Best NBA Prop Bets Today (Predictions for Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James and More)

A bunch of great players are in action on Thursday night in the NBA, and I’m targeting Steph Curry and LeBron James in today’s best NBA props column.

With eight games on the docket on Jan. 22, there are a ton of choices to make, especially with the San Antonio Spurs facing the weak Utah Jazz defense and the Denver Nuggets hitting the road to play the struggling Washington Wizards.

Betting on player props often comes down to finding the right matchups, and they are also a great way to bet on a game without forcing a pick on the total or spread.

Here’s a breakdown of Thursday’s picks, including the latest odds for each bet!

Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Jan. 22

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Kawhi Leonard OVER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (-142)

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is questionable on Thursday night, but he may be a great prop target if he returns from a knee injury that has cost him the last three games.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA as of late, ranking 25th in the league in defensive rating over their last 15 games. They are also just 18th in opponent 3-point percentage this season, which sets up well for one of my favorite props for Leonard this season.

Kawhi is taking a career-high 7.3 shots per game from beyond the arc, and he's knocking them down at an impressive 39.9 percent clip. Not only that, but Leonard had posted five games in a row with three or more made 3-pointers before going down with this knee injury.

Overall, the Clippers star has 17 games this season with three or more made 3-pointers, and he's shooting 42.5 percent from 3 on 9.1 attempts per game in the month of January.

Stephon Castle OVER 7.5 Assists (-115)

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why Castle is a great prop target against a struggling Utah defense:

San Antonio Spurs second-year guard Stephon Castle is having a great follow up to his Rookie of the Year campaign in the 2024-25 season.

The UConn product is averaging 16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, and I’m eyeing him to clear his assists prop on Thursday against the Utah Jazz.

Utah ranks dead last in the NBA in defensive rating, opponent points per game and opponent assists per game, making this an ideal matchup for Castle to rack up dimes. The Spurs guard is averaging 7.0 assists on 12.6 potential assists per game this season, giving him a clear floor when it comes to this prop.

He also has eight or more dimes in five games in a row, including an eight-assist game against Utah earlier this month. He should be able to replicate that performance with the Spurs looking to bounce back from a loss to Houston on Tuesday.

Steph Curry UNDER 4.5 3-Pointers Made (-134)

As crazy as it may seem, I’m fading Steph Curry in the Golden State Warriors-Dallas Mavericks matchup on Thursday night.

Curry is shooting 38.7 percent from 3-point range on an NBA-high 11.5 attempts per game, but I don’t love this matchup against Dallas.

The Mavericks are a top-10 team in defensive rating this season, and they rank No. 1 in the NBA in opponent 3-point percentage and No. 2 in opponent 3s made per game. Curry shot 4-for-8 from deep against the Mavs on Christmas, but he did not clear this prop.

Overall, the star guard has five or more made 3-pointers in just 15 of his 35 appearances this season. So, against arguably the best 3-point defense in the NBA, I think this line may be a little high on Thursday.

LeBron James OVER 12.5 Rebounds and Assists (-107)

Finally, another play I had in today’s Peter’s Points explains why LeBron James is undervalued against the Los Angeles Clippers:

After a bit of a slower start to the season, James has returned to his usual form, averaging 22.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game despite the fact that he turned 41 years old last month.

In the month of January, James is averaging 7.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game, clearing 12.5 rebounds and assists in eight of his 10 matchups. He's really come on in both departments with Reaves out, giving the Lakers a huge playmaking boost.

For the season, James is averaging 9.6 rebound chances and 12.0 potential assists per game, giving him a pretty solid floor when it comes to this prop.

Since he's averaging over 15 rebounds and assists per night this month, I think he's a steal at this number against the Clippers.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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