After a lengthy absence, Khris Middleton will return to the Milwaukee Bucks. Middleton hasn’t played in an NBA game since Milwaukee’s playoff series against the Chicago Bulls last April. The Bucks sorely missed him in their next playoff series against the Boston Celtics, to whom they fell seven games. Bettors looking for a sharp NBA player prop for tonight’s action should tail the one below — or check out either OddsShopper’s tools or Stokastic’s player projections for other sharp plays.
Best Lakers-Bucks Prop Bet | December 2
LeBron James O/U 2.5 Made 3’s
With the Lakers lacking true shooters, LeBron James has had to step up from the perimeter. James recorded a career high in 3-point attempts last season and is on pace for a similar performance this year. He hasn’t been the most accurate long-distance shooter — James averaged 2.9 makes per game last year and is averaging 2.4 this year — but the volume has been there.
One injury is likely to lead LeBron to pull up more frequently tonight than usual. Wing Lonnie Walker IV, who ranks second on the Lakers in made 3-pointers (33), is questionable for tonight’s game. He missed Wednesday’s contest against the Portland Trail Blazers, forcing James to step up from beyond the arc. James went 6-for-8 from deep in that game, and he was 4-for-9 from deep in the only other game he played without Walker.
The Milwaukee Bucks aren’t a great matchup, but they have been vulnerable to bigs who can shoot from above the break. Milwaukee has allowed the fourth-most made 3’s to power forwards per game (2.7) and the 16th most to centers (0.9). The Bucks have also surrendered the 12th-most above-the-break 3’s per game (9.3). The Lakers have used James mostly as a power forward, and he leads the team in above-the-break 3’s made (2.1) and attempted (6.7) per game.
Best NBA Player Prop: LeBron James 3+ Made 3’s (-135 for 0.67 Unit) at FanDuel
