NBA Player Props Today: Best Bets & Predictions for Friday (1/17)
What kind of performances can we expect on Friday from Jimmy Butler, Ja Morant, and Devin Vassell? Follow along as our NBA betting expert, Nick Galaida, breaks down three of his favorite NBA prop bets for today — Friday, January 17, 2025. Get all of Nick’s picks, including more NBA player props, at ScoresAndOdds.
Happy Friday! Basketball fans have an exciting 9-game slate on tap to begin the weekend. This evening’s action is highlighted by an ESPN doubleheader, beginning with the Magic against the Celtics at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by the Grizzlies against the Spurs. The league has the added drama of Jimmy Butler’s controversial return to the Heat, which could be worth keeping an eye on.
As always, be sure to monitor the league’s injury reports throughout the day and utilize tools like CourtIQ and our NBA starting lineups page to help identify value opportunities in the betting and DFS markets!
If looking to target the player prop market today, we have three player prop leans worth considering for Friday, January 17th!
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NBA Player Props Today – Friday, January 17, 2025
- Jimmy Butler Over/Under 14.5 Points
- Ja Morant Over/Under 7.5 Assists
- Devin Vassell Over/Under 19.5 Points
Jimmy Butler UNDER 14.5 Points (-110, FanDuel)
Jimmy Butler is expected to return to the floor tonight for Miami following his 7-game suspension. Yet the negative energy surrounding Butler hasn’t seemed to dissipate in any capacity. In his last 2 games with the team, Butler took a total of 11 shots across 52 minutes of playing time. Ahead of tip off tonight, he hasn’t played in 15 days and appears no more eager to take the floor on Friday than he did earlier this month. There is added uncertainty related to his conditioning and to his role on the team, with multiple public reports citing anonymous players who don’t want him back in the locker room. This is certainly a speculative play in many regards, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see Butler play a very minimal role tonight.
Ja Morant UNDER 7.5 Assists (-111, FanDuel)
Ja Morant burned us earlier in the week on this same prop, but he has the same matchup against the Spurs tonight – only this time on the road. This season, Morant has gone over this number only 5 times in 11 road contests.
Despite allowing 129 points to Memphis on Wednesday, there is little doubt that San Antonio is genuinely improved on the defensive end of the floor compared to where they were last season and earlier in this campaign. The Grizzlies are unlikely to shoot 50% from the floor or 42% from 3-point territory again this evening. Some negative regression could go a long way in helping this wager to cash.
Devin Vassell UNDER 19.5 Points (-120, BetMGM)
Devin Vassell enters play having scored 21+ points in consecutive contests, but it’s worth noting that he shot 8 for 15 (53.3%) from 3-point territory in those games, something that is likely unsustainable for too long given that he’s 36.8% from deep for his career. Vassell has the added difficulty tonight of facing the same team for the second game in a row. Memphis struggled to contain him on Wednesday, but the Grizzlies rank in the top 5 in defensive efficiency this season and are capable of making effective adjustments in the rematch. The under is worthy of consideration.
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