Unfortunately, yesterday didn’t go our way with NBA PrizePicks predictions, as both Draymond Green and Nikola Jokic were ejected early in their games. Today, we have a nine-game slate with plenty of props to help us bounce back to our winning ways.
The night tips off in Detroit as the Pistons aim to avoid their 21st straight loss, playing as 12-point home underdogs against the 76ers at 7 p.m. ET. The night will close out a bit early, with the Knicks-Jazz matchup in Utah tipping off at 9 p.m. ET. The Knicks are 6-point road favorites against a team that struggles against bigs.
Selecting the right projections may be challenging, but with the assistance of OddsShopper’s NBA PrizePicks Optimizer and thorough research, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the best PrizePicks NBA picks and player projections for tonight, starting with Joel Embiid.
PrizePicks NBA Player Predictions | Dec. 13
Joel Embiid M/L 17.0 First Half Points
Joel Embiid gets to hand the Pistons their 21st straight loss tonight as the 76ers roll into Detroit as 12-point favorites. Detroit will be playing without Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley III, leaving 6-foot-8′ Isaiah Stewart to guard the reigning MVP. Embiid’s full-game prop is listed at 33.5 points, but I just don’t know if he will play enough to get there. There’s big blowout potential in this one, with Embiid at risk of not playing the fourth quarter.
Embiid ranks second in the league with 16.5 first half points per game, and over the last 10 games, he’s up to 18. Detroit ranks 25th in opponent points in the paint (PIP) and 28th over their last 10 games. There is no one to even contain Embiid today, and he will go for 25 in the first half.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Joel Embiid More Than 17 First Half Points
Julius Randle M/L 24.5 Points
The Knicks are 6-point road favorites in Utah with a 227.5 total. Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen are listed as probable for Utah, while John Collins was just ruled out. The Jazz have been in the bottom 10 in opponent PIP all season, making this a favorable matchup in a pace-up spot for Julius Randle.
Randle is averaging 22.0 points per game but has seen a recent increase in production over his last five games, jumping to 28.8. In his last 10 games, he’s averaging 13.2 PIP, ranking 10th best in the NBA. Mitchell Robinson is out for New York, giving Randle more opportunities for offensive rebounds and easy put backs.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Julius Randle More Than 24.5 Points
Khris Middleton M/L 29.0 Fantasy Score
The training wheels are off for Khris Middleton after having a minutes limit for his first 17 games. He’s played 30 and 33 minutes in the previous two games and seems to be free from the shackles. He gets a favorable matchup in a pace-up spot against the Pacers tonight. The Bucks are 6-point home favorites with a whopping 258.5 total. These teams played in the semi-finals of the In-Season Tournament a week ago, with the Pacers prevailing 128-119. Middleton recorded 36.4 fantasy points in 30 minutes.
Middleton has always been a solid fantasy points-per-minute player and is averaging 1.15 this season. He gets 30+ tonight against Indiana, who ranks 28th in defensive rating.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Khris Middleton More Than 29 Fantasy Score
Two-pick power plays and five-pick flex plays have the most expected value. If you’re looking for more picks, check out our PrizePicks Optimizer.
