NBA Player Props and Best Bets: Trae Young, Kawhi Leonard & More Picks for Friday

The new NBA season is only a few days old, but the early signs are that it will be one of the most dramatic of all time.

Both games on Thursday night went to extra time, including a Finals rematch between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, as OKC went to double-overtime for the second time in two games in their 141-135 victory.

The Golden State Warriors took down the Denver Nuggets in the late game, although Aaron Gordon dropped a career-high 50 points for the losing side.

The majority of the league is back in action on Friday, and there are ample opportunities to find the best betting picks and player props the NBA has to offer. Here are my best NBA bets for Oct. 24.

Best NBA Prop Bets for Friday, October 24

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Trae Young Under 23.5 Points (-122) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Young put up 22 points but only shot 35.7 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from three in the Atlanta Hawks’ season debut against the Toronto Raptors, a 138-118 loss. I still believe the Hawks will be a strong team and that Young is a great player, but his role on this team is due to undergo an evolution.

There are lots of capable scorers and ball-handlers in Atlanta now, such as Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels, Kristaps Porzingis, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Young likely won’t dominate the shot volume like he did in years past, and he’s facing the excellent defense of the Orlando Magic, which is why I like his under.

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Kawhi Leonard Under 21.5 Points (-122) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers looked exactly like what they are: old. They fell to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, 129-108, while Leonard was kept to 10 points on 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 20 percent from deep.

Leonard scored 12, eight, and six points in his first three appearances last year and only averaged 21.5 points, his fewest since his final year with the San Antonio Spurs. The Clippers have too many mouths to feed with James Harden, Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, Chris Paul, Ivica Zubac, and others, and Leonard’s scoring should take a hit.

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Michael Porter Jr. Under 2.5 Threes (+116) at FanDuel Sportsbook

You never know what you have until it’s gone. That’s the lesson that Porter Jr. learned in the Brooklyn Nets’ season-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets, 136-117, during which he was held to 12 points on 2-7 shooting from downtown.

Porter Jr. is a career 40.6 percent three-point shooter and made 2.4 threes per game—however, that came while playing with Nikola Jokic, the best passer in the game, and a player who demands so much attention from opposing players that it leaves cracks in the defense. The Nets don’t have a table-setter like that on their roster, which means Porter Jr. will get much less space to get off his shots.

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Ausar Thompson Under 11.5 Points (-114) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Thompson is a phenomenal gap-filler for the Detroit Pistons and put up 11 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in the team’s opener. However, the key stat there is his points, which were under his projected line and right around his three-year career average of 9.4 points.

Thompson is going against his twin brother, Amen, and the Houston Rockets’ phenomenal defense. It’s unlikely that this will be the opponent against which he breaks out, especially since Houston does a phenomenal job of controlling the glass and limiting second-chance opportunities that Thompson is great at capitalizing on.

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Deandre Ayton Under 12.5 Points (-112) at FanDuel Sportsbook

After listening to JJ Redick on television, on his podcast, and during his press conferences as the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach, I believe that I have a good sense of the types of players he likes and the style of basketball that he wants to play. Ayton does not fit either mold, since he is a low-motor and limited player who doesn’t make great decisions or show a real desire.

Ayton had 10 points in 34 minutes against the Golden State Warriors, who have a much smaller lineup than the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, and the rest of the Wolves are physical players, and Ayton only averaged five points against them last year.

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