RADIO
There is a five-game schedule in the NBA tonight, meaning lots of opportunities to play props and win with Monkey Knife Fight.
The schedule starts with a nice matchup as the Dallas Mavericks visit the Utah Jazz, tipping off at 5 pm EST, as the red-hot Jazz will try to contain Luka Doncic.
That’s followed by three less-inspiring matchups before the day is capped off with the Los Angeles Lakers in Philadelphia to face the 76ers. Joel Embiid isn’t expected to play for Philadelphia and Anthony Davis is still working his way back into full health for the Lakers but there will still be plenty of talent on the floor.
Featured Promo: For this week only, take 50% off any full-season or yearly Premium Pass on the site! Just enter discount code THANKS when checking out. Thanks for being a reader, and Happy Holidays! Sign Up Now!Here are some angles to consider when making today’s basketball prop picks on Monkey Knife Fight.
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DALLAS-UTAH
MORE OR LESS
Luka Doncic LESS THAN 29.5 POINTS – The Mavericks star is averaging 29.3 points per game on the road but he’s going up against a Utah Jazz team that has won 18 of the past 20 games and has the fourth-best defensive record in the league, allowing 105.8 points per game.
Donovan Mitchell MORE THAN 23.5 POINTS – Utah’s scoring guard is putting up 24.4 points per game at home and the Mavericks are a middle-of-the-road team defensively.
RAPID FIRE
Joe Ingles -0.5 assists vs. Mike Conley Jr. – The Jazz probably hoped for more from Conley, who is averaging 4.6 assists per game at home and has a total of six assists in three games since returning from injury. Ingles, on the other hand, is putting up 4.9 assists per home game but has been much more productive recently, averaging 6.6 assists per game in the past month.
BROOKLYN-DETROIT
MORE OR LESS
Derrick Rose LESS THAN 23.5 POINTS – A depleted Pistons lineup means lots of shots for Rose, and he has scored 20 or more points in 11 straight games, but his inability to shoot from long distance limits his appeal and he has scored 23 or fewer points in seven of those 11 contests.
Kyrie Irving LESS THAN 21.5 POINTS – Although Irving is averaging 23.3 points per game on the road, he’s also managed to score more than 21 points once in five games since returning from injury.
RAPID FIRE
Jarrett Allen -3.5 rebounds vs. Taurean Prince – The road rebounding averages make this a close call, as Allen puts up 10.0 rebounds per game and Prince sits at 6.6 per game. The difference is that Allen is more consistent and Prince may go for double-digit rebounds one night and then just a couple the next. In this case, that makes Allen the safer play.
OKLAHOMA CITY-MINNESOTA
MORE OR LESS
Karl-Anthony Towns LESS THAN 29.5 POINTS – This seems like a big number for Towns to cover, considering that he averages 25.4 points per game at home and is going against a Thunder team with above-average defensive numbers. In five games since returning from injury, Towns has scored at least 30 points twice, including yesterday’s loss to Houston.
Danilo Gallinari LESS THAN 21.5 POINTS – Even though the Timberwolves are a poor defensive team, allowing 115.0 points per game, Gallinari is scoring 17.8 per game on the road. Banking on him scoring at least 22 seems like a reach.
RAPID FIRE
Robert Covington +0.5 rebounds vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – SGA is a terrific rebounder for a guard, and is averaging 6.5 per game on the road, while Covington is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game at home. Covington is also trending upwards, averaging 7.1 rebounds per game in 16 games since Christmas.
CHICAGO-CLEVELAND
MORE OR LESS
Zach LaVine MORE THAN 27.5 POINTS – LaVine is averaging 26.4 points per game on the road but faces a Cavs team that is allowing 114.1 points per game. In the past five games, LaVine has scored more than 27 points just once but it was when he dropped 42 on the Cavaliers in Chicago a week ago.
Kevin Love LESS THAN 22.5 POINTS – The Bulls are an above-average defensive team, allowing 107.7 points per game, and Love is putting up 17.6 points per game at home. The Bulls rotation is depleted by injury, especially among the bigs, and Love did score 29 against Chicago last week but that’s the only time Love has scored at least 23 points just once in his past seven contests.
RAPID FIRE
Darius Garland +0.5 assists vs. Tomas Satoransky – Satoransky is averaging 5.7 assists per road game this season while Garland has just 2.9 assists per home game. However, Garland has taken on a more prominent role as a playmaker, averaging 5.6 assists per game in January.
L.A. LAKERS
MORE OR LESS
LeBron James MORE THAN 23.5 POINTS – LeBron has scored 25.8 points per game on the road this season, scoring at least 24 points in five of the past eight games overall. Philadelphia does have the second-best defensive record in the league, allowing 105.1 points per game, but with Joel Embiid out of the lineup that leaves the Sixers more vulnerable.
Anthony Davis LESS THAN 23.5 POINTS – The Lakers big man might be able to take advantage of the Sixers sans Embiid but Davis is also just working his way back from injury and has 53 points in three games since returning to the lineup.
Tobias Harris LESS THAN 21.5 POINTS – Averaging 18.8 points per game at home, Harris has scored 22 or more points just twice in the past nine games.
Rajon Rondo MORE THAN 4.5 ASSISTS – The Lakers point guard has 5.5 assists per game on the road but in 18 road contests he has recorded five or more assists nine times.
RAPID FIRE
Ben Simmons -1.5 rebounds vs. Anthony Davis – With Embiid out of the lineup there are more rebounds available for Simmons, who is averaging 10.2 per game over the past 10 contests. Davis had 11 rebounds in the Lakers’ last game but has a total of 20 in three games since returning to the lineup.
LeBron James -0.5 fantasy points vs. Ben Simmons – He might not hit, or even take, threes but Simmons stuffs the stat sheet. In 10 games this month, he’s averaging 21.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Impressive, isn’t it? Here are LeBron’s averages in January: 25.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.9 three-pointers per game. Come at the King, you best not miss.
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