The 2022-23 NBA season rolls on, and there are some solid matchups on deck tonight. The Knicks and Warriors are set to square off in Madison Square Garden, which will be followed by a night cap in Denver between the Grizzlies and the Nuggets. Below bettors can check out some of the best NBA player props and bets to make for Tuesday, Dec. 20.
PrizePicks NBA Player Props | Dec. 20
R.J. Barrett Under 23.5 Points
It’s been a strange year for Barrett, as he simply hasn’t been able to score the ball consistently. He’s averaging 19.4 points per game on the season on 41% shooting from the field and 30% shooting from 3-point range. His usage rate is third among Knicks starters this year, and he hasn’t been at one of the team’s top two scorers, as both Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are averaging more points than he is. Barrett has looked better over his last five games, as he’s averaged 25.2 points per game over that span, but the line has moved as well.
A week or two ago, this line sat around over/under 19.5 points pretty consistently, and it’s since jumped up 4 points. Barrett managed to record 24 or more points in just five of the 20 games before this most recent five-game stretch.Tonight he and the Knicks will face the Warriors, who are extremely capable of putting together a solid defensive game plan against wings, as they typically struggle more against bigs.
OddsShopper shows this line at over/under 22.5 on most sportsbooks. On Caesars, the odds for under 22.5 points are listed at -140, which means the odds for under 23.5 points have significant value.
Nikola Jokic Over 46.5 Points/Rebounds/Assists
Jokic has looked more and more like himself over the last couple of weeks. Since the beginning of December, he has played in eight games and has averaged 53.7 points/rebounds/assists per game. Over his last five games, he has had a usage rate of 37% and has averaged 59 points/rebounds/assists per game because of it. No starter other than Jokic has had a usage rate of 23% or higher over that time frame, which goes to show how dominant he has been recently.
He has another opportunity tonight to stuff the stat sheet against the Grizzlies, considering Michael Porter Jr. is doubtful and Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are questionable. Jokic has played in two games without Murray this year, averaging 39 minutes per game and 53 points/rebounds/assists per game. This matchup tonight has a point total of 235.5 and a 2-point spread, which means it’s fair to expect a competitive and high-scoring game — two things that should help Jokic hit this over.
OddsShopper lists this play at -122 on FanDuel, but those odds will likely look even better if the Nuggets rule any players out.
