NBA LADDER CHALLENGE DAY #1: Brook Lopez (Bucks) UNDER 12.5 Points
Ladder challenge day 1 as we try to turn $20 into $10,000 in 10 days. For the first leg I want you guys to take Brook Lopez of the Bucks to go UNDER 12.5 points. Lopez averages 12.1 points/game on the season but has taken a backseat in playing time to Bobby Portis. Lopez should get about 25 minutes tonight against the very stout Clippers defense. Ivica Zubac may let Lopez get up a couple deep threes but he won’t be scoring on the interior tonight. It took Lopez 41 minutes to hit 13 points in the one Clippers matchup this season. He shouldn’t be anywhere near that tonight. My analytics project him for 8-9. Take Brook Lopez UNDER 12.5 Points. Let’s cash this first ticket!
NBA: Kevin Durant (Suns) OVER 6.5 Rebounds
Onto the 2nd free pick and I want you guys to take Kevin Durant OVER 6.5 rebounds! This is one of my favorite plays today based on pure line functionality. Durant hasn’t recorded 7+ rebounds in his last EIGHT games but they still put his line above his season average of 6 rebounds per game. The Suns are facing the Spurs without Wemby so rebounding will be much more spread out. Durant is more than capable of grabbing double digit rebounds and has done so many times this season. For OVER 6.5 to be sitting at plus money, with this line functionality, and the analytics projecting him for 7.62 rebounds tonight, it’s simply too good to pass up. Lastly, the Spurs are literally the WORST team in the NBA at allowing opponent small forwards to rebound, giving up 8.7 per game this season. Lock in Kevin Durant OVER 6.5 rebounds at plus money!
NBA: Trae Young (Hawks) UNDER 40.5 PRA (pts, rebs, assts)
Third and final spot I like tonight is to fade Trae Young in the stat combo line of points, rebounds, and assists. He’s currently sitting at O/U 40.5 which is right about where he averages on the season but I don’t think he gets there tonight. We’ve talked about the struggles of Orlando a few times on this show and I really expect them to come out after the All-Star game with a new intensity. They might still struggle on offense but this young athletic team is going to kick in defensively and show how they made the playoffs last season and could be an Eastern Conference threat again this year. In their one matchup this season Young produced just 33 PRA and in his last matchup against them the prior season he was at 33 as well. Of course Young can play selfish basketball at times putting up 25+ shot attempts but I feel Orlando will force the ball elsewhere and Young leads the NBA in assists. He’s usually willing to find the open man. I like the under here a lot considering he only scored 11 points upon returning from the All-Star game last season. Take Trae Young UNDER 40.5 PRA!
BONUS NCAAB Free Pick: Ja'kobi Gillespie (Maryland) OVER 5.5 Assists
Check out YLose Handicapper Luke "Prop Master" Shuey every day as he breaks down Player Props and releases free picks for NFL, NBA, MLB as well as College Sports such as NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball on his daily podcast available anywhere you get your podcasts from. Ylose.com/props.