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MLK Day NBA Props – Best Player Prop Bets for All 9 Games

Sam Cox

by Sam Cox in NBA Basketball

Updated Jan 18, 2021 · 5:51 AM PST

Giannis
Giannis and the Bucks headline the MLK Day NBA slate (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)
  • There’s a feast of NBA action on MLK Day, featuring some of the league’s premier stars
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks matchup with the Brooklyn Nets
  • Which player props represent the best value on Monday?

There’s a packed slate of NBA games on MLK Day. James Harden and Kevin Durant’s second game together on the Nets is the obvious headliner as they take on one of their main rivals for Eastern Conference supremacy in the Milwaukee Bucks. The final game of the night sees LeBron James and Steph Curry go head-to-head once again.

Elsewhere, Luka Doncic takes on the Toronto Raptors after a monster triple-double in a Sunday night loss. The new-look Rockets face a Bulls team which is playing much better than their record suggests, too.

MLK Day January 18th NBA Player Props and Odds

Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Nikola Vucevic (ORL) 22.5 (O -118 | U -104) 10.5 (O +108 | U -132) 3.5 (O +104 | U -128) 2.5 (O -104 | U -122)
Aaron Gordon (ORL) 16.5 (O -106 | U -116) 7.5 (O +110 | U -134) 3.5 (O -158 | U +128) 1.5 (O -104 | U -122)
Julius Randle (NYK) 22.5 (O -104 | U -118) 10.5 (O -115 | U -105) 5.5 (O -110 | U -110) 1.5 (O +144 | U -186)
RJ Barrett (NYK) 17.5 (O -102 | U -120) 6.5 (O -112 | U -108) 3.5 (O +134 | U -164) 1.5 (O +154 | U -200)
Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
D’Angelo Russell (MIN) 23.5 (O -114 | U -108) 4.5 (O +122 | U -150) 7.5 (O +118 | U -144) 3.5 (O +104 | U -132)
Malik Beasley (MIN) 20.5 (O -110 | U -110) 5.5 (O +114 | U -140) 2.5 (O +124 | U -152) 3.5 (O +138 | U -178)
Trae Young (ATL) 28.5 (O -110 | U -110) 3.5 (O -154 | U +126) 9.5 (O +100 | U -152) 2.5 (O -162 | U +126)
John Collins (ATL) 18.5 (O -104 | U -118) 8.5 (O -104 | U -118) N/A 1.5 (O +150 | U -194)
Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Jerami Grant (DET) 22.5 (O -112 | U -108) 5.5 (O +104 | U -128) N/A 2.5 (O +126 | U -162)
Derrick Rose (DET) 14.5 (O -122 | U +100) 2.5 (O +140 | U -172) 5.5 (O +126 | U -152) N/A
Blake Griffin (DET) 14.5 (O -104 | U -118) 5.5 (O -142 | U +116) 4.5 (O +114 | U -140) 2.5 (O +130 | U -170)
Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
DeMar DeRozan (SAS) 20.5 (O -118 | U -104) 6.5 (O -102 | U -120) 6.5 (O +122 | U -150) N/A
Dejounte Murray (SAS) 16.5 (O -106 | U -114) 6.5 (O -138 | U -112) 4.5 (O -142 | U +116) 1.5 (O +152 | U -196)
Damian Lillard (POR) 33.5 (O -110 | U -110) 5.5 (O -105 | U -115) 8.5 (O -130 | U +106) 4.5 (O -132 | U +104)
Carmelo Anthony (POR) 15.5 (O -110 | U -110) 4.5 (O -122 | U +100) N/A 1.5 (O -136 | U +106)
Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Luka Doncic (DAL) 30.5 (O -110 | U -110) 9.5 (O +108 | U -132) 9.5 (O -108 | U -112) 3.5 (O +128 | U -164)
Pascal Siakam (TOR) 19.5 (O -118 | U -102) 7.5 (O -140 | U +114) 4.5 (O +108 | U -132) 1.5 (O -158 | U +124)
Fred VanVleet (TOR) 19.5 (O -110 | U -110) 3.5 (O -134 | U +110) 6.5 (O -110 | U -110) 3.5 (O -108 | U -118)
Kyle Lowry (TOR) 17.5 (O -120 | U -102) 5.5 (O +112 | U -140) 6.5 (O -144 | U +118) 2.5 (O -130| U -102)
Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) 30.5 (O +100 | U -122) 10.5 (O -128 | U +104) 4.5 (O -152 | U +124) 1.5 (O -125 | U -102)
Khris Middleton (MIL) 22.5 (O -106 | U -116) 6.5 (O -108 | U -112) 4.5 (O -142 | U +116) 2.5 (O -115 | U -111)
Kevin Durant (BKN) 27.5 (O -104 | U -116) 6.5 (O -110 | U -110) 4.5 (O -110 | U -110) 2.5 (O +108 | U -138)
James Harden (BKN) 26.5 (O -118 | U -104) 6.5 (O -108| U -112) 8.5 (O +114 | U -140) 3.5 (O +124 | U -160)
Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Zach LaVine (CHI) 26.5 (O -108 | U -112) 5.5 (O +116 | U -142) 5.5 (O +102 | U -124) 3.5 (O +124 | U -160)
Coby White (CHI) 17.5 (O -110 | U -110) 4.5 (O -105 | U -115) 5.5 (O +114 | U -140) 2.5 (O +108 | U -138)
Christian Wood (HOU) 23.5 (O -102 | U -118) 11.5 (O +102 | U -124) N/A 1.5 (O -136 | U +106)
Victor Oladipo (HOU) 21.5 (O -106 | U -116) 5.5 (O +110 | U -134) 5.5 (O -115 | U -105) 2.5 (O -130| U +102)
Player Points Rebounds Assists Three Pointers Made
Steph Curry (GS) 28.5 (O -110 | U -110) 5.5 (O -140 | U +114) 5.5 (O -114 | U -106) 4.5 (O -102 | U -125)
Andrew Wiggins (GS) 18.5 (O -110 | U -110) 4.5 (O -114 | U -106) 2.5 (O -120 | U -102) 1.5 (O -158 | U +124)
Anthony Davis (LAL) 24.5 (O -108 | U -114) 9.5 (O -142 | U +116) 3.5 (O +112 | U -138) 1.5 (O +152 | U -196)
LeBron James (LAL) 25.5 (O -110 | U -110) 8.5 (O -105 | U -115) 8.5 (O -120 | U -102) 2.5 (O -118 | U -108)

Odds taken on Jan 18th from FanDuel

Middleton Gets His

It has become cliche to call Khris Middleton underrated. He’s one of the best offensive wings in the NBA. Middleton is averaging almost 22 per contest on over 45% from three, 53% from the field and nearly 95% from the line. He hit several huge shots in the fourth quarter of Milwaukee’s win over the Dallas Mavericks last time out on his way to 25 – that was the sixth time this season that Middleton scored 25 or more in a game.

The 22.5 line is an interesting one. Middleton has had some poor nights. In six of Milwaukee’s 13 games he’s gone under 22.5. A high-scoring game with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday is seemingly inevitable, however, given the Nets’ lack of defensive acumen and the pace at which both teams play (Brooklyn is fifth in pace, Milwaukee is sixth).

Kevin Durant will likely spend a lot of time on Giannis Antetokounmpo, leaving Middleton chance to attack one of Brooklyn’s weaker defensive players.

YouTube video

Middleton is efficient from all over the floor. He’s going to get plenty of shots. The offense could be funnelled through him more than usual if they struggle to stop the Nets’ offensive firepower – Middleton is often Milwaukee’s go-to scorer in the halfcourt.

If he takes 15 or more shots, as he has in the majority of games this season, Middleton should easily score 23+.

  • Pick: Khris Middleton over 22.5 points (-106)

Lillard Goes Supernova

A line of 33.5 is incredibly high even for Damian Lillard. Lillard is averaging 27 per game and has gone over 33.5 in just four of the Blazers’ first 13 games. The five-time All-Star has played second fiddle to CJ McCollum at times this season, and that’s where the justification for this line is.

McCollum is out of Monday’s game. He has been taking 20 shots per game (marginally more than Lillard). Jusuf Nurkic is sidelined, too. All of Portland’s offense will run through Lillard – he could take 30+ shots against a Spurs team which is allowing opponents to shoot almost 40% from three.

Portland is desperately short on playmaking in the absence of Nurkic and McCollum. After Lillard, Robert Covington has the next-most assists on the team with 1.8 (of players active for Monday’s game).

YouTube video

Terry Stotts needs a massive night from his superstar point guard to beat the Spurs. Lillard already has one 40-point game on the season, and he went for 40 or more on 11 occasions in the 2019-20 regular season. Another outing like that could be on the cards on Monday.

San Antonio is 10th in defensive rating, but they are last in the percentage of opponent shots at the rim. Lillard is fifth in free throw attempts per contest. Expect to see Lillard at the line a lot – if this is a close game, he could cruise past 33.5.

  • Pick: Damian Lillard over 33.5 points (-110)
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