Best NBA Player Prop Bets (April 9): Odds & Picks Featuring Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns

Of the six NBA games on deck for today, one of the most intriguing is the Boston Celtics visiting the New York Knicks — one of the most storied rivalries in league history. If there is ever a game that is going to bring out the very best in a player, it's a game against your long-hated rival.

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Between the two teams, several of the NBA’s best and brightest will be in action. Injuries, of course, will affect the availability of several players. But plenty of star power will be active in Thursday's matchup. Let’s take a close look at three NBA player prop markets featuring those stars.

All odds for these NBA player prop bets can be found at bet365.

Jayson Tatum Made 3-Pointers vs. Knicks

• My Pick: Jayson Tatum, OVER 3.5 Made 3-pointers (+125)

With Jaylen Brown out for tonight, the Celtics will need to look to Jayson Tatum to take charge of the offense and lead the way. In his 15 games since returning from injury, Tatum has averaged 21.6 points per game and is making roughly a third of his 3-point attempts (3-8.9 per game).

He missed this prop in his last two games, hitting three against Charlotte (3 for 7) and two versus Toronto (2 for 6). But he went over it in the previous three: 4 for 8 vs. Milwaukee, 4 for 13 vs. Miami, and 5 for 10 vs. Charlotte.

However, the Knicks have allowed opponents to hit 39.6% of their 3-point attempts over the last 10 games (14.8 made on 37.4 attempts per game). Since the Knicks have been defending the paint well all season (43.6 points per game in the paint allowed this season), Tatum will likely be content shooting daggers from the perimeter.

Since he’ll be the primary scoring option on offense with Brown out, Tatum probably see an increase in shot opportunities, giving him a good chance to go over this mark. This is his first game against the Knicks this season, but he went over this total in six of eight chances against the New York last season.

 Jalen Brunson Over/Under 25.5 Points vs. Celtics

• My Pick: Jalen Brunson, OVER 25.5 Points (-112)

I’ve been looking at this game as a last-ditch effort for the Knicks to possibly move up to the No. 2 seed. But in the process, I overlooked the obvious: the Cavaliers are only a half game back in the No. 4 seed. Forget the No. 2 seed, if the Knicks want to hold onto the No. 3 seed, they need to win.

To that end, New York will look to the team’s leading scorer, Jalen Brunson (26 points per game), to lead the charge against a Celtics team that will at least be missing Jaylen Brown. Brunson went over this mark in his last game Monday night vs. the Atlanta Hawks with 30 points. He missed it against Chicago and Houston, but put up 32 on the Thunder (the No. 1 defense in the league) in Oklahoma City.

Brunson has gone over this total in seven of his last 12 games and in two of three versus the Celtics this season. The Knicks will need him to have a good night if they are going to have a chance at upsetting Boston and protecting their spot as the No. 3 seed in the East.

Karl-Anthony Towns Over/Under 11.5 Rebounds vs. Celtics

• Karl-Anthony Towns, UNDER 11.5 Rebounds (-110)

Karl-Anthony Towns is second to Nikola Jokic for the most rebounds per game in the NBA this season with 11.9 per contest. He has gone over this prop in 40 of 73 games played this season and in 10 of his last 15 appearances. However, he has gone over it in one of three games this season vs. the Celtics.

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He has been averaging 12 rebounds per game over the last 10, but that doesn’t allow room for error against a good rebounding Boston team (fourth in the NBA with 46.5 per game). But the Celtics have been even better over their last 10, averaging 47.7 rebounds per game (second-best in the NBA).

He is one of the NBA’s premier rebounders, and the Knicks do need a win more than the Celtics do. Playing at home should help, too.  However, Boston has been one of the NBA's best rebounding teams. Yes, the Knicks are good, too, but the Celtics are better. If his number were 10.5 rather than 11.5, I might lean towards the OVER.

But since he has gone over 11.5 just once this season in three tries vs. the Celtics, I have to take the under.