All but six teams are taking the hardwood across the NBA on Monday night, so getting off to a hot start in the player props market should be more straightforward with a slew of games to pick from
Here are three expert player prop picks to gloss over, including an UNDER on a PRA wager of 33.5 (-104) for Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant at Madison Square Garden on January 27, 2025.
Ja Morant UNDER 33.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists vs. Knicks (-104)
Preview: Memphis Grizzlies vs. New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET
The Grizzlies' depth (second in bench scoring) can often times be a detriment to Morant's individual production, although surely he doesn't mind it with the team thriving as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference at 31-15. He's already missed 19 games this season due to injury, and his minutes per game have dipped from 35.3 in 2023-24 to now 28.5, which explains why his numbers have seen a steady decline across the board.
His prop for a combination of points, rebounds, and assists is set at 33.5 against the New York Knicks, and Morant has fallen UNDER that mark in each of his last three appearances, five of his last seven, and nine of his last 12. New York also allows the second-fewest rebounds to the opposition when competing at home (40.4) and the ninth-fewest assists (25), as well.
Now his last three UNDERs did come at home, and he has gone OVER in his past two road outings, but the Knicks have held the likes of De'Aaron Fox, Trae Young, and D'Angelo Russell in check on the offensive end as of late and appear ready to add Morant to that list son enough.
De'Aaron Fox UNDER 28.5 Points + Assists vs. Nets (-102)
Preview: Sacramento Kings vs. Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET
Speaking of Fox, the Sacramento Kings floor general is currently in the midst of a cold shooting streak as he's failed to convert better than 40 percent from the field in each of his last six games at an overall clip of 31.8 percent and 25.8 percent from 3-point range. This has resulted in five-straight lines with 20 or fewer points after Fox hadn't scored less than 23 in his 10 prior appearances.
Adding assists to the mix for this combination prop creates some space for an UNDER to get notched here, especially since Fox is averaging fewer dimes than teammates Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis over the last 10 games. Fox has gone UNDER this mark of 28.5 in six-straight games and seven of his last eight, with his only saving grace on Monday being that the Brooklyn Nets gave up a 31-point, five-assist performance to him back on Nov. 24 of last year.
Daniel Gafford OVER 27.5 Points + Rebounds vs. Wizards (-104)
Preview: Washington Wizards vs. Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. ET
We've underestimated Daniel Gafford once before and won't be doing it again, especially when factoring in the laundry list of injuries plaguing the Dallas Mavericks which continues to grow. On top of Luka Doncic (calf) and Dereck Lively II (ankle fracture) being out for the foreseeable future, Maxi Kleber will now miss time with a broken right foot, and Naji Marshall (illness) and Dwight Powell (hip) will sit on Monday against the visiting Washington Wizards.
Gafford has averaged a double-double of 18.5 and 10.8 rebounds with four double-doubles since entering the Mavericks' starting lineup six games ago, and those numbers would be even higher if not for a pair of humdrum showings against the league-best defense of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Wizards are the polar opposite of Oklahoma by allowing more points per 100 possessions than any other team while ranking 30th in points to opposing centers and 29th in rebounds to opposing centers. Considering Gafford played in the nation's capital for four years before being dealt to Dallas, it's highly likely he'll want to put a beat down on Washington as a former player of theirs and make the most of his extended role.
