There are nine games on the NBA schedule tonight, and two of them stand out above the rest for wager consideration – Lakers vs. Thunder and Clippers vs. Warriors. The star power in these matchups isn’t likely to disappoint.
From LeBron James and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson, check out which stars made our list of the best NBA player props for Thursday’s slate further below.
Best NBA prop bets on Thursday: Lakers vs. Thunder, Clippers vs. Warriors
Our favorite player props of the day are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER 31.5 pointsLeBron James UNDER 24.5 pointsKlay Thompson OVER 3.5 3-pointers madeKawhi Leonard UNDER 25.5 points
Lakers vs. Thunder betting odds
Look at the live Lakers vs. Thunder betting odds from top US sports betting apps.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER points
The Lakers are ninth in defensive rating, maintaining their intensity without their best perimeter defender. Versatile forward Jarred Vanderbilt is still out with an injury.
Fortunately for the Lakers, Anthony Davis is back and doing a decent job defending the rim nightly. Davis’ presence will make the night challenging for Gilgeous-Alexander’s running mate and Rookie of the Year candidate Chet Holmgren.
Davis has the height and quickness to limit Holmgren, the Thunder’s second-leading scorer. With a challenging night ahead for the team’s No. 2 option, Gilgeous-Alexander must take on a score-first mindset for the Thunder to win.
Given that the Lakers’ best defense is in the paint, Gilgeous-Alexander should be able to have his way on the perimeter. Look for the young star to cover this line tonight. He is averaging 30 points per game on 53% from the field, and without Vanderbilt, the Lakers aren’t likely to slow him down.
Read: NBA win total odds
LeBron James UNDER points
James continues to astound with his performance in Year 21, averaging 25.1 points on 55.8% from the field. He can still get to the paint with the best of them, which is a big part of why he is still such a threat to score.
However, he is up against the league’s seventh-best defense in protecting the paint, only allowing 45 points per contest. In contrast, Indiana is last in the league and allows 62 points in the paint per game.
Holmgren’s presence has been massive for OKC’s defense. The Thunder’s big man stands 7-foot-1 and has a great knack for defending the rim. He’s averaging 2.2 blocks per game in his rookie campaign and alters far more shots than what’s tallied as a block. He has above-average quickness for his size and does a great job staying vertical in shot contests.
James struggles the most nights when opposing teams have a reputable big man. Some of his lowest outings this season were against the 76ers (Embiid) and the Timberwolves (Gobert). Holmgren is quickly ascending to the ranks of the best defensive rim protectors, which will impact James’ scoring output.
Information: NBA Rookie of the Year odds | NBA MVP odds
Clippers vs. Warriors betting odds
Here are the live Clippers vs. Warriors betting odds from top sports betting sites.
Klay Thompson OVER made three-pointers
Klay Thompson is starting to pick up the pace in what has been a letdown year for him. He’s averaging only 15 points per game on 40% from the field.
However, he has connected on at least three attempts from deep in each of his last five games. He shot 42% from three-point range in those outings.
This most recent stretch of play includes five and six three-point makes against the Rockets and Suns. He’s up against the Clippers, who are sixth in defensive rating and fourth best at defending the three-pointer.
The caveat is that LA hasn’t faced many teams capable of shooting the ball as well as the Warriors can. Additionally, Thompson has averaged nine three-point attempts over the last five games.
Given his volume and hot streak, we like his chances to cover this line tonight.
More: How to bet on the NBA | Best NBA betting sites
Kawhi Leonard UNDER points
Leonard averages 21 points per game this season, which marks his lowest in five years. Part of that is the amount of change the team has endured this season with the addition of James Harden. It’s taken weeks for the team to adjust.
Leonard has topped 30 points in his last two games and had at least 10 made field goals in both.
That includes last night’s 131-117 victory over the Kings, in which he played 37 minutes. However, the last time Leonard played back-to-back, he finished the game with just eight points in 29 minutes against Dallas.
His health has been a topic of conversation for years, and his performance in consecutive games is a testament to his physical challenges. Look for that to be a major obstacle and for Leonard to go UNDER his point total.
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