The Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls haven’t had the seasons they have hoped for. Both teams rank outside the top 10 in the Eastern Conference and have an uphill battle to secure a bid to the play-in tournament. But despite everything that has gone wrong in Chicago, Alex Caruso remains a fantastic defender. Bettors hunting out the best bets for Thursday’s Hornets-Bulls action should tail this NBA player prop at Caesars — they have left too much value on the LaMelo Ball player prop markets. Check out OddsShopper’s tools for other sharp plays.
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Best Hornets-Bulls NBA Player Prop | LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball Prop O/U 32.5 Points + Assists
The Charlotte Hornets have leaned heavily on LaMelo Ball this year. The third-year point guard is averaging 23.1 points and 8.3 assists per game, slightly below this number, and has gone over this total in just one of his last three appearances. That includes a 15-point, 8-assist game against the Chicago Bulls in Charlotte.
Chicago’s defense has excelled against opposing point guards all year, especially with Alex Caruso in the lineup. The Bulls have allowed the fourth-fewest points per game (22.4) and ninth-fewest assists (8.1) to point guards this year. They have allowed the second-fewest points (18.7) and 17th-fewest assists (8.9) to the position through the last seven games.
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Strong defensive play by Alex Caruso explains the team’s success against the position. Caruso leads the NBA in defensive RAPTOR rating (+6), far ahead of noteworthy defensive specialists like Rudy Gobert (+4.6) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (+3.7). Caruso spent a full two minutes lined up against Ball in Chicago’s last meeting with Charlotte and limited him to zero points and assists.
Most books haven’t opened the player prop markets for LaMelo Ball. However, Caesars Sportsbook is already taking action on them. Ball’s points prop sits at 24.5 and his assist prop at 8.5, although the juice is stacked on the under for both plays. Bettors can better secure value by playing the under on the combo prop. New users at Caesars can secure a no-sweat first bet of up to $1,250!
Best NBA Hornets-Bulls Player Prop: LaMelo Ball Under 32.5 Points + Assists
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