The NBA returns for the second half of the season after a fun-filled All-Star Weekend.
With the trade deadline and the ASG in the rearview mirror, the race for the playoffs should dominate headlines the rest of the way.
Let’s dive into some of my favorite PrizePicks projections to target for Thursday night’s 12-game slate.
Donte DiVincenzo (Knicks vs. 76ers) more than 19.5 points
The Knicks have been dealing with multiple injuries since supplementing their roster at the trade deadline, but that has allowed for opportunities for others to step up into bigger roles.
Perhaps the biggest beneficiary has been DiVincenzo.
In eight games since Julius Randle and OG Anunoby have been out with injuries, DiVincenzo has averaged 26.5 points per game.
He has scored more than 19.5 points in seven of those eight games.
The matchup with the Sixers might not look ideal if looking at season-long stats, but they have really struggled defensively without Joel Embiid.
Over their last 11 games, since Embiid first injured his knee, the Sixers have the second-worst defensive rating in the league.
DiVincenzo has been seeing incredible volume and should have no trouble beating this projection against the short-handed Sixers.
Deni Avdija (Wizards vs. Nuggets) more than 22.5 points + rebounds
The Wizards forward saw a massive minutes boost in the four games leading into the All-Star break, averaging 38.7 per game. The spike coincided with the trade of Daniel Gafford to the Mavericks.
In addition to the trade opening up more minutes for Avdija, he has also seen a huge boost to his usage and rebounding rates.
In the four games since the Gafford trade, he saw his usage spike to 24.4% from 19.7% and his rebounding rate rise to 16.2% from 12.4%.
He has averaged 28.3 points and 11.5 rebounds during that time.
Despite the tough matchup in Denver, the points-plus-rebounds projection is far too low for what appears to be a new role for the fourth-year forward.
Austin Reaves (Lakers vs. Warriors) more than 17.5 points
The Lakers have ruled out LeBron James with an ankle injury for their matchup with the Warriors.
James leaves behind a team-leading 29.1% usage rate and an average of 24.8 points per game that will need to be absorbed elsewhere.
Per RotoGrinders CourtIQ tool, Reaves has posted a 24.1% usage rate (+3.1% above his season rate) with James off the floor this season.
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His usage rate ranks third on the team among regular rotation players, behind just Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell.
Reaves has averaged 21.4 points per 36 minutes with James off the floor.
The matchup is solid against a Warriors team that has played at the league’s 12th-fastest pace and ranks just 20th in defensive rating this season.
The Lakers should lean heavily on Reaves to help fill the massive scoring void left behind by James.