The NBA is back in full swing following last weekend’s All-Star Game and we’ve got a jam-packed Sunday schedule with 10 games on the go.
My NBA picks for Sunday, February 23 will look for Anthony Edwards to continue his scoring tear, Kevin Durant to take advantage of weak Raptors defense, and Franz Wagner to pick up a bucketful of boards.
Best NBA player props today
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Anthony Edwards Over 28.5 points (-115 at bet365) -
Kevin Durant Over 25.5 points (-110 at bet365) -
Franz Wagner 7+ rebounds (+100 at bet365)
NBA player props for February 23
Anthony Edwards Over 28.5 points (-115 at bet365)
Former first-overall pick Anthony Edwards has taken yet another step in his development this season, but the Minnesota Timberwolves guard has been on another planet since the start of February.
Edwards is averaging a league-best 34.7 ppg this month — about seven more than his season average. The oddsmakers haven’t caught quite onto his scoring surge just yet, so taking the Over on 28.5 against the Oklahoma City Thunder is a no-brainer for me despite OKC’s strong defense.
The Timberwolves star has scored 30+ points in six of his last nine outings — a stretch which includes three consecutive 40+ point games earlier this month.
We’ve seen Edwards take a more selfish approach lately as his field goal attempts per game have jumped all the way up to 26.4 in February — more than five above his average this year. That should come as no surprise given that both Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo remain sidelined, leaving Naz Reid as Minnesota’s second-best scoring option (yikes).
That said, I expect another high-volume approach from Edwards, who has still managed to shoot nearly 40% from the field even with his increased output.
Kevin Durant Over 25.5 points (-110 at bet365)
The Phoenix Suns opened as a slim underdog against the Toronto Raptors for tonight’s game, but I’m expecting Kevin Durant to do some damage vs. a weak Toronto defense.
The Raps rank 25th this season in opponent points per game (116.6) and have been even worse defensively over the last couple weeks, giving up 120+ points in five of their last seven and 130+ in two of those contests.
Those defensive woes go hand-in-hand with the absence of Jakob Poeltl, who hasn’t played since February 4. The Raptors center has been one of Toronto’s best defenders this year with a team-leading 6.6 defensive boards and 1.3 blocks per game. Poeltl is still questionable with a hip injury, which could leave a gaping hole in Toronto’s defense.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Durant has been consistent as ever, chugging along with 27.2 points per game this season to lead the Suns. Durant has dropped 27+ points in four of his last five games and 34+ points in two of those outings while shooting nearly 60% from the field this month.
Franz Wagner 7+ rebounds (+100 at bet365)
Franz Wagner is known for his scoring touch, and rightfully so, but the small forward has also stepped up his game on the glass as of late.
Wagner is averaging 6.3 boards per game in February — his highest total in a month this season — and has snagged at least seven boards in four of his last five games, including a season-high 12 rebounds against the Spurs on February 8.
I foresee the Orlando Magic forward racking up plenty of boards again tonight as they tip off against the lowly Washington Wizards.
Not only do the Wizards rank dead-last in the NBA standings, but they’re also one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. Washington ranks 30th in opponent rebounds per game (47.9) and 29th in opponent defensive rebounds per contest (35.8).
To make matters worse for the Wizards, they traded away two of their top three rebounders at the deadline in Jonas Valanciunas and Kyle Kuzma, who combined for 14 boards per game.
With Washington’s already-weak team looking even more depleted, Wagner should have no problem grabbing 7+ rebounds tonight.
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NBA odds today
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