Best NBA Player Props Today: Cunningham Lights Up Raptors

Prop bet #1: Can't stop Cade

The Detroit Pistons just broke the all-time losing streak for an NBA team with their 27th straight defeat, and on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors, they have a chance to set the record for a losing streak in North American pro sports.

Unless Cade Cunningham has anything to say about it. While this incredibly ugly Pistons season has been used to heap criticism on the former No.1 overall pick, Cade has used a situation that would have mentally broken most players to fuel his game.

In turn, Cade has transformed into the kind of star that might one day lead the Motor City to more than just a playoff berth. He’s been playing at a superstar level for weeks now, it’s just understandably flown under the radar.

Over his last five games, Cunningham is averaging 33 points on 56.9% from the field and 50% from deep. He’s found a much better balance of late between attacking the rim, working the midrange, taking threes, and getting to the foul line. 

The Raptors are also on a back-to-back after playing the Boston Celtics. With Cade's determination to end the streak growing with each passing game, I think these Cade Cunningham odds are much too low.

Cade Cunningham prop: Over 25.5 points (-120 at DraftKings)

Prop bet #2: Buddy breaks 'Bockers

The New York Knicks' defense has fallen off a cliff since their strong start to the season. Once solidly in the Top-5 in defensive efficiency, they find themselves all the way down to 16th and falling per Cleaning the Glass.

In part, that’s because defensive anchor Mitchell Robinson has been lost for the season, but part of the issue also stems from their decision to bench their best perimeter defender Quentin Grimes in favor of the more offensively-minded Donte DiVincenzo. It was a worthy gamble because Donte is a natural offensive fit with the starters, but minimizing Grimes has left the Knicks bereft of players who can actually navigate a screen.

That’s likely to be compounded on Saturday as the Knicks face the Indiana Pacers while recovering from a grueling game against the Orlando Magic from last night, which is why I think there’s solid value against these Buddy Hield odds. The Knicks always struggle with elite 3-point shooters, and the state of their current defense is all but guaranteed to exacerbate the problem.

Hield is shooting 41.5% from downtown over his last five games and has hit four or more in all but one of those games as well. 

Buddy Hield prop: Over 3.5 threes (+135 at Unibet)

Prop bet #3: Count on Collins

John Collins has not made as big of an impact for the Utah Jazz as many hoped. He was the forgotten man on the Atlanta Hawks, but at times has flashed a well-rounded game at the forward spot that seems to fit in every system. 

But that changed as Collins’ 3-ball began to desert him. Now Collins is a more system-dependent player, but that’s also led some to undervalue some of his actual core strengths like rebounding.

Collins is still 6-foot-10 and incredibly athletic. He’s in the middle of what would be one of his best rebounding seasons when taking into account his work on both the defensive and offensive glass. He’s averaging 7.5 boards over his last 10 games, and he’s had eight or more in five of those games. 

The Miami Heat are a strong defensive rebounding team, but they all but concede the offensive glass entirely. With the way that Collins likes to attack the glass, I think that more or less comes out as a wash. 

That and the Heat have practically their entire team listed as questionable or doubtful for Saturday’s game, with a variety of ailments that should see at least some core guys miss out.

While it goes on the stat sheet as an individual accomplishment, keeping an opposing big man off the boards takes a full team effort, so I’m taking the Over on these John Collins odds.

John Collins prop: Over 5.5 rebounds (-148 at Unibet)