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NBA Player Prop Picks Tonight | Kyrie Irving, RJ Barrett
While almost anything Kyrie Irving does for the Mavericks will be upstaged by Luka Dončić, the combo guard has quietly been on a tear lately. Irving has pushed past this line in each of the last seven games.
While tonight’s matchup is tough on paper, the Celtics' weakness defensively this season has been against the pick-and-roll ball-handler, to whom they allow the sixth-most points per game. The pick and roll is Irving’s most common play type and the bread and butter of the Mavericks' offense.
While Irving only netted 23 points in his last outing against Boston, he did so after spraining his thumb on the first possession, an injury that subsequently kept him out for two weeks.
Dončić will run the show for the Mavericks — there’s no denying that. However, against teams in the top half of defensive efficiency this season, Irving has cleared this line in 13 of 20 games.
Pick: Kyrie Irving Over 24.5 Points (-113) | Play to 25.5
Since the dust settled from the Raptors' overhaul at the trade deadline, RJ Barrett has evolved into Toronto’s new go-to guy. Since the trade to send Pascal Siakam to the Pacers, Barrett is averaging a team-leading 21.1 points per game and is second in usage at 24.4%.
In Barrett’s 17 games as a Raptor in which he’s played at least 30 minutes, he’s cleared this line 13 times. That includes a 37-point outburst against the Warriors back in January.
Seemingly in the clear from a knee injury that plagued him a few weeks ago, having played 35 minutes in the Raptors' last game Wednesday, the Duke product should see his normal workload today. And with the Warriors coming off a game last night in New York, I see the Raptors keeping this game close.
While Golden State has ramped up its defense in recent weeks, it lacks a big man in the middle to offer rim protection. Barrett leads the Raptors with 12.3 drives per game since the Siakam trade and should be able to capitalize when he gets to the bucket.
I see Barrett leading the offensive charge for Toronto tonight and have the fifth-year pro projected at 23 points.
Pick: RJ Barrett Over 20.5 Points (-113; Play to -130)
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