3 NBA Star Player Prop Bets for Friday 2/23/24

Player props are a fun way to get involved with the NBA each night, especially when it comes to the game's elite players.

That's what we'll focus on here -- prop bets for the NBA's best players via FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA Star Player Props.

Using FanDuel Research's daily basketball projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- as a guide, here are some NBA player prop bets that look appealing via the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Please note: lines and projections are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

NBA Prop Picks

Jimmy Butler Over 21.5 Points (-104)

We haven't seen Jimmy Butler play basketball in over two weeks, but I think he will make a splash in his return tonight.

Leading up to the All-Star break, Butler (personal) was away from the Miami Heat for a few games. Given that he is not hurt, I think we see Butler come out strong in his return, especially since he is notorious for heating up in the second half of the season.

Last year, Butler averaged 21.7 points prior to the All-Star break, while he averaged 25.6 points post All-Star break.

He comes into the night averaging 21.4 points each game, and a matchup against theNew Orleans Pelicans should help him find scoring success.

Butler nets a whopping 32.7% of his points from the free-throw line. He's one of the best in the league at drawing fouls, averaging the sixth-most free-throw makes per game.

New Orleans, meanwhile, is surrendering the ninth-most free-throw attempts (FTA) to forwards this season.

Terry Rozier (knee) is out for this contest while Tyler Herro (foot) will be a game-time decision.

With one or both members of Miami's starting backcourt absent, Butler should look to take over in this game.

Zion Williamson Under 23.5 Points (-110)

Sticking with the same game, let's target a quiet night from Zion Williamson.

Williamson (left foot contusion) comes into this one with a questionable status.

We've yet to receive confirmation on whether he will suit up, but if he does play, I don't think he will find abnormally high scoring success in what will be the second leg of a back-to-back for New Orleans.

On the season, Williamson is averaging 22.5 points per game. He relies on the paint to score a majority of his points -- 77.8%, to be exact -- so a tough interior defense could give him problems.

Unfortunately for Zion, Miami is home to one of the best interior defenses in basketball. They surrender the sixth-fewest paint points and own the league's ninth-best defensive rating.

The Heat aren't sending players to the free-throw line, either. They let up the fifth-fewest FTA per game while Zion scores the remainder of his points (20.8%) from the foul line.

A difficult matchup that will come on the second night of a back-to-back doesn't bode well for Zion. Factor in that he's already banged up, and it's hard to picture him scoring above his points per game average tonight.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 10.5 Rebounds (-128)

The most interesting showdown on today's slate will come in the form of a nationally televised (ESPN) game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

This is a big game for the Bucks; the All-Star break presented innumerable talking points regarding new head coach, Doc Rivers. Milwaukee is 3-7 in the Rivers era, and critics have come out in full force to express doubts about him and this team.

The T-Wolves, meanwhile, currently own the number one seed in the West even if the NBA Futures market doesn't think they are as legit as their record.

This should prove to be a statement win for whichever side comes out on top, and as props go, I think we can trust Giannis Antetokounmpo to be a big presence on the boards.

Giannis is averaging 11.2 rebounds this season and has eclipsed 10.5 rebounds in more games (30) than not (24).

The T-Wolves play the best defense in basketball and give up the fewest rebounds in the league, but I think this will ultimately favor Giannis.

Rebounding can, at times, be an arbitrary stat, as a missed shot can fall into the hands of any given player. But since Giannis will be going up against the likes Rudy Gobert (second-most rebounds per game in NBA) and Karl-Anthony Towns, we should expect him to maintain residency down low and fight with these players throughout the game.

Let's take a look at how Giannis has performed against the top rebounders in the league -- Domantas Sabonis (averages most rebounds per game), Nikola Jokic (fourth), Bam Adebayo (seventh), Nikola Vucevic (eighth), Jarrett Allen (ninth).

He's played in 12 games against these leading rebounders. In this split, Giannis is averaging 12.9 rebounds per game and eclipsed 10.5 rebounds in 9 out of 12 of these contests.

It will be a fight for boards, but Giannis is usually up for the challenge.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.