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January 17th NBA Player Props – Best Bets for MLK Day Monday Games

Sam Cox

by Sam Cox in NBA Basketball

Updated Jan 17, 2022 · 5:45 AM PST

DeMar DeRozan driving
Jan 15, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) controls the ball while Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) defends during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
  • MLK Day brings us a packed NBA schedule with games starting before 1pm ET
  • The Lakers hosting the Jazz and Chicago taking on Memphis are the two standout matchups
  • Read below for Monday’s NBA player props and best bets

MLK Day is one of the best days in the NBA regular season. Games get underway around lunchtime on the east coast, and run through the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Amid a busy schedule, the Bulls taking on the Grizzlies is one of the standout matchups, although Chicago is without Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and Zach LaVine. The Grizz are favored by six despite seeing their winning streak come to an end last time out.

There’s a Conference Finals rematch between Atlanta and Milwaukee, and the surging Raptors take on the Miami Heat in Florida. The night’s action is wrapped up as the Utah Jazz head to southern California to face the Los Angeles Lakers, who are riding a three-game losing streak.

NBA Player Props – MLK Day (Jan. 17th)

NOP @ BOS Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Brandon Ingram (NOP) 22.5 (O -104 | U -118) 5.5 (O -105 | U -115) 4.5 (O -132 | U +108) 1.5 (O -108 | U -118)
Jonas Valanciunas (NOP) 16.5 (O -118 | U -104) 11.5 (O +106 | U -130) 2.5 (O +120 | U -148) 0.5 (O -172 | U +134)
Jayson Tatum (BOS) 25.5 (O -106 | U -116) 7.5 (O +114 | U -140) 3.5 (O -144 | U +118) 2.5 (O -118 | U -104)
Jaylen Brown (BOS) 24.5 (O -104 | U -118) 5.5 (O -105 | U -115) 3.5 (O +118 | U -144) 2.5 (O -118 | U -150)
CHA @ NYK Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
LaMelo Ball (CHA) 19.5 (O -116 | U -106) 6.5 (O +104 | U -128) 7.5 (O +112 | U -140) 3.5 (O +142 | U -184)
Miles Bridges (CHA) 19.5 (O -106 | U -116) 6.5 (O -110 | U -110) 3.5 (O +112 | U -140) 2.5 (O +140 | U -180)
PHI @ WAS Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Joel Embiid (PHI) 29.5 (O -108 | U -114) 10.5 (O -110 | U -110) 4.5 (O +124 | U -152) 1.5 (O +200 | U -265)
Tyrese Maxey (PHI) 15.5 (O -116 | U -106) 3.5 (O +102 | U -124) 3.5 (O +108 | U -132) 1.5 (O +122 | U -156)
BKN @ CLE Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
James Harden (BKN) 26.5 (O -106 | U -116) 8.5 (O +110 | U -134) 11.5 (O +104 | U -128) 2.5 (O +104 | U -132)
Kyrie Irving (BKN) 23.5 (O -106 | U -116) 4.5 (O -104 | U -118) 4.5 (O +118 | U -144) 2.5 (O +136 | U -174)
Darius Garland (CLE) 21.5 (O -110 | U -110) 3.5 (O +100 | U -122) 9.5 (O +104 | U -128) 2.5 (O -130 | U +102)
Jarrett Allen (CLE) 15.5 (O -114 | U -108) 10.5 (O -114 | U -106) 2.5 (O +148 | U -184) OFF
CHI @ MEM Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
DeMar DeRozan (CHI) 27.5 (O -118 | U -104) 5.5 (O +102 | U -124) 6.5 (O +114 | U -140) 0.5 (O +106 | U -136)
Nikola Vucevic (CHI) 19.5 (O -104 | U -118) 10.5 (O +100 | U -122) 4.5 (O +106 | U -130) 2.5 (O +122 | U -156)
Ja Morant (MEM) 25.5 (O -106 | U -116) 5.5 (O -104 | U -118) 7.5 (O +110 | U -134) 1.5 (O +154 | U -200)
Desmond Bane (MEM) 18.5 (O -104 | U -118) 4.5 (O +116 | U -142) 2.5 (O -106 | U -114) 2.5 (O -128 | U +100)
MIL @ ATL Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) 30.5 (O -122 | U +100) 11.5 (O -138 | U +112) 6.5 (O -115 | U -105) 1.5 (O +164 | U -215)
Khris Middleton (MIL) 21.5 (O -112 | U -108) 5.5 (O -138 | U +112) 6.5 (O +118 | U -144) 2.5 (O -108 | U -118)
Trae Young (ATL) 27.5 (O -110 | U -110) 3.5 (O -105 | U -115) 8.5 (O +110 | U -134) 2.5 (O -111 | U -115)
John Collins (ATL) 16.5 (O -122 | U +100) 8.5 (O +100 | U -122) OFF 1.5 (O +112 | U -142)
TOR @ MIA Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Fred VanVleet (TOR) 22.5 (O -104 | U -118) 4.5 (O +118 | U -144) 7.5 (O +108 | U -132) 4.5 (O +104 | U -132)
Pascal Siakam (TOR) 21.5 (O -106 | U -116) 7.5 (O -115 | U -105) 4.5 (O -140 | U +114) 1.5 (O +128 | U -164)
PHO @ SAS Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Dejounte Murray (SAS) 19.5 (O -116 | U -106) 9.5 (O +104 | U -128) 8.5 (O +106 | U -130) 1.5 (O +168 | U -220)
OKC @ DAL Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) 22.5 (O -120 | U -102) 4.5 (O -120 | U -102) 5.5 (O +100 | U -122) 1.5 (O +108 | U -138)
Josh Giddey (OKC) 12.5 (O -126 | U +104) 7.5 (O +114 | U -140) 6.5 (O +110 | U -134) 1.5 (O +130 | U -166)
Luka Doncic (DAL) 24.5 (O -110 | U -110) 8.5 (O -110 | U -110) 8.5 (O -122 | U +100) 2.5 (O +120 | U -154)
Jalen Brunson (DAL) 15.5 (O -106 | U -116) 3.5 (O -112 | U -108) 5.5 (O -104 | U -118) 1.5 (O +200 | U -265)
UTA @ LAL Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
LeBron James (LAL) 31.5 (O -106 | U -116) 8.5 (O -108 | U -112) 6.5 (O -144 | U +118) 2.5 (O -186 | U +144)
Malik Monk (LAL) 17.5 (O -116 | U -106) 3.5 (O -128 | U +104) 3.5 (O +132 | U -162) 2.5 (O -154 | U +120)
Russell Westbrook (LAL) 17.5 (O -102 | U -120) 7.5 (O -128 | U +104) 7.5 (O -120 | U -102) 0.5 (O -120 | U -108)

Odds as of Jan 17 at FanDuel

DeRozan Takes on Playmaking

DeMar DeRozan is putting up an All-NBA season. He’s been devastating in the clutch, and continues to be lethal from mid-range. Perhaps most impressive, though, is how DeRozan has shared the workload with his teammates. There has been sacrifice from the Bulls’ stars, but DeRozan has still exhibited his craft as a playmaker.

MLK Day is an opportunity for DeRozan to really run the show. Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso are all out. In 150 minutes on the court without any of those three, DeRozan has an assist rate of 26.1%, almost 4% above his season mark.

Usually blessed with an abundance of ball handlers, Chicago will lean more heavily on DeRozan on Monday. He might average just 4.8 dimes this season, but he dropped seven without Caruso, Ball or LaVine last time out. He’s gone over this number in five of his last six.

Memphis ranks in the bottom 10 in assists given up per game this season. With DeRozan, Coby White and Nikola Vucevic, Chicago still has the personnel to put in a big offensive performance. The absentees point towards a big night for the former Raptor – take the assists over.

  • Pick: DeMar DeRozan over 6.5 assists (+114)

Dallas’ Stellar Defense Halts Giddey

The Dallas Mavericks have a defensive rating of 98.3 over the last 10 games. The second-lowest defensive rating over that span is 104.5.

Sure, the Mavs are riding some poor shooting from their opponents, but there’s no doubt Jason Kidd has them playing great defense this season. They don’t give up many threes and rank in the top half of the league in shots given up at the rim.

That shot distribution appears to work in Josh Giddey’s favor. He takes a high percentage of his shots from short mid-range. Ultimately, though, Giddey is a poor scorer at the moment, ranking in just the 12th percentile in effective field goal percentage for his position. He averages just 11.5 points per game on the season, and has scored under 12.5 in three of his last five games.

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Dallas is second in net rating over the last 10. The Thunder have gone 2-8 over that period. This could well be a blowout in favor of Luka Doncic and co, limiting Giddey’s minutes further.

Even at shorter odds, the under is a good bet here. At plus odds, it’s great value given Dallas’ defense and Giddey’s offensive limitations.

  • Pick: Josh Giddey under 12.5 points (+104)
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