3 Best Prop Bets for Celtics vs Nets on Jan. 12 (Kyrie Goes Off With No KD)

Thursday's NBA slate features a marquee matchup between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics are currently listed as slight road favorites in this Eastern Conference showdown, as FanDuel Sportsbook favors them by 3 points.

Here are three of the best prop bets for this Celtics-Nets game, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA odds.

Celtics vs Nets Player Props

1. Kyrie Irving - Points: Over 29.5 (-108)

With Kevin Durant recently suffering a sprained MCL, it's Irving's time to shine as the leader of Brooklyn's offense. He's already averaging 26.0 points on 19.8 field goal attempts per game, but both of those numbers should increase considerably in Durant's absence. Durant was averaging 29.7 points on 18.8 shots and a 31.8% usage rate, so a fair number of those shots and possessions will end up going to Irving. That should boost his scoring enough to help him notch his 10th game with at least 30 points this season.

2. Nic Claxton - Points: Over 12.5 (-111)

Another player who could benefit from Durant's absence is Claxton. The 23-year-old center has settled into a nice scoring groove recently, reaching double-digit points in eight of his last nine games and averaging 12.6 points per game during that stretch. Considering how efficient he's been this season with his NBA-best 73.8% field goal percentage, he's a good bet to convert any additional scoring opportunities that may open up. He also has a solid matchup against a Celtics frontcourt that's been taking it easy with Robert Williams III since his return from injury.

3. Jayson Tatum - Points: Over 30.5 (-111)

Tatum has been shooting the lights out all season, averaging a career-best 30.8 points per game as the top scorer on the NBA's best offense. He's topped 30 points in three consecutive games and is a good bet to make it four in a row tonight, especially without Durant's length to worry about. Tatum's averaging 33.2 points per game over his last 13 and will likely see heavy minutes in what's expected to be a close game against Boston's conference rival.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.