NBA Player Props & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Friday

Check out our NBA player props and best bets for Friday's schedule based on the best odds.

Last Updated: December 29, 2023 2:13 PM EST • 6 minute read

We're analyzing our favorite NBA player props and the best bets for Friday, based on the best NBA odds at the best NBA betting sites.

The last weekday of 2023 at the best sportsbooks goes out with a bang thanks to a jumbo, 10-game slate in the Association. The Brooklyn Nets head to the nation’s capital in search of a win against the struggling Washington Wizards.

The Sacramento Kings travel east to face the Atlanta Hawks in what should be a high-scoring matchup. The shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers play their third straight on the road when they face off with the Houston Rockets, and the Phoenix Suns host the Charlotte Hornets in the desert.

Here are our NBA player props and best bets for Friday (odds via our best NBA betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Friday’s NBA schedule and odds

(Odds via DraftKings)

Friday’s NBA best bets

Cam Johnson Over 2.5 three-pointers vs. Wizards (-104 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
De’Anthony Melton Over 24.5 points+rebounds+assists (+105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
Domantas Sabonis Over 21.5 points vs. Hawks (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
Jusuf Nurkic Over 13.5 points vs. Celtics (-105 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Cam Johnson Over 2.5 three-pointers vs. Wizards (-104 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

He’s averaging 2.5 triples per game this season, but over his last 13, he’s averaged 2.7 and hit at least three of them in nine contests. Johnson has hit this mark in 13 of 23 games overall this season, including eight on the road, and he’s averaged 3.0 triples per game on the road compared to 2.2 at home.

Washington’s defense is the worst in the Association this season, as the Wizards have allowed the most points per game. The Wizards are middle-of-the-pack in three-pointers allowed overall, but they allow the second-most made triples and the third-highest three-point percentage at home. Johnson should have no problem cashing this one.

De’Anthony Melton Over 24.5 points+rebounds+assists (+105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

We took Melton’s PRAs prop Wednesday with Joel Embiid sidelined, and we’re going back to the well after he cashed the alternate total with a 22/5/1 line against the Magic. We’ll take the alternate total at DraftKings and bet this one up to 24.5 for plus money.

In five games without Embiid this season Melton has averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and delivered at least 25 PRAs in every contest. No player has benefited more from Embiid’s absence than Melton, and the matchup with Houston is not a scary one given the Rockets’ recent struggles.

Melton has averaged 21.9 PRAs on the road compared to 17.4 at home, and he’s in prime position to cash this prop for a sixth straight game without Embiid.

Domantas Sabonis Over 21.5 points vs. Hawks (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Sabonis is averaging 19.4 points per game this season, including 20.3 points on the road and 18.8 at home. He’s in a favorable spot to post some strong scoring numbers on the road against Atlanta tonight.

The Hawks allow the third-most points to opponents on the season and the 10th-most rebounds. Atlanta has been crushed on the offensive glass, allowing the third-most offensive boards to opponents. The Hawks gave up 24 points and 25 rebounds to Andre Drummond on Wednesday.

Sabonis should have no shortage of scoring opportunities Friday night, especially if he can secure offensive rebounds and get second-chance points. He’s scored at least 22 points in 12 of 29 games on the season, including three of his last five. The Kings’ big man is in a great spot, and we’re taking the Over.

Jusuf Nurkic Over 13.5 points vs. Celtics (-105 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nurkic missed two straight games and logged only 14 minutes Wednesday against Houston in his return. Foul trouble and a comfortable win over the Rockets kept Nurkic from playing bigger minutes, but he should see a normal workload in this one.

Charlotte allows the fifth-most paint points and the fifth-most points overall, which lines up nicely for Nurkic to feast in the paint.

Over their last four, the Hornets have allowed starting centers to average 20 points per game, and all of them have scored at least 18 points. Excluding his 14-minute game, Nurkic has scored at least 14 points in four of his last six outings.

He averages 13 points per game at home compared to just 10.8 on the road, and he’s scored at least 14 points in eight home games on the season. We’ll take the Over and a line that is mis-priced at bet365.

NBA best bets made Friday at 1:45 a.m. ET.

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Written by:
Zachary Hanshew

Zak Hanshew has been covering the NFL and NBA since 2018, writing about fantasy sports, daily fantasy sports, and sports betting. He joined Sportsbook Review for the 2022-23 NBA season and looks forward to his third NBA campaign. Zak has had bylines for over half a dozen publications, most notably Yahoo and NBA.com. As a sports writer, Zak has been recognized for his attention to detail and insight into NBA betting trends. Zak is an avid NBA bettor who loves a prop bet, particularly a favorable combo prop. Of particular interest in the betting space are long shots such as first-basket scorer, but nothing beats a triple-double prop. He loves to target plus-money props with educated and well-researched analysis to back up his picks. Zak holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from West Virginia University and roots avidly for his Mountaineers.