NBA

3 NBA Player Prop Bets to Target on Thursday 5/6/21

Player props can be useful in a variety of ways, from taking advantage of them straight up (to the tune of cold hard cash) to measuring a player's potential to produce in daily fantasy basketball. Here we'll focus on utilizing our projections and a slew of other tools to help make money betting player props.

For this article, we are using the odds provided at NBA Finals odds to pinpoint spots where value can be had tonight.

Please note that betting lines and our player projections may change throughout the day after this article is published.

Kevin Durant Over 4.5 Assists (-134)

The Brooklyn Nets-Dallas Mavericks game should be a high-scoring affair. The total is up at 234.0 points, and both squads are in the bottom 10 in defensive efficiency for the year.

In nine games this season with Kyrie Irving but without James Harden and Caris LeVert, Kevin Durant has a 33.1% usage rate and has averaged 4.8 assists per night. He's had five-plus assists in two of his past three games, including a 10-dime outing against the Indiana Pacers.

Our model has Durant dishing out 5.0 assists tonight.

Ivica Zubac Over 6.5 Rebounds (-122)

The Los Angeles Lakers have really limited rebounds for opposing big men since Andre Drummond arrived, giving up the third-fewest boards per night to centers over their last seven games (12.6).

But this rebounds line for Ivica Zubac is just too low.

Zubac has snagged at least seven boards in six straight outings and is averaging 7.3 per night for the season. He's been held to six or fewer rebounds in just three of his past 13 games, and he's never been under six in any contest in that stretch.

Our projections have Zubac pulling down 8.5 rebounds today.

Stephen Curry Under 6.5 Made Three-Pointers (-156)

Going under on a Stephen Curry made threes prop is always scary, but it looks like the right play here.

Curry and the Golden State Warriors should trounce the Oklahoma City Thunder today as the Dubs are huge 14.5-point favorites. That, however, may help the under on this bet hit as OKC might not keep this game competitive. The Thunder have losses of 57, 21 and 20 points over their last seven, and this game definitely means more to Golden State, who are fighting for a playoff berth.

In wins this season, Curry is averaging only 5.8 made triples per game. Admittedly, Curry has made six-plus treys in three straight games, but our algorithm projects him to make just 5.5 threes today.