Cavaliers vs. Pacers: The best player prop bets for Feb. 11
Even diehard fans of the Indiana Pacers may need a program tonight following a pair of surprising trades earlier in the week.
Indy began a drastic overhaul of its roster on Monday by dealing talented swingman Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for point guard Ricky Rubio. One day later, two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis was shipped to Sacramento along with Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb for guards Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, and veteran pivot Tristan Thompson.
It’s a big-time shake-up, and so far the results haven’t been very promising. Indiana lost its first game of the post LeVert and Sabonis era on Tuesday, falling 133-122 to the Atlanta Hawks. It was a humbling, one-sided loss in which the Hawks shot 58% from the floor and 52% from beyond the arc.
The Cavs, on the other hand, are cruising. Cleveland has won three straight and now has a host of reinforcements with the addition of LeVert and the return of Darius Garland, who had 27 points against the San Antonio Spurs in his first game following a stint on the IR with a back injury.
We’ve examined tonight’s matchup between the Cavaliers and Pacers closely, and have the three best player prop bets below.
Jarrett Allen to record a double-double
Jarrett Allen just missed out on being named to the NBA All-Star Game this season, but he's a prime candidate to nab Most Improved Player honors after upping his scoring average by three full points during his second year with the Cavaliers. The rangy 6'11" pivot is posting career-highs in points (16.2), rebounds (11.2), and assists (1.8), and has already had 29 double-doubles this season, good for the ninth-best mark in the league.
Will Allen notch another double-double tonight? The odds are certainly in his favor. The San Diego native has recorded a double-double in each of his last three games, and will be facing a Charmin-soft Pacers team missing Sabonis and playing without starting center Myles Turner, who is recovering from a stress reaction in his foot and is expected to be out until Feb. 25. Even when both players were in the lineup, Indiana still ranked 25th in opponent points in the paint and 16th in rebounding.
Allen may not be an All-Star, but he's going to play like one tonight.
Pick: Yes (-225)
Darius Garland Over/Under 19.5 points
Most players need a game or two to shake off the rust after returning from injury. Not Darius Garland. The Cavs point guard torched the Spurs for 27 points on 12-15 shooting on Wednesday. It was his most efficient performances of the season, but it was also far from an anomaly, as Garland is averaging 19.9 points and has scored 20 points or more 22 times this season.
Bettors should expect Garland to feast again tonight against a decimated Pacers squad playing without pesky defender T.J. McConnell and former Rookie or the Year Malcolm Brogdon, who is listed as questionable. New addition Tyrese Haliburton will make him work, but Garland will prevail in this matchup of elite young guards.
Pick: Over 19.5 points (-106)
Isaac Okoro Over/Under 8.5 points
Although Allen and Garland have received the lion's share of credit for the Cavs' surprising success, Cleveland wouldn't be in second place in the Eastern Conference without the steady play of Isaac Okoro. The 21-year-old shooting guard is averaging 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds and has started 34 games since Collin Sexton was lost for the season in November.
Okoro has had nine points or more in four of his last five games, and should fare well against an Indy team that gives up 21.49 points per game to rival shooting guards.
Pick: Over 8.5 points (-113)
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