Looking at Tuesday's nine-game NBA schedule from a zoomed-out perspective, I noticed that no teams enter the game on the second leg of a back-to-back, but seven teams start a back-to-back set.
That means the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors will all play again on Wednesday.
I'm hesitant to grab certain lines knowing these teams have impending back-to-backs. In those games, the blowout factor has a higher chance of resulting in skewed minutes and rotations, as teams may save legs for the second night in some cases.
I have gone 7-0 over the last three days on Action Network picks, so let's see if we can replicate the recent success.
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NBA Player Prop Picks for Tuesday
In the table below, you'll find each of Michael Fiddle's top player prop picks for Tuesday's slate of games. Click on any pick or team logo to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Time (ET) | Player Prop |
|---|---|
| 7 p.m. | |
| 9 p.m. | |
| 10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | |
Bucks vs. Wizards
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Under 34.5 Points
A go-to bet of the night is going to be Giannis Antetokounmpo overs without Damian Lillard active against the Wizards.
However, when you do a deep dive into the numbers, Giannis' average points don't increase without his wingman — they dip. Antetokounmpo averages only 23 points per game in contests without Lillard.
If we look at the schedule, the Bucks are starting a back-to-back set where they have to travel back to Milwaukee after playing in D.C. on Tuesday.
If the Bucks get out to an early lead, Giannis' usage may dip here. We also have the game total dropping from 231 to 228, with Dame already listed as out.
This means we can expect less scoring and a slower pace, so let's play into that impacting the Greek Freak's output.
Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo Under 34.5 Points (-120)
Cavaliers vs. Jazz
Darius Garland
2+ 3-Pointers
The game total for Cavaliers-Jazz is spiking, opening at 211 and ballooning all the way to 216. That's a huge swing, and we already have news that Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, and John Collins will all be out for the Jazz.
I tend to think this is a game where the Cavaliers continuously push the pace, and Darius Garland has been shooting recently. He's become more of the focal point of the offensive attack since Donovan Mitchell's return.
While the public may look to play Mitchell in his return to Utah, I look at Garland to have more usage on the first night of the back-to-back set.
Pick: Darius Garland 2+ 3-Pointers (-175)
Clippers vs. Kings
Kawhi Leonard
Over 24.5 Points
The Clippers and Kings face off in an incredibly important battle for Western Conference seeding on Tuesday.
The Clippers are the vastly superior team and want to secure the fourth seed to stay on the opposite side of the playoff bracket as the Nuggets. When the Clips have a sense of urgency, the team defers to Kawhi Leonard.
In this matchup, Kawhi will be able to take advantage of a young Keegan Murray as his main defender and Domantas Sabonis, who doesn't offer the best rim protection.
In a game where the pace should be quick and scoring should be plentiful, look for Kawhi to put up 25-plus in some small-ball Clippers lineups.
Pick: Kawhi Leonard Over 24.5 Points (-120)
