Best NBA player props for Monday's slate: Butler sets the table in Miami

The NBA is certainly not holding back today with 12 games on the slate. Among them we get to see a rematch of last years Eastern Conference finals as the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Atlanta Hawks. Elsewhere the Chicago Bulls will be trying to take down the Memphis Grizzlies, who have just seen the longest winning streak in franchise history come to an end.

You can find our full game previews here. But for now let’s take a look at some of my favorite props for today’s games.

Jimmy Butler over 6.5 assists (-114)

The Miami Heat have confirmed that Kyle Lowry will be unavailable for them tonight, leaving the team short of playmakers. This means Jimmy Butler will have more responsibility running the team. It is something he should be more than capable of doing. He is 2nd on their roster in assists per game and has a combined 19 in his last 2 outings. With Lowry sitting, those numbers should be inflated further. The Heat should have a size advantage in the paint tonight in either Bam Adebayo or Omer Yurtseven. That will give Butler a clear targets for which to aim. The Raptors play a very high-pressure defense which can at times be susceptible to back door cuts. It should ensure Butler has plenty of ways to get his teammates involved.

Be sure to check out our full game preview for Toronto Raptors vs Miami Heat.

Ivica Zubac over 6.5 rebounds (-108)

With Myles Turner out for the Indiana Pacers, Ivica Zubac will be left to deal with Domantas Sabonis. That should ensure he is kept more than busy in the paint, as Sabonis ranks 10th in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game. He is not a threat from deep either, having made just 1 3-pointer in his last 3 games. This will then leave Zubac to focus on limiting his production under the basket and to stop Sabonis from dominating the boards. Zubac should be capable of doing just that. He has a slight height advantage over Sabonis and has recorded at least 7 boards in 6 of his last 8 games. With the teams 18th and 23rd in the league in true shooting percentage, expect plenty of misses. Zubac should win enough of the rebounding battles for the over to hit.

Be sure to check out our full game preview for Indiana Pacers vs Los Angeles Clippers.

Trae Young over 2.5 made threes (-118)

In the first meeting between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young was on fire. He dropped 42 points thanks to 8 makes from beyond the arc. Young should be able to continue to torment them here tonight, too. The Bucks are yet to sort out their issues defending the perimeter. They are still allowing the second-most 3-pointers per game in the NBA. Jrue Holiday remains out for the team, which deprives the team of a lengthy defender in the backcourt that could affect Young’s shooting. He has hit this line in each of his last 2 games, and if he gets anywhere close to the 13 attempts that he had in the first meeting, I’d expect for at least 3 of those shots to drop.

Be sure to check out our full game preview for Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks.

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