There were only four NBA games played Thursday, with a number of impact players listed on each team’s injury report.
We have to work around that a little bit, but we also have the potential to take advantage of players stepping into bigger roles.
So let’s take a look at some of my favorite predictions to target on Thursday night’s NBA PrizePicks.
Donte DiVincenzo (Knicks vs. Pacers) 18.5 points or more
Julius Randle remains out for the Knicks’ last two games with a shoulder injury. He is averaging 24.0 points per game with a usage rate of 29.5%.
DiVincenzo played an even bigger role in the past two games without Randle, playing at least 39 minutes in each game. He scored 28 points against the Hornets and 33 points against the Jazz.
It’s worth noting that OG Anunoby also missed those two games and is once again listed as questionable on the injury report.
This projection is too low for DiVincenzo if Anunoby misses the game. And even if Anunoby plays, I still hope DiVincenzo beats this prediction.
According to Roto Grinders’ CourtIQ tool, DiVincenzo has a 27.2% usage rate off the floor with Randle (and recently traded RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley) this season.
This usage rate is 6.9 points higher than his season average and ranks second on the team (among regular rotation players) behind Jalen Brunson.
DiVincenzo is averaging 24.6 points per 36 minutes this season with Randle, Barrett and Quickley out.
Plus, he got one of the best matchups in the league against Indiana. The Pacers are playing at his second-fastest pace in the NBA, and his defense ranks him just 26th in his rating.
And the last time the teams met in late December, DiVincenzo led the Knicks with 38 points.
Donovan Mitchell (Cavs vs. Grizzlies) 27.5 points or more
Evan Mobley and Darius Garland each returned from injuries this week, but both should remain on limited minutes for this game. That means the majority of the scoring burden will once again fall on Donovan Mitchell.
Mobley has appeared in two games since returning from injury, but he hasn’t played more than 22 minutes.
Garland returned Wednesday and played just 20 minutes.
Mitchell is launching a new All-NBA campaign.
This season, he’s averaging 28.2 points per game on 32.4 percent usage, including a 45-point performance against the Pistons.
The Cavs will play a very undermanned Grizzlies team tonight.
Not only will Memphis be without star players Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, but they will also be without a number of other key rotation players.
Mitchell should continue to dominate the Cavs’ roster, and there’s a good chance he’ll exceed expectations.
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Tobias Harris (76ers vs. Jazz) 23.5 points or more
Joel Embiid leaving again with the Sixers means Harris will be used a lot more frequently.
According to RotoGrinders CourtIQ, Harris has a 25.3% usage rate off of Embiid this season, nearly five points above his season average.
Harris ranks second in usage on the Sixers behind Embiid off-the-floor Tyrese Maxey, who has missed the past three games and was listed as questionable on the injury report for this game. There is.
If Maxey is sidelined or limited, Harris’ usage is expected to be even greater. Again, according to CourtIQ, Harris expects his own usage rate to jump to 27.7% this season with both Embiid and Maxey off the floor.
In addition to the injury situation, the Sixers have a great matchup against Utah ahead of them. The Jazz play at the ninth-fastest pace in the NBA, but rank just 24th in defensive rating.
Harris should be the main contributor on offense alongside Maxey, and he would be the top option on offense if Maxey misses a game.
