Welcome to the best PrizePicks NBA player predictions, Thursday edition. Tonight brings us the NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals from Las Vegas. Action tips-off at 5 p.m. ET with Pacers-Bucks, followed by Pelicans-Lakers at 9 p.m. ET. The Bucks are 5-point favorites over the Pacers in a game with a 257 total, while the Lakers are 2-point favorites over the Pelicans, and that game has a 231 total. These knockout games have been very entertaining, and I expect more fun basketball tonight. What can make it more fun? Winning some money on PrizePicks. Let’s get to the picks, starting with Damian Lillard.
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 NBA picks and player projections for Thursday, Dec. 7.
PrizePicks NBA Player Predictions | Dec. 7
Damian Lillard M/L 44.5 Fantasy Score
The Bucks rank fifth in pace and are in a pace-up spot against the Pacers. After listening to an interview with Lillard, I could tell he wants to win this tournament. In the five In-Season Tournament (IST) games the Bucks have played, Lillard is averaging 46.2 fantasy points. The only game he failed to sur 44.5, was against Charlotte, where he played just 30.7 minutes in a 31-point blowout win. I don’t anticipate a blowout for either side tonight, and Lillard should play 35-plus minutes. At 1.21 fantasy points per minute in a pace-up spot, he will get to 45 fantasy points tonight.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Damian Lillard More Than 44.5 Fantasy Score
LeBron James M/L 43.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (PRA)
Since this is the inaugural IST, it’s one of the few NBA awards LeBron has not won in his 18-year career. You can see the urgency and excitement he’s playing with in these games, and I expect that to continue tonight against the Pelicans. His PRA average in the five IST games is just 42.4. However, against Memphis and Utah he played just 23 and 24 minutes, respectively, both major blowouts where he didn’t see the floor in the final 16 minutes of either game. This being an elimination game with a tight spread of just 2 points, LeBron is likely to play 40 minutes. In his last five games playing over 40 minutes, he’s cleared this number with ease.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: LeBron James More Than 43.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
Giannis Antetokounmpo M/L 60.5 Fantasy Score
It’s been a while since all three guys in this article were studs, but in a Semifinal win-or-go-home situation, we get lucky. Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 1.60 fantasy points per minute, and barring any foul trouble, he’ll likely play 38 minutes tonight. Simple math, that puts him at 60.8. In just 33 minutes against the Knicks, he recorded 64.5 fantasy points in what was a major pace-down spot and a tough matchup.
This game has the highest total of the year (maybe highest ever) at 257, and Giannis should take full advantage of this pace-up spot. The Pacers allow the most points in the paint (PIP) making this a dream matchup for Antetokounmpo, who averages 20.8 PIP, a league best. When you put the best against the worst, you get fireworks!
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Giannis Antetokounmpo More Than 60.5 Fantasy Score
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