The NBA schedule is limited on Friday night with just six teams taking the hardwood, so in the interest of spreading the love and finding value across the board, I've selected one player prop from each contest for your betting pleasure.
Here's a look at the three expert player props in question, including veteran power forward Bobby Portis hitting the OVER on his scoring prop (-115) without Damian Lillard by his side on December 20, 2024 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bobby Portis OVER 12.5 Points vs Cavaliers (-115)
Preview: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday marks the fourth time this season that Lillard won't be available for the Bucks, as he'll be sitting out the festivities at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with a strained groin injury.
In two of those outings, as Portis was absent for one, the 29-year-old power forward ranked second on Milwaukee in scoring and second in shot attempts behind Giannis Antetokounmpo with averages of 19 points on 16 attempts in just 21 minutes per game. It remains to be seen whether or not he'll enter the starting lineup, but should that be the case, the upside here increases exponentially.
Portis is already averaging a double-double of 15 points and 13.3 rebounds across the Bucks' two losses to Cleveland earlier in the season, although he did hit the UNDER in the first meeting with just 10 points, although that can be attributed to Lillard dropping 41 points and Antetokounmpo adding 34 of his own.
Tyler Herro UNDER 3.5 Made 3-Pointers vs. Thunder (+100)
Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat, 8 p.m. ET
I may choose to regret this bet should Tyler Herro chuck up another 17 3-point attempts like he did against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 16, but for now, it's full speed ahead.
Yes, Herro has reached the OVER with four or more triples in three-straight games, four of his last five, and in more than half (14) of his total games played (24), but if there's any team that can bring that level of production down, it's the Oklahoma City Thunder. The visitors on Friday hold opponents to a league-best 33.1 percent shooting from behind the arc, and the 12.5 conversions are also the fourth-fewest overall.
Herro only competed once last season against the Thunder and shot just 1-of-5 from the perimeter. Neither roster is that much different from what it was a year ago, so should history repeat itself, Herro could be in store for another icy performance.
Paul George To Make 4+ 3-Pointers vs. Hornets (+180)
Preview: Charlotte Hornets vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. ET
There's nothing quite like getting a Charlotte Hornets team at home on the second night of a back-to-back slate that just lost to the putrid Washington Wizards.
It's not as though someone like Paul George needed a weak and weary Hornets team to thrive against them once again, though. In two games versus Charlotte earlier this month, the nine-time All-Star shot a combined 12-of-18 from 3-point range and made exactly six triples each time.
Projecting another four 3-pointers on Friday is actually a safe assumption when glossing over his numbers, and the Hornets allow the 22nd-most triples to opponents at 13.9 per game.
