Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat host the Utah Jazz on Monday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. EDT / 5:30 p.m. MDT. The Heat are favorites in the game, which features a point total set at . KJ Martin and the Houston Rockets welcome the visiting Boston Celtics on Monday, March 13 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. The Celtics are favorites in the game, which features a point total set at . Below, we’ll go over NBA player props for Monday night.
Find NBA odds here and use our player props search tool to find the best odds on your favorite players. Follow TheLines.com on Twitter for more NBA betting content.
Jazz At Heat Player Props
Bam Adebayo Under 29.5 Points + Rebounds
Here are Adebayo’s core points, rebounds and assists props for the game against the Jazz:
- Points: Over/Under /
- Rebounds: Over/Under /
- Assists: Over/Under /
The Miami Heat play host to the Utah Jazz tonight in a matchup between two teams currently slated to participate in the Play-In Tournament. Miami left Utah with a 126-123 victory in their first and only meeting this season, a much higher affair than the expected set for tonight’s total.
That’s partly why I like Bam’s Unders tonight, but mostly because he just hasn’t been reaching this prop of late. Over his last 10 games, Adebayo is averaging just 18 points and six rebounds over 34 minutes per game and he’s only topped this prop once against the Atlanta Hawks’ porous interior defense.
This Utah Jazz defense is a slightly different story, especially since they inserted Walker Kessler into the starting rotation. After starting the season as one of the worst defenses in the league, the Jazz now look more like the teams that gave Adebayo trouble during his recent dip in production: the 76ers, Cavaliers, and Knicks, who are all top 10 in defending the painted area this season. Utah has been just slightly below those teams over its last 10 games, ranking 12th in limiting its opponents points down low when they play away from home.
There’s also a clear correlation between the Jazz’s improved ability to guard the opposing Center and Walker Kessler’s increased minutes. Through Utah’s first 54 games of the season it was ranked in the bottom five in points, rebounds, and assists allowed to opposing Centers per game. During that time, Kessler averaged 20 minutes per game, contributing roughly 8 points, 7 rebounds, and two blocks a night. In the team’s last 14 games since the trade deadline, Kessler has upped his minutes by 50% up to 30 per contest, now providing 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per night. As a result, the Jazz are now either first or second-best at limiting opposing Centers in points, rebounds, and assists.
Combine all that with the Heats’ recent additions of Forwards Kevin Love (21 minutes a night in nine games with Miami) and Cody Zeller (13 minutes per night) and there should be a few less rebounds to go around tonight.
Josh Lander is up more than 18 units betting NBA player props on the season with co-host Nate Weitzer on the NBA Coast 2 Coast podcast. Give him a follow on Twitter, @jlboogy
Editor’s Note
Celtics At Rockets
KJ Martin Over 12.5 Points OR 17.5 Points + Rebounds
Here are Kenyon Martin Jr’s core points, rebounds and assists props for the game against the Celtics:
- Points: Over/Under /
- Rebounds: Over/Under /
- Blocks: /
It’s not expected to be an overly competitive affair when the underdog Houston Rockets host the Boston Celtics on Monday night. However, one player you can alway bank on bringing the energy is Houston’s starting Power Forward, KJ Martin.
The undersized Martin has been playing above his expected stat lines for the last nine games, averaging 16 points per game and 5.5 rebounds during that time, all on 32 minutes per game. That’s a notable increase to the 12 points per game he’s averaging over the full season, thanks at least in part to the extra five minutes per contest he’s been playing (he’s averaging about 27 minutes per contest on the season).
He’s also had success in this matchup, averaging 13.5 points in just 27 minutes in his last four meetings with the Celtics. It’s not surprising when you consider how Martin gets his points and where Boston’s defense is the weakest. During his recent surge, Martin is scoring 11.6 points per game in the paint and 5.3 points off of a fast break. Both are the highest on a Rockets team that is first in the league in points in the paint and second in fast break points over its last nine games. These are all areas of concern for the Celtics, who have been in the bottom half of the league in points allowed in the paint and fast break points over the last few weeks.
Don’t be surprised if Boston tries to cake-walk through this one against a Lottery-bound Houston side, either. Since returning from the All-Star break, the Celtics are just 3-2 while on the road, allowing 119 points per game.
