We have two NBA player props for this Friday, and our staff of basketball betting experts is focused on some key players who could be in line for noteworthy performances in tonight's marquee matchup between the Cavaliers and Bucks. Tipoff from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV.
Read below for our NBA player prop picks for Friday, December 20.
NBA Player Props: Friday, Dec. 20
- Darius Garland Over 19.5 Points (-115, FanDuel)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 6.5 Assists (-150, DraftKings)
Darius Garland Over 19.5 Points (-115)
Bucks vs Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. ET
By Joe Dellera
Darius Garland and the Cavaliers take on the Bucks today in a potential let-down spot for Milwaukee after they won the NBA Cup.
Darius Garland has an exploitable matchup even without Damian Lillard’s defense on the other side of the ball.
Garland has been solid this season, he is averaging 20.3 points per game, and has exceeded this 19.5 line in 54% of games. He scored 11 and 39 against Milwaukee earlier this year, but even in the 11-point game the shot volume was still there.
The Bucks have been susceptible to strong point guard scoring options, and even though they limited Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they allowed Trae Young (35), Jalen Suggs (32), and Dennis Schroder (34) to go off in the past two weeks.
I’ll back Garland to have a strong showing tonight.
Pick: Darius Garland Over 19.5 Points
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 6.5 Assists (-150)
Bucks vs Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the best distributors in the league with Damian Lillard off the floor this season, with a massive 43.3% assist rate in the 272-minute sample.
In the three games Lillard has missed for Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo averaged 8.7 assists on 17.3 potential assists. He averaged 68.7 passes per game, compared to 53.6 in 20 games with Lillard available.
For context on Antetokounmpo's assist numbers without Lillard, Trae Young leads the league with a 46.2% assist rate. Four players (Young, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Cade Cunningham) are averaging more than 8.7 assists per game.
Young is the only player averaging 17+ potential assists per game. Jokic, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jalen Johnson are the only players averaging 69+ passes per game.
Cleveland is not an easy matchup. They're 9th in defensive rating, 9th in assists allowed per game, and 10th in opponent assisted field goal rate. However, you can beat them from beyond the arc. The Cavs have allowed the 7th-highest 3-point percentage. That's typically where Milwaukee generates their assists.
The Bucks have the 2nd-lowest assisted field goal rate on 2-pointers, which is an Antetokounmpo stat. They have the 12th-highest assisted field goal rate on 3-pointers though. Antetokounmpo driving and kicking out to shooters is a key component of this offense.
Lillard's absence understandably brings down Antetokounmpo's assist efficiency, but he makes up for it with a massive increase in volume. He should get plenty of chances against the Cavs tonight.
Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 6.5 Assists
