RADIO
Coming out of the NBA All-Star break, there are half a dozen games on the schedule tonight. Play props and win with Monkey Knife Fight.
Ease back into the schedule by playing the star shootout, a chance to play with the biggest names in the game.
Here are some angles to keep in mind when making Thursday’s basketball prop picks on Monkey Knife Fight.
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STAR SHOOTOUT - EARLY GAMES
MORE OR LESS
Giannis Antetokounmpo LESS THAN 30.5 POINTS – On the road this season, Giannis has averaged 28.7 points per game and has recorded 31 points or more 10 times in 24 road games. The advantage for him is that Detroit has an average defensive record though that doesn’t take into account a depleted roster that is missing an injured Blake Griffin and traded Andre Drummond to Cleveland.
Trae Young MORE THAN 29.5 POINTS – Miami is a quality opponent, but Young is averaging 31.4 points per game at home and has gone for at least 30 in eight of his past 10 home games.
Zach LaVine LESS THAN 29.5 POINTS – LaVine does have the upside to score 30-plus but is averaging 23.5 per game at home this season and faces a Hornets team that is above average defensively. Banking on 30-plus in those circumstances seems optimistic.
Joel Embiid LESS THAN 23.5 POINTS – Against a middling Nets team, there is the opportunity for Embiid to put up numbers. He’s averaging 22.5 points per game at home but he’s also scored 22 or fewer in six of his past 10 games overall.
Spencer Dinwiddie LESS THAN 21.5 POINTS – While he’s getting more looks with Kyrie Irving out of the lineup and is averaging 22.5 points per game on the road, Dinwiddie has been limited to 21 points or fewer in five straight games and goes up against a Philadelphia 76ers squad that is one of the league’s best defensively.
RAPID FIRE
Ben Simmons +0.5 assists vs. Devonte’ Graham – Graham is averaging 7.7 assists per game on the road and Simmons is putting up 8.7 assists per game at home. That alone is enough reason to like Simmons as the underdog, getting an extra half assist.
Duncan Robinson -0.5 three-pointers vs. Zach LaVine – LaVine knocked down 13 threes in the last two games before the break, but he’s averaging just under three threes per home game this season. Robinson, on the other hand, is putting up 3.2 per game on the road so taking Robinson is more of a bet on his consistency game-in and game-out.
STAR SHOOTOUT - LATE GAMES
MORE OR LESS
James Harden MORE THAN 33.5 POINTS – This is a huge number and yet Harden is putting up 35.5 per game on the road this season and faces a Warriors team that is awful and depleted after shedding depth at the trade deadline.
Andrew Wiggins MORE THAN 22.5 POINTS – In his first three games for the Warriors, Wiggins has put up 23 points per game, and going against the Rockets, that’s not necessarily going to shut him down.
Buddy Hield MORE THAN 20.5 POINTS – The Kings sharpshooter is averaging 20.7 points per game and faces a Grizzlies team that still has a below average defensive record, allowing 114.4 points per game.
JA Morant LESS THAN 17.5 POINTS – The Grizzlies rookie is better at home, averaging 16.2 per game on the road, and goes into Sacramento where the Kings run about average on defense.
RAPID FIRE
Jonas Valanciunias -1.5 rebounds vs. Russell Westbrook – While there are real differences in opposition – Westbrook goes against Golden State and Valanciunias is facing Sacramento – JV is putting up 10.2 boards per game on the road and Westbrook is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game on the road. That’s more than the difference in quality for the opposition.
Ja Morant -0.5 assists vs. Draymond Green – Morant is averaging 6.9 assists per game on the road, while Green is putting up 5.9 assists per game at home. That is enough of a gap to prefer the rookie point guard over the veteran forward.
