It is trade deadline day in the NBA, and the Indiana Pacers may make more changes to their roster. However, they already made a big addition when they acquired Pascal Siakam a few weeks ago. Siakam has helped lead the team to consecutive victories, and the Pacers will look to extend that streak to three with the Warriors in town.
The nightcap on TNT features a rematch of the Western Conference Finals when the Nuggets visit the Lakers. That means Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic will square off in a battle between two of the best big men in the league. It may be Jokic who has the better all-around game tonight.
Let's dive into my top two NBA player props for Thursday, February 8.
NBA Player Props Today: Picks for Thursday, Feb. 8
Pascal Siakam Over 21.5 Points (-122)
7 p.m. ET | NBA League Pass
Since joining the Pacers, Siakam is averaging 22.3 points per game. Over the last eight games, he has boosted that average to 24.1 points per gam as he has hit this line six times in that span. The last five games coincide with Tyrese Haliburton's return. Even while on a minutes restriction, Haliburton elevates the Pacers' entire offense.
Haliburton played 29 minutes on Tuesday and may be getting closer to his regular rotation, which is good news for Siakam. He will be facing a Warriors team that is mediocre at defending power forwards. Siakam may be guarded by Draymond Green at times, but Green has spent more time at center of late. Additionally, the Warriors have allowed 21 points to Jalen Johnson (twice), 18 points to Saddiq Bey and 27 points to Jaren Jackson Jr. in the last two weeks.
Siakam is averaging 21.3 points in his last three games against the Warriors, and those all came when he was still with the Raptors. With the Pacers, he has scored 25 points in four of his past eight games, including each of the last two. On FanDuel, he is +150 for 25 points and +420 for 30 points tonight.
Nikola Jokic Over 20.5 Rebounds + Assists (-128)
10 p.m. ET | TNT
Nikola Jokic has won two MVPs and is the betting favorite to win his third this season. However, even by his standards, he has been on a dominant run of late. Last Monday, he had 16 rebounds and 12 assists against the Milwaukee Bucks. He followed that up with 22 rebounds and 12 assists against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Jokic is averaging 14.1 rebounds and eight assists (22.1 combined) over his past 10 games. He has hit this line in seven of his last 10 games and finished with 20 in another. He is averaging 12.2 rebounds and nine assists per game this season, so an average game from him would exceed this line.
The books see a stalemate on the glass in this matchup with Anthony Davis with each of their rebounding lines set at 12.5 on FanDuel and 11.5 on DraftKings. I am tacking on the assists here because Jokic is a nightly threat to get a triple-double. Jokic is averaging 12.4 rebounds and 10 assists in his last five regular season games against the Lakers after clearing this line in three of them.
Additionally, the Lakers are unveiling the statue for Kobe Bryant tonight, which may lead to a spirited effort. The Nuggets are just 3.5-point favorites tonight, and a competitive game will mean Jokic plays his full complement of minutes and help his chances of clearing this line.
