2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Jazz at Lakers

Even within a single NBA game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out for the Utah Jazz against the Los Angeles Lakers as Luka Doncic makes his highly-anticipated debut?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Jazz at Lakers Betting Picks

Lakers Over 123.5 Points (-112)

The Lakers are the talk of the league after landing Luka in a shocking trade. This was followed by a cancelled trade with the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams. Amid the trade drama, Los Angeles has quietly won 9 of its last 10 and is on a 5-game winning streak while going 5-0 against the spread (ATS).

This offense has been like a buzz saw, averaging 125.6 PPG over the last five. The unit is probably licking its chops ahead of tonight's matchup as the Jazz are last in defensive rating. Additionally, opponents put up 119.1 PPG (third-most) while touting a 55.6% effective field goal percentage (fifth-highest) when facing Utah's stumbling defense.

Pace isn't really helping the Jazz, either, as they play at the 12th-quickest rate. Opponents average 43.6 field goal makes per game (fourth-most) and 91.4 shots per contest (sixth-most).

According to Dunks & Threes, L.A. has the 10th-highest shot distribution around the rim, and Utah gives up the 4th-lowest mark. However, I'm not too worried about this department considering the Lakers' recent trade. The paint attack should be less relevant with Anthony Davis out of the fold, and Doncic takes only 27.3% of his shots within 10 feet of the rim while launching 9.6 three-point shots per contest.

Los Angeles' three-point shooting should increase, and the Jazz allow the second-highest shot distribution from three and the most attempts per game from beyond the arc. The Lake Show are in the top half of three-point percentage at 35.8%, and Luka is shooting 35.4% from three. There's enough efficiency here to make Utah pay from deep.

Luka Doncic Under 26.5 Points (-102)

Of course, Doncic is expected to make his debut in the Purple and Gold. He's returning from a calf injury that's kept him out since Christmas.

In his Lakers debut, Luka has a 26.5-point prop. He's averaging 28.1 PPG this season and is projected for 29.7 points by our NBA DFS projections. Facing the Jazz's weak defense is a near perfect matchup for superstar looking to make a splash in his debut. However, I'm fading Doncic tonight by taking under 26.5 points.

While Luka is in a positive scoring environment tonight and over 26.5 meets his season-long average, he also enjoyed a 33.0% usage rate when playing in Dallas. The pairing of Doncic and LeBron James is frankly a little contradictive as the two are best with the ball in their hands. These are two stat-sheet-stuffing forwards with elite play-making ability.

James currently has a 30.6% usage rate, and Davis left a void of a 31.2% usage rate. There's certainly a 30.0%+ role awaiting Luka, but will he be almost in the mid-30s of the category? Probably not.

Don't get me wrong, Doncic will still likely get his and put up gaudy stats, but we shouldn't expect a full role off the bat. I'm mainly concern with Doncic coming off an injury that just held him out for nearly two months. He could be on limited minutes tonight with his questionable status.

The hype is real as Crypto.com Arena is giving away Luka shirts to fans in attendance tonight. However, Doncic's role may not be as large as many fans hope. With limited minutes looking likely, I'll happily take under 26.5 points.

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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.