Welcome back to the Best NBA PrizePicks Player Predictions, Thursday edition. As we do on most Thursdays, we have a small slate with just two games tonight. The Miami Heat will host the Brooklyn Nets in the early game followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on the Golden State Warriors in the night cap. There are multiple starters out in both games including Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, Tyler Herro, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green.
Picking the right projections can be a tough task, but with the help of OddsShopper’s NBA PrizePicks Optimizer and some diligent research, we have you covered. After a successful 3-for-3 night, let’s dive into the best PrizePicks NBA picks and player projections for Thursday, starting with Bam Adebayo.
PrizePicks NBA Player Predictions | Nov. 16
Bam Adebayo, M/L 43.5 Fantasy Score
With Tyler Herro out, Bam Adebayo is the biggest beneficiary on Miami. Already averaging 1.35 fantasy points per minute on the season, this number jumps to 1.46 without Herro. I have him projected for 34 minutes tonight.
The Nets are averaging 15.7 turnovers per game over their last three games without Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons while the Heat rank fourth in steals with 9.1 per game. Bam is averaging 1.4 steals and 2.2 over his last five games which ranks ninth in the NBA. At 23 ppg, 10 rpg and 34.7 mpg, Bam is in great position to surpass this fantasy score tonight!
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Bam Adebayo More Than 43.5 Fantasy Score
Jaime Jaquez Jr., M/L 17.5 Fantasy Score
The Miami Heat are 2-point favorites over the Brooklyn Nets but I suspect them to win this game easily. The Nets were third in offensive rating after their first four games but in their last three games without Ben Simmons and Cam Thomas they are just 21st. Poor Nets offense will lead to steals and easy buckets for the the Heat and Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Rookie has been a nice addition to reining Eastern Conference Champions. In three games without Tyler Herro he’s averaging 28.9 fantasy points in 34.5 minutes. Caleb Martin who has been out all season is available to play tonight which could be why this number is so low but I’m not expecting Martin to get more than 20 minutes his first game back. I’m projecting Jaquez to play at 25-28 minutes and at .89 fantasy points per minute he’s a lock to get more than 17.5 tonight.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Jaime Jaquez Jr. More Than 17.5 Fantasy Score
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, M/L 50.5 Fantasy Score
The Thunder are 3-point favorites against the depleted Warriors who will play without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) has led OKC to a 7-3 record scoring 33.1 points per game over his last five. The Warriors defense without Draymond will have a problem containing the Thunder and their fourth fastest pace in the NBA. SGA is averaging 1.5 fantasy points per minute on the season and 54 per game. I have him projected for 35 minutes tonight giving him more than 51 fantasy points!
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander More Than 50.5 Fantasy Score
Two-pick power plays and five-pick flex plays have the most expected value. If you’re looking for more picks, check out our PrizePicks Optimizer.
