Tuesday’s hoops slate features eight contests, and tonight’s best NBA player props include picks on a pair of rookie big men establishing themselves in Year 1.
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Tonight’s Best NBA Player Props | Tuesday, March 7
Walker Kessler Over 2.5 Steals Plus Blocks
As long as Kessler’s defensive odds are reasonable, we’re going to highlight them. Kessler is establishing himself as one of the league’s premier rim protectors, evidenced by the 24 shots he rejected over his last six games. We’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the Mavericks’ ability to protect the basketball and avoid blocked shots. However, we still like Kessler to do enough defensively to reach the Over.
Kessler has faced Dallas three times this season and recorded at least 25 minutes in two of those contests (he recorded four minutes in the other). He reached the Over in both of those instances. He’s averaging 30.3 minutes per game over his last 10, so he’ll likely log the necessary floor time to record at least three blocks-plus-steals.
Walker Kessler Over 10.5 Points
Kessler is riding a streak of three straight double-figure scoring performances and averaging 11.2 points over his last 10. Dallas is not particularly good defensively, and they’re far from rugged inside. The Jazz won’t run offense through Kessler, but he’s efficient enough with his opportunities to reach 11 points on Tuesday night.
Lauri Markkanen Over 6.5 Points 1st Quarter
Dallas’ mediocre defense isn’t restricted to the paint. And a look at the Mavs’ roster doesn’t reveal an individual perimeter defender equipped — on paper at least — to consistently pester the athletic 7-footer.
Markkanen sat out Sunday’s contest, so in theory, he should be relatively fresh and ready to hit the ground running. Look for him to receive the touches and shots to reach seven first-quarter points.
Mark Williams Over 2.5 Rebounds 1st Quarter
We’re certainly not predicting that the Hornets will visit Madison Square Garden and snap the Knicks’ win streak. However, this is a letdown spot for the Knicks after they delivered an emotional double-overtime victory over the Celtics in Boston. And while the Knicks rank sixth in offensive rating, they rank bottom third in field goal percentage.
Williams’ emergence since entering the starting lineup is one of the few bright spots for the Hornets. If the Knicks do ultimately experience a sluggish start, Williams should be able to establish his presence on the glass.
Mikal Bridges Over 23.5 Points
Bridges is taking advantage of his new environment and settling into his role as the Nets’ primary scorer. He reached the 30-point plateau in three of his last four games on the strength of quality volume and stellar efficiency (36-for-62 overall, 9-for-17 from three).
Houston owns the second worst defensive rating in the league, and dropped 11 straight before winning two games against the Spurs. The Nets are 6-point road favorites, so the suggestion is the Nets, and by extension Bridges, should be able to put together a nice performance.
Note: Odds for props and lines are subject to change leading up to and throughout a game. Check the best NBA betting sites for the most recent prices.
