With Christmas Day just around the corner, NBA fans are already looking forward to some enticing matchups after opening their gifts.
But smart fans – and savvy bettors – will not overlook games for Friday, December 22 as this weekend’s precursor also offers interesting storylines and player prop bets. Follow along as we reveal our top four NBA player prop bets for Friday, December 22.
Denver Nuggets C Nikola Jokic UNDER 49.5 Reb + Pts + Asts
Last season’s NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic has started off this season on his normal tear, scoring 26.5 points while grabbing 12.4 rebounds and dishing 9.3 assists this season. All three stats are in the top 11 in the NBA as the Joker is on pace to average a nearly triple-double during the season.
In his first game against the Nets, Jokic exceeded this prop bet as he notched 26 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists (50 combined reb + pts + asts). But bettors shouldn’t expect Jokic to repeat that performance Friday against the Nets to cover this player prop bet.
Houston Rockets G Fred VanVleet OVER 20.5 Points
Houston’s 13 wins this season are due in part to guard Fred VanVleet’s addition to the team. Last season, in comparison, the Rockets didn’t win their 13th game until February 1. VanVleet is leading Houston in assists (9.0 per game) and steals (1.1 per game).
But in his recent contests, VanVleet is showing off his scoring ability. Over the past three games, VanVleet is averaging 27 points per contest. While Dallas previously held the guard to just 10 points, expect the Rockets’ leader to find his path to scoring over 20 points Friday, December 22.
Atlanta Hawks G Trae Young OVER 3.5 Three-Point FGM
Atlanta Hawks PG Trae Young is averaging a double-double this season. His 28.2 points per game is eighth-best in the NBA thus far while his 11.1 assists ranks second this season and would be a career best if the season ended today.
Another area Young excels is his three-point shooting ability. Young is currently knocking down 38.7 percent of those shots, another career best. In his past five games, Young has knocked down 49% of his three-point shots, making at least four each night.
Expect Young to continue this torrid pace as the Hawks face the Miami Heat tonight. In their previous matchup this season, Young poured in 27 points but hit only 3-of-9 three-pointers. Possessing the hot hand for this matchup, Young will easily cover this player prop bet by hitting four (or more) three-point attempts Friday.
Washington Wizards SF Kyle Kuzma OVER 6.5 Rebounds
This season, Washington has relied on Kyle Kuzma after off-season trades sent Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis to other teams. The small forward has rewarded the team’s confidence in him by scoring a team-best 23.6 points and 6.1 rebounds, the second-best rebounder for the Wizards.
Against Golden State Friday, expect Kuzma to continue grabbing rebounds above his season average. In the past six games, Kuzma has grabbed 44 rebounds for an average of 7.3 rebounds each outing. Against the Warriors, Kuzma will easily cover this player prop bet against the smaller Golden State roster.
