NBA Player Props: LeBron, Clingan, and Holiday Lead the Way for Thursday’s Action
The NBA All-Star Weekend is fast approaching, but there’s still meaningful basketball to be played. Thursday’s slate features three games, with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers facing off against the Dallas Mavericks as a marquee matchup. With key players like Cooper Flagg (foot) and Luka Dončić (hamstring) sidelined, all eyes will be on the 41-year-old James, and savvy bettors are taking notice. According to the latest NBA odds, the SportsLine Projection Model identifies several compelling player prop opportunities, including a strong lean on James to exceed his point total.
SportsLine’s Top NBA Prop Picks for Thursday
The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, has a proven track record of success, having returned over $10,000 in profit for $100 bettors on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. Currently, the model is on a 38-17 run on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Here are three of its top picks for Thursday:
- LeBron James (Lakers) Over 22.5 Points
- Donovan Clingan (Trail Blazers) Under 12.5 Rebounds
- Jrue Holiday (Trail Blazers) Under 6.5 Assists
LeBron James Set to Shine Against Mavericks
The model projects LeBron James will comfortably surpass his over/under of 22.5 points, forecasting an average of 25.8 points. Despite missing the first month of the season and playing slightly fewer minutes than last year, James remains remarkably productive. He appears to be gearing up for what could be his final NBA All-Star Weekend appearance. The Mavericks, currently 21st in the league in points allowed per game (117.3), will be without Cooper Flagg, further bolstering James’ potential for a strong scoring performance.
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Clingan’s Rebounding Numbers Expected to Dip
While Donovan Clingan has impressed in his rookie season, averaging 11.4 rebounds per game and leading the NBA in offensive rebounds (4.7 per game), the model anticipates a quieter night on the glass. The pick is for Under 12.5 rebounds against the Utah Jazz. Clingan has only grabbed 16 total rebounds in his last two games combined, and the Jazz are a solidly middle-of-the-road rebounding team. The model predicts Clingan will average just 10.4 rebounds in this matchup.
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Holiday’s Assist Total Projected to Stay Low
Jrue Holiday is averaging 6.5 assists per game, a three-year high, but the model suggests a lower output against the Jazz. The pick is for Under 6.5 assists. Holiday has recorded five or fewer assists in six of his last eight games and has averaged just 4.8 assists against the Jazz throughout his career. The model projects Holiday to finish with 4.9 assists on average.
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More NBA Picks Available at SportsLine
For those seeking additional insights, SportsLine offers against-the-spread, total, and money line picks for every game, all powered by the model’s 10,000-simulation process. NBA expert Mike Barner has also demonstrated success, boasting a 37-15 (+1934) record in his last 52 NBA player prop picks this season. His latest predictions are available at SportsLine.
