There may only be three total games scheduled in the NBA tonight, but there are still plenty of worthwhile prop bets to consider. While the NFL Postseason will garner much of the betting attention later tonight, fans are wise to not sleep on the potential money-making wagers available on the hardwood. Basketball Insiders takes a look at the best NBA player props and free picks for the January 22nd NBA betting slate. Odds for the picks can be found at BetOnline Sportsbook.
Best NBA Player Props and Free Picks for Tonight, 1/22
Richaun Holmes Over 6.5 Rebounds (-130)
Tonight will be the third game back on the floor for Richaun Holmes after his latest stretch of missed games due to virus protocols. After playing only 15 minutes in his first contest back, Holmes saw 28 minutes of action on Wednesday night. He was uncharacteristically quiet on the glass finishing with just three total rebounds. That mark is certainly a far cry from the 8.2 Holmes has averaged on the season to date. On the bright side, it has created a buy-low NBA betting opportunity for tonight’s game.
BetOnline lists Holmes’ rebounding prop total set at just 6.5 boards, the same line that can be found across the market. Given that the opponent Milwaukee Bucks will be playing the second game of a back-to-back, fatigue could become an issue. As a result, Holmes should be able to establish his presence down low and on the boards. As he continues to get back up to full speed from a conditioning standpoint, Holmes should return to his usual nightly rebounding contributions. Bettors are wise to take advantage of the diminished prop total while they can.
Darius Garland Under 9.5 Assists (-108)
One of the primary reasons why Darius Garland is quickly becoming one of the top young stars in the NBA is his playmaking capabilities. The 21-year-old is averaging a full 8.0 assists per game on the season. He has been even better recently, recording 11 helpers or more in five of the last six games. He has had a dozen assists in each of the Cavs’ two games this week and also dished a whopping 18 dimes exactly one week ago against the same Oklahoma City Thunder team he will face tonight. Despite this, the NBA player props market is notably juiced towards the under on Garland’s assist prop of 9.5 ahead of this game.
After an extended run of double-digit assist totals, regression to the mean figures to come sooner than later. Of course, the prop line for Garland tonight sits a full 1.5 assists higher than his season average coming in. With the possibility of a blowout in tonight’s matchup, Garland may wind up seeing a lighter minutes load which would also bode well for this under prediction.
Mikal Bridges Under 4.5 Rebounds (-152)
While Phoenix Suns wing Mikal Bridges has finished with five and eight total rebounds in the last two games respectively, he is still only averaging 4.0 per game on the season. That average sits exactly 0.5 boards below tonight’s NBA player props rebounding total of 4.5. The Indiana Pacers somehow managed to knock off the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night despite being without both of their top two big men. While Myles Turner is guaranteed to miss tonight’s game as well, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Domantas Sabonis also sit out for the second straight contest with the ankle injury he suffered on Wednesday.
If Sabonis is indeed ruled out or at less than 100%, it’s fair to question just how much Bridges will be needed on the glass for Phoenix tonight. The Suns would presumably have a massive advantage down low if Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee are matched up against backups. This along with the fact that the prop line is higher than Bridges’ per-game average the under being the preferential side for tonight’s NBA picks.
All betting lines were retrieved from BetOnline. Click below to claim a free bet, if you’re a new customer.
