Each week, Props.com selects five intriguing player and/or team NBA betting props from a busy night of action. Then, we do what we do best: Provide in-depth analysis that you can choose to use (or not use!) for wagering purposes.
Here are our five favorite props from Wednesday’s slate of 11 games.
Odds via DraftKings, updated as of 3 p.m. ET Nov. 17.
Washington Wizards at Charlotte Hornets
The Prop: Washington -1 (first half)
The Odds: Wizards -105/Hornets -115
The Hornets and Wizards are respectively riding winning streaks of three and five games. However, for the eight total victories, the clubs have a combined record of 3-4-1 after 24 minutes of action.
For its three-game victory run, Charlotte has a plus-1 scoring differential at the break. The halftime breakdown: Plus-8, minus-9, and one tie.
Washington has a cumulative differential of minus-9 during its five-game winning streak. The halftime breakdown: Plus-13, minus-3, minus-5, plus-13, and minus-17.
This season, the Wizards (10th overall) and Hornets (16th overall) have been solid with first-half scoring, both averaging at least 54 points per game.
The differences are more pronounced against the spread. Washington owns a 7-6 ATS mark at halftime, whereas Charlotte has a subpar ATS record of 4-9-2.
Washington and Charlotte are on sufficient rest Wednesday, with neither club playing Tuesday.
Related: New to betting NBA props? Check out our complete NBA Prop Betting Guide.
Milwaukee Bucks: SF Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Prop: 43.5 points/rebounds/assists (vs. L.A. Lakers)
The Odds: Over -105/Under -120
Against the Knicks last week, Antetokounmpo dutifully collected 15 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists, and still finished well below tonight’s PRA prop of 43.5. The same held true for Sunday’s prop-deficient effort versus the Hawks, with Giannis combining for only 37 PRA credits (26 points/6 assists/5 rebounds).
Citing last year’s two meetings with the Lakers, Antetokounmpo stealthily averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. And yet, the per-game numbers were woefully short of a 43.5 PAR.
On the plus side, the two-time NBA MVP was a one-man wrecking crew from Oct. 25-Nov. 9, averaging 29.5 points, 11.9 boards, and 10.0 assists. (The point totals: 30, 40, 28, 25, 28, 25, 29, 31.)
For that prolific eight-game stretch, Giannis tallied seven-plus assists three times, and double-digit rebounds on five occasions.
Also, the Bucks just concluded their longest road trip of the entire regular season (five games) and will launch a five-game homestand versus the Lakers. The club is also on sufficient rest (three days). Khris Middleton is set to return for Milwaukee as well.
Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks
The Prop: 219.5 combined points (alternate total)
The Odds: Over +115/Under -155
This alternate tally — which is 3.5 points higher than DraftKings’ actual total — might require some sweet shooting from Trae Young and Jayson Tatum, given how Atlanta (108.9 points per game, 10th overall in scoring) and Boston (107.2 points per contest, 20th overall) have only reached 220 total points in a combined 13 of 29 games this season.
That said, there is tangible hope for tonight’s Over crowd.
Charting the last six head-to-head encounters, Boston and Atlanta have eclipsed the 219.5 number four times, while averaging 229.5 points per matchup. The combined totals include 236, 230, 239, 215, 238, and 219 points.
Chicago Bulls: SG Zach LaVine
The Prop: 25.5 points (at Portland)
The Odds: Over -105/Under -115
LaVine has rolled for 26-plus points six times in his last nine games, highlighted by a streak of 26, 26, 27, and 32 points from Oct. 30-Nov. 6; and for the Bulls’ West Coast swing (three games in), the UCLA product has cleanly averaged 26 points, while falling below Wednesday’s O/U of 25.5 just once.
Charting his last seven outings, LaVine connected on double-digit field goals six times, while cumulatively shooting 49.6 percent during this span (72 of 145).
This speaks to the Bulls leaning on LaVine during a travel-weary period.
Along those lines, for Chicago’s other four road games, LaVine cleared the 25.5-point threshold three times, going as high as 34 points against the Pistons. Plus, LaVine scored 26 points in his last meeting with the Blazers (January 2021).
LaVine enters Wednesday’s game on sufficient rest. He has logged 34-plus minutes in all three West Coast outings.
Phoenix Suns: C DeAndre Ayton
The Prop: Double-double (vs. Dallas)
The Odds: Over -135/Under +110
Ayton boasts robust seasonal averages of 15.3 points and 11.4 rebounds, along with an ongoing streak of four straight double-doubles.
Plus, we’re only three weeks removed from Ayton’s monster effort of 21 points/21 boards against the Kings, while shooting 9 of 12 from the field.
Throw in the injury-related absence of Mavs superstar Luka Doncic for tonight’s game, thus obliging other Dallas players to pick up the playmaking slack, and Ayton could be a double-double lock. Right?
All signs potentially point to yes.
— Through seven games this season, Ayton logged 25-plus minutes six times.
— The Mavericks don’t possess a top-10 ranking with points allowed per game (12th overall), or total rebounds allowed per game (17th overall).
— Charting his last three matchups with the Mavs, Ayton hit the double-double threshold twice. From a scoring perspective, the University of Arizona product tallied 13, 18, and 10 points; and with rebounds, Ayton corralled eight, 17, and 17.
