The 2022-23 NBA season rolls on tonight with a 10-game slate. Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets are set to face the Atlanta Hawks, and viewers will also be treated with a star-studded matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Below bettors can check out some of the best NBA player props and bets to make for Friday, Dec. 9.
PrizePicks NBA Player Props | Dec. 9
Kyrie Irving Over 31.5 Points/Rebounds/Assists
In what’s been an interesting season to say the least, Kyrie Irving is finally starting to look like his usual self on the basketball court. He has played in 10 games since coming back from his suspension. In those 10 games, he has a usage rate of 28.1%, just 2.4 percentage points less than superstar forward Kevin Durant during that span. Over his last seven games, Irving has really gotten back to playing his usual minutes. In that seven-game span, he’s averaged 38 minutes, 19 field goal attempts and 33.9 points/rebounds/assists per game. He has managed 38.3 points/rebounds/assists in three December games.
Tonight he and the Nets will face the Hawks, who rank in the bottom half of the league in points allowed. They are giving up 114 points per game on the season, and that number is even worse in road games. OddsShopper shows this bet at -117 on Caesars and has a 57% chance to win.
James Harden Over 36.5 Points/Rebounds/Assists
James Harden returned for the 76ers last game, and he was all over the court. He played 38 minutes in his return game and showed no sign of any limitations. The Philadelphia coaching staff is obviously comfortable letting Harden play his usual role and normal minutes, which really makes this prop intriguing. Bettors that are familiar with Harden’s ability can likely tell that this line is simply lower than it would normally be if he had been playing the entire season.
In his first game back, Harden recorded 32 points/rebounds/assists while shooting a putrid 4-for-19 (21%) from the field. For context, Harden has a 41.4% field goal percentage this season. Expect Harden to shake off some of the rust and to be ready for tonight’s matchup with the Lakers. Los Angeles is currently bottom 10 in the NBA in points/rebounds/assists allowed to point guards. The Lakers give up the third-most FanDuel points overall to point guards on the season, and tonight they get to face off against one of the league’s best. OddsShopper lists this bet at -120 on DraftKings with a 55% chance to win.
