It’s hard to believe we’re already past the halfway point of the season, but NBA All-Star Weekend and the trade deadline are fast approaching.
With 10 games scheduled for Wednesday, there are plenty of options available in the PrizePicks lobby.
Let’s find the winner.
Brandon Miller (Hornets vs. Bulls) 21.5+ points
Miller got his small break in late January. He has now cleared this mark in five of his last seven games. But why did something like this happen to the rookie now?
Now, with former teammate (and recruiting giant) Terry Rozier being traded to Miami over a week ago, the door opens for Miller to take more shots and play additional minutes. It was written.
LaMelo Ball is also questionable for Wednesday night’s game against the Bulls, while teammates Gordon Hayward and Mark Williams remain sidelined.
Without supporting players on the court, Miller has seen a significant increase in usage rate this season at 6.3%, averaging 23.23 points per 36 minutes.
But if you reduce that sample size to just the last two weeks, he averaged 25.85 points per 36 with an excellent usage rate of 29%.
This game has a narrow spread so you don’t have to worry about getting a flat.
Chicago allows the fewest points in the paint in the NBA, but unsurprisingly, they also make the second-most 3-point attempts per game. The Bulls chose to pack the paint, but they can’t cover the entire floor.
Miller is averaging a team-leading 8.5 3-point attempts per 36 minutes over the past two weeks without his four inactive teammates (including Ball).
Miller’s biggest challenge will be staying out of foul trouble, which doomed him in several games earlier this month. If he can get through the first half without fouling, he should be able to play the full minutes allotted to him and have a great chance of surpassing that number.
Domantas Sabonis (Kings vs. Heat) less than 18.5 points
Despite Miami’s recent struggles, the Heat will be a tough matchup for Sabonis, who has been out of form lately. However, he has had success against several cupcake opponents in January.
Miami has given up the 10th fewest points in the paint this season, but more importantly, the Heat are grabbing just 9.5 offensive rebounds per game, third-best in the union. It’s about being there.
Sabonis ranks seventh in offensive rebounds per game this season. With one of his biggest strengths negated, I think he’ll get one or two fewer hits against Bam Adebayo and his guys.
Brook Lopez (Bucs vs. Trail Blazers) 1.5+ blocks
This could be a great spot for Lopez against Portland. If you’re looking for bigger payouts, it’s okay to get a little carried away with hitting the 2.5 number.
Lopez is averaging 2.8 blocks per game this season. The Trail Blazers are allowing 3.38 blocks per game to opposing centers.
Offensively, Portland ranks 12th in drives per game, with a low passing percentage and high turnover rate (on drives), both of which rank in the top 10.
The ball should have been very close to Lopez throughout this game, but the Blazers were not efficient in the paint.
