Today’s NBA Player Prop Picks: Adams Feasts Inside Against Lakers

It’s a light day in the NBA, with just three games on the schedule, but that doesn’t mean there is any less NBA betting value to be found in the player prop market.

Today we take a look at the red-hot Donovan Mitchell, who will try to light up the 76ers like a Christmas tree, and find out if the banged-up Grizzlies can still bully LeBron James and the Lakers in the paint.

Check out our NBA prop picks for Thursday, December 9, as we bank on some of the NBA's best to do their thing.

NBA player props for December 9

• Donovan Mitchell Over 3.5 made threes (+135)
• Steven Adams Over 7.5 points (+100)
• Jakob Poeltl Over 11.5 points (-120)

Picks made on 12/9/2021 at 12:10 p.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.

Today’s best NBA player props

Spida's range

Both the Utah Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers will be playing the second half of a back-to-back when the two teams meet at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly tonight. Both teams enter this game in a groove, with the Jazz winning five straight while the Sixers have won three in a row.

While it seems Joel Embiid and the Sixers have broken out of the funk they were in when he first returned from the COVID list, one area where they still struggle is defending the perimeter. Philly ranks 20th in the NBA in opponent 3-point percentage. 

So, what is one of the first things to slack in the second half of a back-to-back? Effort defending the 3-point line. And you can bet that the red-hot Donovan Mitchell will be ready to let it fly in Philly tonight. Bet on that is exactly what we’re going to do.

Mitchell has been on fire from beyond the arc lately. The Jazz guard is hitting 48.3 percent of his attempts from downtown over his last five games, hitting at least three in all five of those contests. Back him to go Over his made threes total against a Sixers’ defense that is lax on the 3-point line.

Pick: Donovan Mitchell Over 3.5 Made Threes (+135 at DraftKings)

Banking on banged-up Grizzlies

Talk about making the best of a bad situation. The Grizzlies had won five in a row despite being ravaged by injuries, including ones to Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke, and Kyle Anderson, but those injuries caught up to them in last night’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Now, things get tougher as the Grizz welcome LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to town for their second game in as many nights, but those injuries might provide some value in this matchup with the Lakers.

Grizzlies center Steven Adams has seen his minutes tick up, thanks in part to Clarke dealing with a knee injury. Adams is averaging just 7.1 points per game this season, but that has bumped up to 11.3 in the last three games with Clarke out.

Now, he goes up against a Lakers team that really struggles to defend the interior. The Lakers rank 23rd in the NBA in points allowed to opposing centers and next-to-last in opponent points in the paint. Bet on Adams to do some work on the inside and sneak Over his modest point total in this one.

Pick: Steven Adams Over 7.5 Points (+100 at DraftKings)

Poeltl to keep putting up points

Thursday night’s NBA slate concludes with a Western Conference showdown between the Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs.

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic has looked great for the Nuggets since returning from a wrist injury but we’re going to focus on another European big man for this matchup – the Spurs’ Jakob Poeltl. 

Poeltl is having a breakout campaign for the Spurs, averaging 12.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this season and we are going to take a hard look at his point total in this matchup against the Nuggets.

Denver ranks 17th in points allowed to opposing centers and has given up the fourth-most points in the paint this season. With Poeltl putting up 13 or more points in six of his last eight games, the Over 11.5 looks like a great bet in this game. 

Pick: Jakob Poeltl Over 11.5 Points (-120 at DraftKings)

Pages related to this topic