Looking for the best NBA player props today? The Props crew compiles their favorite NBA prop bets for every day of the basketball season.
First, our prop analysts will outline their best NBA player props tonight, then we’ll provide a comprehensive guide to the world of NBA prop bets.
Let’s dive into it!
Best NBA Player Props Today: Friday, Dec. 20
MORE PROPS: NFL | NBA | NHL | PGA | CFB
Every day during the NBA regular season and playoffs, we run through our favorite picks of the night.
LaMelo Ball Higher Than 27.5 Points
Any time Ball’s scoring number is less than 30 points, I’m going to be heavily tempted to target it. His scoring volume this season has been absolutely insane. He’s leading the league with a 39.7% usage rate, and he’s responded with a career-high 30.4 points per game.
Ball did miss some time recently with an injury, but he’s returned for their past two contests. He was limited to just 25.8 minutes in his first game back, but he returned to his usual workload Thursday vs. the Wizards. He played 33.5 minutes and got up 32 shot attempts, and he finished with 34 points scored.
32 shot attempts may seem like an outlier, but it’s pretty much been the status quo for Ball this season. He’s had at least 20 shots in all 17 games with at least 28.7 minutes this season, and he’s gotten to at least 25 shots in 11 of them. He has the greenest green light in all of basketball at the moment, and he’s taking full advantage. The Hornets know they’re not playing for anything this season, so letting Ball and Brandon Miller shoot 50+ times a game at least might put some butts in the seats.
The 76ers aren’t an ideal matchup, but with that kind of volume, the matchup doesn’t really matter. The only reason this number is this low is because of his recent injury, so I’m not passing it up.
Where to play: LaMelo Ball Higher Than 27.5 Points | Underdog
Giannis Antetokounmpo Higher Than 7.5 Assists
Will winning the NBA Cup serve as a springboard for the Bucks this season? They got off to a dreadful start, sitting at 2-8 through their first 10 games, but they’ve been on a tear recently. They’ve won 12 of their past 15 games, and that doesn’t even include Tuesday’s win over the Thunder. That game technically doesn’t count in the standings, so the Bucks are now 14-11 for the year.
Unfortunately, Milwaukee is going to be without Damian Lillard on Friday. He’s been ruled out with a right calf strain, so Antetokounmpo is going to have to do a ton of heavy lifting against the Cavaliers.
Antetokounmpo has already been doing everything for the Bucks this season. He’s averaged 32.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, and he’s been even better recently. Excluding Tuesday’s outing – which, again, doesn’t count for statistical purposes – Antetokounmpo has averaged just under 35 points per game over his past 10 outings.
Without Lillard, Antetokounmpo is going to have to take on a greater role as a distributor. He’s done that whenever Lillard has been off the floor this season, increasing his assist rate by 9.49%. He’s averaged 8.06 assists per 36 minutes in that split, and Giannis has been playing closer to 38 minutes per game of late. Ultimately, I like his chances of getting to eight vs. the Cavs.
Where to play: Giannis Antetokounmpo Higher Than 7.5 Assists | Underdog
NBA Fantasy Player Props
We love the NBA player props available at top-flight daily fantasy sites like Underdog and Sleeper Fantasy. These fantasy player props aren’t technically sports betting picks, but they offer a very similar experience to prop-betting parlays.
You’ll often find the juiciest lines and payouts odds for NBA props available at legal DFS sites. These apps are available in many states that don’t yet have legal online sports betting.
Check out our resources on fantasy player prop sites:
- Best NBA DFS Apps
- Underdog
- Sleeper
- PrizePicks
- Vivid Picks
- Betr Picks
- More coming soon!
Where To Place NBA Player Props Bets
The sportsbooks and daily fantasy sites featured in this article offer more than enough options to satisfy your NBA player props needs. As outlined before, always shop around for the best price when it comes to NBA player props.
You can’t go wrong with DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook when it comes to any kind of sports bet. Take a look at the following guides to see if DraftKings and FanDuel are legal in your state:
- DraftKings Legal States Guide
- FanDuel Legal States Guide
- BetMGM
- Caesars Sportsbook
- Fliff
More Sports Betting Resources
Check out the Props.com NBA Betting Guide and Guide To Prop Betting for more on how to bet props on the world’s premier professional basketball league.
For more on the available sports betting bonuses in your state, take a look at some of these Props.com resources:
Top Online Sportsbook And Daily Fantasy Promos By State
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
PrizePicks and other DFS apps offer fantasy prop contests that are very similar to prop betting. Check out our Apps Like PrizePicks guide, which outlines some of the best sports gaming options available in most U.S. states (even the ones that haven’t legalized sports betting).
Wondering if the PrizePicks daily fantasy app is legal in California? Check out the Is PrizePicks Legal in California? Guide.
Complete NBA Prop Bet Guide
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has become one of the biggest betting markets in the thriving US sports betting industry. There are several great ways to bet on the NBA, but NBA prop betting is one of the latest trends that is starting to become more popular.
NBA prop betting has now taken on a life of its own in some respects, and you will see more of these betting options available every season. If you have not yet made an NBA prop bet, then this upcoming season is the perfect time to start.
This NBA prop betting guide will help explain what this type of betting is, and it will also give you some tips on how to become a better bettor when it comes to this form of sports wagering.
What Is A Prop Bet?
A prop bet is unlike any other form of betting that is offered in the US sports betting industry. Most typical options focus on the outcome of a sporting event, but that isn’t the case with a prop bet.
This form of betting focuses on events that occur during a game, and that is what makes this betting style unique. NBA prop betting started with only a handful of options, but that is no longer the case. There is currently a vast market for this type of wager, and new NBA prop betting options continue to emerge.
NBA Prop Betting Options
It’s hard to predict what NBA prop betting options will be offered individual sports options arens that are pretty standard. This list has continued to grow over the last few years, and that should be a common theme in the future.
Here are some of the top NBA prop betting markets you winl see in the sportsbook, but there could always be more added on a case-by-case basis.
NBA Draft Props
Before the NBA season even starts each year, the NBA Draft takes place. This has turned into one of the biggest nights on the NBA calendar, and it is also a great time to make an NBA prop betting wager.
There are several different ways to bet on the NBA Draft, and all of the different options would be considered a prop bet. Here are some of the common NBA Draft options that you might see:
- Who will be the first player to be drafted overall?
- Will the first player be from the United States or an international prospect?
- Which conference will have the most first-round draft picks?
NBA Player Props
The most common NBA prop betting option that you will see, and also the most popular to make, is what is known as an individual prop bet. This is also called an NBA player prop bet, and it is a wager placed on a certain statistic for an NBA player.
Sportsbooks are going to have long lists for this type of wager as they are trying to get as much action as possible. Usually, only the top players in each game will be featured, but you can also find options for reserves as well.
It’s hard to come up with potential options for this type of bet because there will be such a long list that is out there.
Team Prop Bet
A team prop bet is extremely similar to an individual prop bet, but it focuses on one team as opposed to just one individual. This has become a popular NBA prop betting option as some bettors tend to prefer wagering on a team rather than just looking at one player.
There are times that sportsbooks will put each team in an NBA game against one another to come up with this type of prop betting option. Here are a few NBA team prop betting options that you might see:
- Will the Los Angeles Lakers lead wire-to-wire?
- Who will have more dunks in the game: Chicago Bulthe ls or Detroit Pistons?
- Will there be over/under 2.5 technical fouls for the Cleveland Cavaliers?
Full Season Prop Bets
One of the newest forms of prop betting that you will find is what is known as a full-season prop bet. This closely resembles a futures bet in traditional sports betting, and that has become a popular number of bettors to wager on the NBA.
With a full-season prop bet, most of the bets lock when the regular season begins. The final result of a full-season NBA prop bet isn’t revealed until the end of the season, so some patience is required for this type of bet.
Here are some potential full-season NBA prop bets that you might see:
- Will a center win the NBA MVP Award?
- Will any NBA team win at least 70 games during the regular season?
- Over/Under 2.5 sub-.500 teams that make the NBA Playoffs.
NBA All-Star Game Weekend
The NBA All-Star Game has transformed into a full weekend of festivities, and the sportsbooks in the United States have taken note. The All-Star Game itself is a big draw, but so are the Slam Dunk Contest and the Three-Point Shootout.
If you are someone who is looking to wager on the NBA outside of an actual game, then the All-Star Game weekend might be the perfect time for you. You will find a long list of NBA prop betting options during this time, and here are some that you might see:
- Which participant will win the Slam Dunk Contest?
- Over/Under 28.5 points was the highest score in the three-point shootout.
- Who will win the NBA All-Star Game MVP Award?
Are You Looking For Fun Or Skill Options?
Now that you know some of the top NBA prop betting options that are out there, you also have to ask yourself another question: are you looking for fun prop bets, or do you want to use your NBA knowledge?
Pro actually got its start as a fun way to bet on the Super Bowl, but you can now wager on prop bets that require some knowledge and skill. Before you click the “submit” button on an NBA prop betting wager, it is important to know what type of bet you are making.
Fun Prop Bets
A fun prop bet is a way to get non-sports fans interested in making a wager on an NBA betting market. This type of prop bet doesn’t usually require any basketball knowledge to place the wager, and it focuses on events that take place off of the court.
Here are some examples of potential fun NBA prop bets:
- Will the NBA Championship coach have Gatorade poured on his head?
- Will there be a Budweiser commercial during the first quarter?
- Will a certain celebrity be sitting courtside for this NBA game?
Skill Prop Bets
Nearly all of the prop betting options that are listed above in the previous section would be classified under “skill prop bets.” These are wagers that focus on the action that takes place on the and require some basic or advanced NBA knowledge to win.
If you are going to make a skilled NBA prop bet, then you are going to have to do some research. There can still be some “luck” involved in this type of wager, but the bettor will have a pretty good idea of how a certain game or event will play out.
NBA Player Prop Betting Tips
Now that you have read about some of the top NBA prop betting options that are out there, you are probably excited to get in on the action. Before you start making some NBA prop betting wagers, it is important to look at some tips or strategies that will help you be more successful with this type of betting.
Beware Of Load Management
The term “load management” is typically only used when it comes to the NBA, and it is a term that can have a huge impact on NBA prop betting. Load management refers to teams resting some of their strong efforts to keep them healthy and fresh for the postseason.
When top players are sitting out of games, it can have a big impact on NBA prop betting, especially when it comes to team betting options. This information isn’t always easy to find as you must search long and hard to find out what players might be missing.
Focus On Key Players
If you are planning on making an NBA prop bet on an individual player, then it is wise to only wager on the biggest stars for each team. Those are the players that will have the most information available, and that will allow you to do plenty of research.
It might seem tempting to bet on a reserve player to go over a certain number of points or assists, but you need to be certain that you have researched recent trends and analyzed that particular matchup.
Show Some Restraint
Finally, if you are planning on getting involved in NBA prop bets, you must show some restraint when it comes to betting. You are going to be overwhelmed with NBA prop betting options, but that doesn’t mean that you have to wager on each market.
It is important to use a smaller betting unit when you are making an NBA prop betting wager as this isn’t usually an easy bet to win. If you don’t like any of the NBA prop betting options that are listed, then it is best to take the night off and try again on another date.