With just three games in the NBA on Thursday night, there isn’t a whole lot to bet on – especially when you consider the injuries in the Utah Jazz-Milwaukee Bucks matchup.
Both Lauri Markkanen and Giannis Antetokounmpo are questionable, making it tough to bet on a side and even harder to wager on any props.
So, I’m staying away from that matchup and focusing on a prop in the San Antonio Spurs-Portland Trail Blazers clash and a total for the Minnesota Timberwolves-Chicago Bulls game.
Let’s break down the picks for Thursday’s action.
Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Chris Paul OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-168) – 0.5 unit
I broke down this play in today’s Best NBA Prop Bets story:
The 3-point shot hasn’t been Chris Paul’s go-to over the last few seasons, but he’s shooting the 3-ball at a high rate this season (43.2 percent) and has had to play a lot of minutes with guard Tre Jones (ankle) sidelined.
After playing just 20 minutes in a blowout loss to Houston last night, I think CP3 could be in line for a big game shooting the ball against Portland.
The Blazers are allowing the sixth-most 3-pointers per game in the NBA this season, and Paul has at least three made shots from beyond the arc in five of his last six games. On the season, Paul has made multiple 3s in six of eight games.
The key?
Usage.
Over his last five games, Paul has attempted at least six 3-pointers in every game and 34 overall. Given how well he’s shot the ball this season, making two shots from deep should be fairly easy on this usage on Thursday.
Minnesota Timberwolves-Chicago Bulls UNDER 227.5 (-112) – 0.5 unit
Neither of these teams has been great against the spread (Minnesota is 2-5, Chicago is 3-5) this season, so I’m looking to total for my best bet on Thursday night.
If Zach LaVine (thigh) sits again, the Bulls could be in trouble offensively.
Overall, they rank just 28th in the league in offensive rating and 20th in effective field goal percentage. The Wolves are the far superior offensive team (No. 2 in eFG%, No. 12 in offensive rating), but I’m not sold on them sending this game over the total.
Minnesota is also the No. 12 defense in the league, and it has gone under 227.5 combined points in four of their seven games – including two of their three road games.
The Bulls do come into this game No. 1 in the league in pace – not ideal for an under – but they scored just 99 points on Wednesday without LaVine.
On the second night of a back-to-back, I’m not sold on Chicago putting up a huge number against a Minnesota team (22nd in pace) that doesn’t mind slowing the game down and defending at a high level.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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