Today’s NBA Player Prop Picks: Ja Delivers Well-Rounded Outing

Despite the fact there are just five games on the NBA board tonight, there are a couple of fantastic matchups, and you know we're going to have player props for them.

None are bigger than Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors visiting Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Will Curry bust out of his shooting slump with one of the Bucks’ best defenders sidelined?

Check out our NBA player prop picks for Thursday, January 13, as we bank on some of the NBA's best to do their thing.

NBA player props for January 13

• Curry Over 4.5 made threes (+120)
• Morant Over 12.5 rebounds + assists (-120)
• Valanciunas Over 11.5 rebounds (-120)

Picks made on 1/13/2022 at 11:50 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.

Today’s best NBA player props

Splash cash

We get an awesome matchup between title contenders and MVP odds favorites on Thursday night as Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Warriors were already one of the best teams in the NBA and now they are working Klay Thompson back in the mix, but they have lost three of their last four. The defending champion Bucks have also hit a bit of a rough patch, losing four of their last five.

While this is a potential NBA Finals matchup, the Bucks will be missing a key piece in this one. Point guard Jrue Holiday is still nursing an ankle injury and is doubtful for this game. Holiday is one of the best guard defenders in the NBA and not having him to slow down Steph Curry could be a problem.

Curry has been in a bit of a shooting slump of late, going just 8-39 (20.5%) from 3-point range over his last four games. But that just means we are getting some value with his made threes prop today.

The number is set at 4.5, a number he eclipsed 16 times in his previous 20 games before his current slump. Now, he faces a Bucks team without its best perimeter defender in Holiday, not to mention backup George Hill (a solid defender in his own right) and you are giving me plus money? Sign me up. 

Pick: Steph Curry Over 4.5 made threes (+120 at DraftKings)

Side pieces

The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in the NBA, having won 10 games in a row and they have of course been fueled by the MVP level of play from star guard Ja Morant. They’ll go for No. 11 when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves in a Western Conference showdown Thursday night.

Morant has played nine of the 10 games during this winning streak and has been outstanding. The Grizzlies point guard is averaging 27.9 points while shooting 52.2 percent from the field. But he is doing it all for the Grizz.

Morant is also averaging 6.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds during the winning streak and now he gets a nice number against a Minnesota team that gives up a bunch of rebounds and assists. 

The T-wolves rank 21st in the NBA in rebounding percentage and 22nd in opponent rebounds per game, while at the same time ranking 24th in opponent assists per game.

Morant’s rebounds + assists prop sits at 12.5 for this matchup, a number he has eclipsed five times in his last nine games. He also put up 14 rebounds + assists in one of the earlier meetings against Minny this season.

Look for Morant to continue to fill up the boxscore with more than just points this one.

Pick: Ja Morant Over 12.5 rebounds + assists (-120 at DraftKings)

Hunger for boards

The Los Angeles Clippers visit the New Orleans Pelicans in a matchup of Western Conference teams trying to turn their seasons around. The Clippers snapped a three-game losing streak by winning their last two while the Pelicans have won two of three.

While oddsmakers expect this to be a fairly close game with a 3-point spread, the Pels should have one sizeable advantage in this matchup: on the boards. 

The Clippers are one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA, ranking 27th in rebounding percentage and opponent rebounds per game. Meanwhile, New Orleans ranks third in rebounding percentage.  

So, that means one thing. Give me all the Jonas Valanciunas rebounds in this one.

Valanciunas averages 12.1 rebounds per game this season and has pulled down 12 or more boards 19 times in his 38 games played, including in three of the last four.

Valanciunas has also bullied Los Angeles on the glass, averaging 14 boards in two games against the Clippers this season. Bank on more of the same from JV in this one and take the Over on his rebounds.

Pick: Jonas Valanciunas Over 11.5 rebounds (-120 at DraftKings)

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