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NBA Christmas Day Player Props – Best Bets Across All 5 Games

Sam Cox

by Sam Cox in NBA Basketball

Updated Dec 25, 2021 · 8:01 AM PST

Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker share a laugh
Oct 20, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) and guard Devin Booker (1) against the Denver Nuggets at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
  • Five games are scheduled for Christmas Day, including the Suns vs Warriors
  • Covid has hit the Christmas slate hard, but several stars are still expected to be in action
  • Read below for the best player prop bets on December 25th

Christmas Day is one of the biggest occasions in the NBA calendar. The league’s elite and its biggest stars are on show with five games back-to-back, tipping off at 12pm ET.

The festive fun gets underway with a playoff rematch at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks, though Trae Young is currently in health and safety protocols, taking away some of the intrigue after Young’s postseason antics at MSG.

Boston and Milwaukee go head-to-head at Fiserv Forum, and the Bucks are favored by four even with Giannis Antetokounmpo in protocols. Golden State looks set to have Steph Curry and Draymond Green available, but they might be without Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins as they face the Suns for the third time this season.

LeBron James’ Lakers are scheduled to host the Brooklyn Nets, and the day’s action is wrapped up by the Mavericks against the Utah Jazz. Quin Snyder’s team are heavily favored in that one with the Mavs missing the majority of their rotation through injuries and protocols.

NBA Player Props – December 25th

ATL @ NYK Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
John Collins (ATL) 20.5 (O -106 | U -116) 9.5 (O +110 | U -134) 2.5 (O +120 | U -148) 1.5 (O -146 | U +114)
Cam Reddish (ATL) 19.5 (O -102 | U -118) 4.5 (O +118 | U -144) 2.5 (O +136 | U -168) 2.5 (O -122 | U +100)
Julius Randle (NYK) 17.5 (O -110 | U -110) 8.5 (O -132 | U +108) 5.5 (O -105 | U -115) 1.5 (O -158 | U +124)
Kemba Walker (NYK) 20.5 (O -104 | U -116) 3.5 (O -122 | U +100) 5.5 (O +122 | U -150) 3.5 (O +132 | U -170)
BOS @ MIL Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Jayson Tatum (BOS) 26.5 (O -106 | U -116) 8.5 (O -106 | U -114) 3.5 (O -110 | U -110) 2.5 (O -148 | U +116)
Jaylen Brown (BOS) 23.5 (O -102 | U -120) 5.5 (O -104 | U -118) 2.5 (O -152 | U +124) 2.5 (O -150 | U +118)
Khris Middleton (MIL) 19.5 (O -110 | U -110) 5.5 (O -106 | U -114) 4.5 (O -140 | U +114) 2.5 (O +122 | U -156)
Jrue Holiday (MIL) 18.5 (O -106 | U -116) 5.5 (O +116 | U -142) 6.5 (O -114 | U -106) 1.5 (O -136 | U +106)
GSW @ PHO Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Steph Curry (GSW) 30.5 (O -106 | U -116) 4.5 (O -105 | U -115) 5.5 (O +114 | U -144) 5.5 (O -138 | U +108)
Draymond Green (GSW) 9.5 (O -120 | U -102) 7.5 (O -108 | U -112) 7.5 (O +110 | U -134) OFF
Devin Booker (PHO) 23.5 (O -112 | U -108) 4.5 (O -115 | U -105) 4.5 (O -114 | U -106) 2.5 (O -122 | U -104)
Deandre Ayton (PHO) 16.5 (O +100 | U -122) 10.5 (O -132 | U +108) 1.5 (O -134 | U +110) OFF
LAL @ BKN Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
James Harden (BKN) 29.5 (O -112 | U -108) 8.5 (O -105 | U -115) 11.5 (O +102 | U -124) 3.5 (O +124 | U -158)
Patty Mills (BKN) 18.5 (O -104 | U -118) 2.5 (O -120 | U -102) 3.5 (O +120 | U -148) 4.5 (O +124 | U -160)
LeBron James (LAL) 29.5 (O -108 | U -112) 8.5 (O -102 | U -120) 6.5 (O +102 | U -124) 2.5 (O -104 | U -122)
Russell Westbrook (LAL) 21.5 (O +100 | U -122) 9.5 (O +110 | U -134) 6.5 (O -140 | U +114) 1.5 (O +196 | U -260)
DAL @ UTA Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Jalen Brunson (DAL) 20.5 (O -108 | U -112) 4.5 (O +124 | U -152) 6.5 (O +114 | U -140) 1.5 (O -122 | U +104)
Dorian Finney-Smith (DAL) 12.5 (O +100 | U -122) 4.5 (O -124 | U +102) 2.5 (O +132 | U -162) 2.5 (O +106 | U -136)
Donovan Mitchell (UTA) 25.5 (O -116 | U -106) 3.5 (O -128 | U +104) 5.5 (O -108 | U -112) 3.5 (O +120 | U -154)
Rudy Gobert (UTA) 16.5 (O -104 | U -118) 15.5 (O -132 | U +108) OFF OFF

Odds as of Dec 25th at FanDuel

Ayton Dominates Again

With two games in the books between Phoenix and Golden State, Deandre Ayton has scored 47 points. His 19 field goal attempts in the first game was the most he’s recorded this season, and only on two other occasions has he surpassed the 16 shots he took in the second game. They are his second and third-highest scoring games in 2021-22.

Those numbers were perhaps boosted by Devin Booker’s injury, but even if Ayton’s usage is slightly lower, he’s got a huge role to play in Phoenix’s offense. His size is a real matchup advantage for Monty Williams’ team.

Golden State’s roster is small. They started Otto Porter, Kevon Looney and Draymond Green against Memphis – which is bigger than most Steve Kerr units this season – but all three are towered over by Ayton. The former first overall pick dominated inside in the previous two games, scoring over the Warriors’ front court and demolishing mismatches.

Ayton hasn’t scored fewer than 15 since his two games off earlier this month. He’s gone over this line in three of those five games, and averages 18.8 points per game in December.

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Sure, Golden State has the best defense in the league, but size is their weak point. Ayton can dominate again. Take the over.

  • Pick: Deandre Ayton over 16.5 points (+100)

Utah Halts Brunson

Dallas is likely without four of its top six in minutes, and three of its top four scorers in Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. While there’s a chance Porzingis returns for the game in Utah, these Mavs are still massively weakened.

This leaves plenty of opportunity for the rest of the roster. Jalen Brunson will be running point, and he’s enjoying another strong regular season, scoring over 15 per game. While this might look like a game for Brunson to put up numbers, this is a mightily difficult matchup.

Brunson scores the majority of his points inside the arc – he takes just 3.3 three-point attempts per game, and averages under 34% on such shots. He thrives off getting to the rim or taking floaters. That’s not an ideal shot distribution against Rudy Gobert and this Utah defense. They are second in opponent shot quantity at the rim and eighth in opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area.

While he could potentially play big minutes, there’s also a good chance that Dallas gets blown out and Brunson doesn’t get much time to put up numbers. Utah is favored by 12.5 points and the Mavs have a 3-7 record in games that Doncic has missed. Utah has the best net rating in the league.

Of course, someone has to get shots up for Dallas, but with Porzingis possibly coming back, the under is the way to go with this points line. Even in the last six with Doncic out, Brunson has only scored 21+ twice.

  • Pick: Jalen Brunson under 20.5 points (-112)
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