After last night's tilt that featured only two games across the league, most of the NBA is back at it with 11 matchups scheduled for tonight with plenty of player props to sift through.
The first several days of the season have brought valuable insight into which players you can put your faith in to show up daily. We explain why you should focus on stars in New York, New Orleans, and Chicago in our three favorite free NBA player prop picks for October 21.
NBA player props for October 21
Picks made on 10/20/2022 at 12:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
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Today’s best NBA player props
The odds widgets below represent the best odds currently available for each betting market at regulated sportsbooks.
Rebounds for Randle
There were several positives that the New York Knicks can take from their 115-112 OT loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. The timely scoring of Cam Reddish and the offensive organization Jalen Brunson brings to an offense are examples: however, what stood above the rest was the star performance from Julius Randle.
Randle looked like the guy awarded the second-team All-NBA honors during the 2019-2020 season. Instead of settling for low-efficiency shots, Randle was a willing passer, a more competent scorer, and he's always been a tough rebounder.
The Knicks were a Top-5 rebounding team last season due to Randle's strong rebounding from the forward position, grabbing 9.9 per game. Detroit, still a young team learning how to play with one another, might lift last year's rebounding effort (sixth worst per game in the NBA last season) but I'd expect Randle to crash the Boards in a big way Friday night and look to secure a win for New York.
Julius Randle Prop: Over 9.5 rebounds (+108)
No stopping the Zion train
Another player that is looking to get his career back on track is none other than the former No. 1 pick Zion Williamson. Wednesday night's tilt against the Nets was a glimpse at how dominant Williamson can be when healthy and on the court. In 30 minutes of action, he scored 25 points with relative ease, bulldozing through defenders and displaying his generational combination of athleticism and strength.
Charlotte had an excellent start to their season, winning big in San Antonio. That's not the focus here, though. For all the Spurs' defensive struggles, offensively, they were able to produce 58 points in the paint. Charlotte doesn't have anyone to slow down Zion from getting into the paint early and often (does anyone?). I feel comfortable with Zion following up Wednesday's strong start with an even more dynamic scoring performance.
Zion Williamson Prop: Over 24.5 points (-108)
DeMar dialled in
Last season saw the return of Demar Derozan as a significant player in the NBA. After three not-so-amazing years in San Antonio, the former Raptor great showed the league he has plenty left in the tank, as he was a serious MVP candidate for most of the season. The 33-year-old is amongst the older stars in the NBA, but if Wednesday against the Miami Heat was any indication, he's got plenty left in the tank. In 36 minutes, DeRozan scored an impressive 37 points.
To score 37 points against anyone is impressive, but scoring that much against a Miami Heat that ranked fourth best in points allowed last season makes that much more meaningful. DeRozan takes on Washington tonight, who gave up 22.3 points per night on average against shooting guards last season. Last season, DeMar averaged 25 points per game against the Wizards, including a 32 and 28-point performance. I like the 14-year veteran to keep the momentum going and score in bunches tonight.
DeMar DeRozan Prop: Over 27.5 points (-106)
