Best PrizePicks NBA Player Picks Today: Value on Grant, Claxton, and Williamson
We’ve got a nice little 7-game NBA slate on tap for Friday night, and, as always, there’s money to be made over on PrizePicks.
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NBA PrizePicks Predictions Today
Jerami Grant More Than 21.5 Points + Assists
This is quickly turning into a lost season for the Trail Blazers, which isn’t a huge surprise following the offseason trade of Damian Lillard. Portland is on the fast track to a rebuild, though there are still quite a few capable veterans populating the roster. One of those is Jerami Grant, who figures to attract some trade interest ahead of the deadline.
The versatile forward is averaging 21.4 points and 2.4 assists on the season for Portland. He’s been a bit overshadowed offensively since the return of Anfernee Simons, but we have still seen a few big games out of Grant. He scored 30 points on 14-for-26 shooting from the field in the Blazers’ win over the Nets on Wednesday, for example.
The issue with Grant is the lack of ancillary stats. He’s averaging a paltry 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game so far in January. So, his shots will have to be falling in order for him to total more than 21.5 combined points and assists tonight against Indiana. Fortunately, the spot is about as good as it gets, as the Pacers are still just 26th in the NBA in defensive efficiency so far this season.
- Play: Grant – More Than 21.5 Points + Assists
Nic Claxton More Than 2.5 Blocks + Steals
Not a lot has gone right for the Nets so far this season, but the play of Nic Claxton has been a bright spot. Brooklyn’s unheralded center is one of eight players in the league averaging a points-rebounds double-double on the year, and he’s also become one of the game’s better defensive big men.
Claxton is averaging more than 2 blocks per game for the 2nd season in a row, while he’s also contributing 0.6 steals a night. He’ll certainly have his work cut out for him tonight, as the Nets will head to LA to take on Anthony Davis and the Lakers. While Brooklyn is an underdog here, this is still a solid spot for Claxton, given the Lakers’ turnover issues. Los Angeles is averaging the 9th-most turnovers of any team in the league while they’re allowing the 4th-most steals.
The Lakers also feature several players who generate most of their offense by driving to the rim, which plays right into Claxton’s hands as a shot-blocker. Taking the Nets’ center to top 2.5 combined steals and blocks makes plenty of sense in this spot.
- Play: Claxton – More Than 2.5 Blocks + Steals
Zion Williamson Less Than 10.5 Rebounds + Assists
Remember when Zion Williamson was one of the game’s most hyped prospects? Plenty of the shine has worn off on the heels of a few injury-ravaged seasons, and the numbers say he’s a fairly one-dimensional player at this point. Zion is averaging nearly 22 points per game on efficient 59% shooting from the field, but he’s not contributing much else. He’s a poor rebounder for a power forward (5.8), though his current assist average (4.7) is the highest of his career.
Tonight, the Pels will play host to the Suns in a fun matchup between Western Conference contenders. Williamson has upped his assist average to 5.1 so far in January, but his rebounding has taken a hit. Zion’s grabbing just 4.3 rebounds per game since the calendar flipped to 2024. Brandin Podziemski, Max Strus, and RJ Barrett are among the luminaries grabbing more boards per game than Zion so far in January.
We will see Williamson spike the occasional big assist game – he dished out 9 in his most recent outing, for example – but that’s the exception more than the rule. Our model likes Zion to total less than 10.5 combined rebounds + assists here against Phoenix.
- Play: Williamson – Less Than 10.5 Rebounds + Assists
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