The NBA schedule on Wednesday includes six exciting games, with the New York Knicks facing the Los Angeles Clippers at home after playing the night before. The Knicks are currently underdogs by 4.5 points with an over/under of 218. Historically, when playing the second game of a back-to-back, the Knicks have struggled, especially on defense, allowing an average of 127.5 points in their last four such games. This might suggest looking at Los Angeles Clippers player props for your Wednesday bets. James Harden`s availability is uncertain due to a foot injury, but Kawhi Leonard`s point total over/under is set at 22.5, and he has exceeded this in his last six games. Should Leonard`s points be part of your NBA prop bets? FanDuel Sportsbook even offers odds of +400 for Leonard to score 30 or more points, a feat he last achieved on March 18th against Cleveland.
SportsLine`s projection model, which simulates each NBA game 10,000 times, has been highly successful, generating over $10,000 in profit for $100 bettors following its top-rated NBA picks over the past six seasons. This model has now released its projections for some of Wednesday`s most popular NBA player prop bets.
Jamal Murray Over 1.5 Steals + Blocks (+128)
Jamal Murray has recorded at least two steals in two of his recent four games, and projections estimate him at 1.5 steals for Wednesday`s game. This suggests a good chance of hitting the over even without considering blocks. He has also had at least one block in two of his last five games, adding to his potential in this category. With Nikola Jokic likely out against the Bucks due to an ankle issue, Murray is expected to have a significant workload in a game between two of the league`s fastest-paced teams. Murray has exceeded this combined steals and blocks number in 60% of his home games this season. At odds of +128 on Bet365, this bet appears to be a valuable option.
Mikal Bridges Over 3.5 Rebounds (+142)
Mikal Bridges has seen an increased role with Jalen Brunson sidelined for the past 12 games due to an ankle injury. In these 12 games without Brunson, Bridges has surpassed 3.5 rebounds in eight of them. He has also gone over this mark in three of his last four games. Despite grabbing only one rebound in the previous game on Tuesday, the model believes the current odds are an overreaction to this single performance, presenting a betting opportunity. Projections indicate Bridges will get 3.6 rebounds, making the +142 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook particularly attractive.
Josh Hart Under 6.5 Assists (+110)
Josh Hart is coming off a game with 11 assists as part of a triple-double on Tuesday. However, in his last five attempts in the second game of a back-to-back, he has not exceeded six assists. Additionally, in eight of his last 10 home games against winning teams, he has failed to go over his assist total. The Knicks will be playing the Clippers, a winning team. While multiple sportsbooks offer plus-money on this under, DraftKings Sportsbook currently provides the best odds at +110. The model projects Hart to finish with 6.1 assists.
Alex Sarr Over 26.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-116)
The model identifies this as a good time to bet on Alex Sarr exceeding his combined points, rebounds, and assists total, even though he has been under this mark in the last two games. Prior to these two games, Sarr had gone over this number in eight of the preceding nine games. He remains aggressive offensively, which is often crucial for hitting PRA bets. Sarr attempted 19 shots on Monday despite scoring only 16 points and is averaging 17 field goal attempts in his last six games. With the Wizards having a difficult season and injuries limiting their roster, Sarr and Jordan Poole are the only active players averaging double-digit points, ensuring Sarr will have ample opportunities. He is projected to reach a total of 30 points + rebounds + assists.
Nic Claxton Over 20.5 Points + Rebounds (-110)
With Cameron Johnson resting and backup center Day`Ron Sharpe out with a knee injury for Wednesday`s game against the Raptors, Nic Claxton is expected to see increased playing time and usage for the Nets. In his last game against the Mavericks on Monday, Claxton scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 27 minutes. The model projects him for 13.2 points and 10.6 rebounds on Wednesday. Claxton has averaged 10 rebounds in his last four games. Earlier this season against Toronto, Claxton had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and he has achieved a points + rebounds total of at least 25 in three of his last four games against the Raptors. His over/under has already increased from 19.5 to 20.5 on sportsbooks and may rise further as game time approaches.
Want more NBA picks for tonight?
You`ve seen the model`s NBA prop picks for the most popular props on Wednesday. Now, get NBA projections for every player prop at SportsLine.
Jasper Hawthorne