. They are currently 5-20 and don’t have much going for them. Markkanen has been the team's leading scorer so far this season averaging 18.6 and 6.2 rebounds.
His averages sit just below that line of 25 we are looking for, but we have seen Markkanen cover this line a good number of times this season. The team has struggled, but Markkanen has been the focal point of their offense.
Also, the Pistons feature a fairly small line-up with no 7-foot players. Markkanen will have a size advantage, standing at 7-foot himself. He is a versatile big man who has an opportunity to help his team to a win against a guard-heavy Pistons team.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Stephen Curry | Over 26.5 Points | |
| Stephen Curry | Under 27.5 Points | |
G Steph Curry (GSW) Over 23.5 Points
It has been a rough month for the Warriors, losing 4 of their 5 games in December. While the team hasn’t done necessarily well, Steph Curry seems to still be capable of dropping 20+ on a nightly basis.
He is currently averaging 24.4 in December and 23 on the season. Even at 36 years old he is still the heartbeat of this rebuilding Warriors team. Steph and the Warriors will be taking on a Memphis team that is currently in 2nd place in the West.
The Grizzlies have been good, but mostly due to their offense. They score 122 points/game while allowing 113 points/game, the 5th most in the West. Expect Steph to stay hot in this big matchup for the Warriors who are desperate for a win.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Jrue Holiday | Over 15.5 Points/Assists | |
| Jrue Holiday | Under 16.5 Points/Assists | |
G Jrue Holiday (BOS) Over 15.5 Points + Assists
Holiday is known more for his defensive prowess than his scoring abilities, but we have seen him average 12 points and 4 assists so far this season. However, in three of his four games so far in December, he has surpassed our 16.5 number.
So far in December Holiday is averaging 14.4 and 4.2 assists, including 2 games where he went off for 20+ points. The returning NBA Champion Celtics are once again looking like a powerhouse and sit just one game behind the Cavaliers.
The Bulls are currently in the middle of the pack, as usual, and certainly have a tough time handling this red-hot Celtics team. Look for the Celtics offense to get going against this Bulls team that allows 118.9 points/game.
Live player props data coming soon for Karl-Anthony Towns.
F Karl Anthony-Towns (NYK) OVER 23.5 Points
It is a revenge game for KAT as he takes on his former team the Minnesota Timberwolves. KAT has seemingly caught his stride with this Knicks team and has so far averaged 24.8 points/game this season.
KAT spent his first 9 seasons in Minnesota before being sent to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. KAT has surpassed 23.5 points twice so far this month and seeing that this game has some personal pride attached to it, I expect the Knicks to let him play.
This game should certainly be a fun one as KAT leads the Knicks to Minnesota to take on Anthony Edwards and the T-Wolves.
