Thursday’s PrizePicks NBA predictions went well, hitting two of our three picks, with Kawhi Leonard falling one point short of our more than pick. Today, we have an eight-game slate with multiple rematches from Tuesday, including Pistons-76ers, Lakers-Spurs, Hawks-Raptors, and Grizzlies-Rockets. The highest total of the night, at 258, belongs to Pacers-Wizards, while the Suns’ big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are all back as they take on the Knicks in Phoenix. However, to start tonight’s picks, I’m looking at rookie Brandon Miller in the Hornets-Pelicans matchup.
Selecting the right projections may be challenging, but with the assistance of OddsShopper’s NBA PrizePicks Optimizer and thorough research, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the best PrizePicks NBA picks for Friday!
NBA Player Predictions | Dec. 15
Brandon Miller M/L 2.5 3-PT Made
This is the first time I’ve written up Brandon Miller this season, but maybe not the last. The rookie has come on strong since LaMelo Ball got hurt two weeks ago. Miller is averaging 14.2 points per game and shooting 40% from three in his first season. Over the last 10 games, he’s improved his 3PT % to 46%. More recently, without Ball, he’s averaging 3.2 3-PT makes on 7 attempts, which is great timing for tonight’s matchup against the Pelicans.
New Orleans is allowing 15.3 3-PT makes over their last 10 games, the second most in the NBA. For the season, the Pelicans are allowing 39.9 3-PT attempts per game, the most in the NBA. In a pace-up spot as seven-point underdogs, the Hornets will get plenty of 3-PT opportunities in this one. Miller takes advantage of an ideal game environment for this pick.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Brandon Miller More Than 2.5 3-PT Makes
Kyles Kuzma M/L 24.5 Points
Kyle Kuzma is in a great position to surpass his points projection tonight. The Wizards are 8-point home underdogs against the Pacers in a game we should see little defense. The Wizards rank 30th in defensive rating while the Pacers rank 28th. The Pacers also allow the second most points for forwards, making this a favorable matchup for Kuzma.
Kuzma is averaging 23.3 points per game on one day of rest, the highest of all his rest splits. What I really like about this matchup is how vulnerable Indiana’s paint defense is. They allow the most points in the paint in the NBA, while Kuzma leads the Wizards with 12.4 PIP over the last 10 games. We are also getting good value here, as most other operators have this projection at 25.5.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Kyle Kuzma More Than 24.5 Points
Buddy Hield M/L 14.5 Points
Another pick from the Wizards-Pacers game, Buddy Hield finds himself in a good spot to reach 15+ points. We just discussed the pace of this game and how bad the defense is, so let’s look more into Buddy. After coming off the bench to start the season, Hield has started the last five games, averaging 30.3 minutes per game. He’s averaging 12.9 points per game and has recorded eight games of 16 or more points, including a 31-point effort on November 22. He lives and dies by the three, with more than half of his field goal attempts behind the arc.
The Wizards are allowing the second-highest opponent 3P% over the last 10 games and rank 20th on the season. Although I’m confident in my research, I like to verify my predictions using OddsShopper’s Positive EV Bets. When checking Buddy Hield, I saw that most books have the juice on the over, while some have this projection listed at 15.5.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Buddy Hield MoreThan 14.5 Points
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.
