Today’s NBA Player Props for March 18, 2024

The VegasInsider NBA Player Prop Picks are now available for the 2023-24 NBA regular season and for the campaign, we're leaning on our friends at RotoGrinders.

Check back on a daily basis to view our NBA Player Prop Bets, or check out our overall NBA odds! Check out the latest bet365 bonus code offer before placing your bets on NBA action.

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NBA PLAYER PROP BETS - MONDAY'S PROPS

The NBA Player Prop Bets are available for Monday March 18, 2024 and for today's slate, we're focusing on the below matchups:

For the above matchups, our experts have isolated NBA Player Prop Bets on the below individuals:

  • Cavs C Jarrett Allen
  • Jazz F Lauri Markkanen
Jarrett Allen Over 17.5 Points (-111)

No Donovan Mitchell tonight and an amazing matchup. Love the spot for Allen.

Indiana has been closer to mediocre on defense recently, but they still play fast and get torched in the paint. The Pacers and Wizards are on their own island in terms of points in the paint allowed. They're both allowing more than 59 PPG, while no other team is above 55.

Allen gets solid boosts with Mitchell and Evan Mobley off the floor. In 8 games without both players, Allen is averaging 19.4 points and 34.5 MPG. Mitchell's absence should shift more shots to Allen and Mobley's absence will solidify his minutes. The opportunities should be there tonight.

Lauri Markkanen Under 33.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists (-110)

I'm intrigued by this mainly because Lauri is returning from a more than 2-week absence, but the matchup isn't a great one either. The Wolves have listed Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson questionable, and if they sit, the spot would improve, but I'm not sure Lauri will immediately slot right back into his typical 33-35 minutes to be able to fully take advantage of that. The Jazz don't appear to have winning at the forefront of their mind at the moment, and while I'm not expecting them to actually do anything to impede their chances of winning, I do think they are a little more likely to pull the plug earlier on a guy in Lauri's situation if this game isn't competitive late.

With all that said, even if he does play a normal allotment of minutes, this is still a tough number to eclipse. He's averaging 33.4 PRA per game this season in 32.9 minutes per game, and the Wolves are elite at preventing all three of those stat categories. Minnesota allows the fewest points, 2nd-fewest assists, and 3rd-fewest rebounds per game.

Lauri is questionable, so this could end up just voiding. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Jazz were to announce that he was on some sort of minutes restriction, and I think this number has a far better chance of coming down rather than moving up.

Popular Prop Resources

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Best Sportsbooks For NBA Player Props

How Do NBA Player Prop Bets Work?

So, a prop bet is any bet or wager that doesn’t involve the actual outcome of a game. This is how DFS operators such as PrizePicks and UnderDog can provide certain props in states where traditional sports betting isn’t legal yet. 

As for how NBA player prop bets work in particular, you basically wager on whether a player will hit over or under a certain amount of points, assists, rebounds, etc. This can also be done on the team level with points, dunks, fouls, etc. 

Before placing a prop bet, do your research to find out where you'll get the best sportsbook bonus.

NBA Prop Bet Options

The best part about NBA prop betting is all the options it affords you. 

Want to wager on the amount of points a player will score against the worst defense in the league? Done. 

What if you want to bet that a player on a hot streak will hit over a certain amount of threes? You can do that too. 

NBA Player Props

As mentioned before, this is when you wager on a particular player hitting over or under a particular stat, such as points, rebounds, assists, etc. 

Here is a hypothetical example:

  • LeBron James: Over 26.5 Total Points -120; Under 26.5 Total Points -105

Always keep in mind that the odds can differ between the over and the under. As you can see above, LBJ scoring over 26.5 points in this hypothetical game is favored and a bit more expensive at -120 rather than -105 for the under. 

Other NBA Props Available

In addition to player prop bets, you can also wager on team prop bets and season-long prop bets. Team prop bets are a little easier than player prop bets since you don’t have to rely on a single player, while season-long prop bets are much more difficult than both. 

Season-long prop bets are good if you have a strong hunch or feeling about a certain player or team. Much like an NBA futures bet, you can wager on a team’s win totals, whether a player will win a certain award, etc. 

Here is a hypothetical example of an NBA team prop bet: 

1st Half Winning Margin 

  • Los Angeles Lakers 1-3 Points: +650
  • Los Angeles Lakers 4-6 Points: +750
  • Los Angeles Lakers 7-9 Points: +950
  • Los Angeles Lakers 10-12 Points: +1300
  • Los Angeles Lakers 13-16 Points: +1600

Told ya there were a lot of options. 

NBA Player Props Betting Tips

Regardless of who you’re betting on, there are some general tips you should always take into consideration before placing a prop bet. 

Check Injury Reports

This one seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people forget to check the injury report. Not only is this important to see if the player you want to wager on is playing, but also who else is available. 

Obviously, if the best player on a particular team is out, that might lead to more opportunities for the second or third option and perhaps better value for you if you get a wager in quickly. 

Check Trends

We have plenty of expert tips and trends for you here at VegasInsider, so always make sure to check them before placing a bet. 

If you see a player has scored 20 or more in five straight, chances are he should hit that again. Of course, the line will dictate whether the bet is smart or not. Books might make things tough and place the line at 21.5 for a player that averages 20.2 points per game, but that’s why they call it gambling.

Play Within Your Means

This goes without saying, but always manage your bankroll. Remember, sports betting and gambling is supposed to be for fun. If you need help, check out our responsible gambling resources

Feel free to check out all our resources, such as our NBA Picks, our guide to the best sportsbook bonus, NBA odds, and use our ESPN Bet promo code to get up to $1000 in bonuses!