NBA Friday player props: Fade Westbrook, bet Schroder
Khris Middleton went off, Steph Curry and Landry Shamet cashed their assist totals, and we ultimately got back in the green Thursday with a 3-1 night.
Here's what's on tap Friday to get us rolling into the weekend.
Russell Westbrook under 21.5 points and 1.5 made threes
If Westbrook's mission this season was to put the league on notice, consider it complete: He's averaging a triple-double to the tune of 21.7 points, 11.2 assists, and 11.0 rebounds per game for the Wizards, who occupy the final play-in seed entering the weekend.
If there's one flaw to point out in Westbrook's game right now, it's from the perimeter. Although the nine-time All-Star's registering his highest clip since his 2016-17 MVP campaign, he's still only converting threes at a 31.1% rate alongside an overall true shooting percentage of 50.1% - for context, the league averages are 36.6% and 57.2%, respectively.
The Cavaliers are giving up an NBA-low 19.1 points per game to point guards over the last seven. They're also the only defense in basketball surrendering fewer than two made threes per contest to the position (1.99) during that span, while Westbrook's been held without multiple triples in six of the last seven.
Go under on both totals.
Dennis Schroder over 16.5 points
Everyone's padding their stats against the Kings this season. They're allowing opponents to shoot a league-high 49.4% from the field, and that number's ballooned to 52.8% over the last seven contests.
Our pick to click tonight is Schroder. The Kings are also last in the NBA in both points per game and shooting percentage to point guards over the same time frame.
Schroder, who pours in 15.6 points per game this season, has averaged 19.1 across his previous six starts.
Richaun Holmes over 13.5 points
While the Kings have let opponents shoot close to 53% over the last seven games, the Lakers haven't been much better (50.3%, No. 29). Centers, in particular, have gone nuts on the scoreboard - they're converting buckets at a 65.1% clip over that stretch - and Holmes has made quick work of this point total in three of his last four. Sign me all the way up.
Coby White over 16.5 points
A year after ranking No. 7 in the league in points allowed per game, the Bucks enter the weekend at No. 20. If they're handing out buckets in bunches tonight, look for White to take advantage.
Milwaukee's allowing the fourth-most points per game on the sixth-highest shooting percentage in basketball to point guards over the last seven, while White's drilled this total in three of his previous four for the Bulls. The second-year UNC product also has at least 10 attempts from the floor and multiple threes in six straight.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.