1U Kyrie Irving (BKN) over 29.5 points (-115) widely available at time of publishing. Playable to -125 odds.
With Kevin Durant sidelined due to injury, Kyrie Irving has stepped up in a massive way. The former 1st overall pick in the 2011 draft is on a tear, scoring 30, 38, 48, and 30 points in his last 4 games played. Over his last 5 games he is driving the ball 17 times per game while averaging 11.8 points per game on those drives. Those marks are up from his season averages of 10.6 drives and 8.6 PPG off them. He has shot 32 FTA in the last 4 games which is a direct result of his more aggressive nature, and his opponent tonight in the Pistons allow the 4th most FTA per game. Overall this season with Durant off the floor Irving sees a 4.4% increase in his usage rate. In 6 games without his elite partner Irving has averaged 22.83 shots per game and played 38 or more minutes in each game. The Nets have a lack of alternative self-creating scoring options in the absence of KD and Kyrie is more than willing to chuck the ball time and time again.
This matchup against the Pistons is an ideal one for Irving and other talented scoring guards. Detroit struggles to contain elite scorers from the backcourt, allowing the 10th most PPG to PG and 3rd most PPG to SG over the course of the season. In these teams first matchup this season Irving scored an efficient 38 points while pouring in baskets from at the rim, behind the arc, and at the foul line. Oh yeah, Kevin Durant also played in that game and scored 43 points of his own. Now with his own show Kyrie should be able to scorch this line against a porous Pistons defense. Detroit ranks just 3rd percentile when defending PnR ball-handlers, are dead-last defending isolation scorers, 31st percentile in transition defense, allow the 2nd most PITP, the 9th highest mid-range FG%, and the 12th highest 3P%. Overall they rank 29th in DRTG behind only the Spurs and allow 120.3 PPG to their opponents.
Kyrie is one of the games better pull-up shooters, attempting the 6th most pull-up jumpers per game and connecting on 46.7% of them, the 3rd highest percentage among those top 6 players. He is deadly from both the mid-range (49.7% on 4.9 attempts per game), and behind the arc (37.1% on 8.6 attempts per game.) The elimination of the take-foul has resulted in 14.6% of Irving's points coming in transition, his highest mark as a Net, and he averages the 10th most transition possessions per game. He sits 7th in isolation possessions per game while ranking 96th percentile in efficiency when doing so. As a PnR ball-handler he ranks 86th percentile in efficiency and is the definition of a 3-level scorer with the ability to get his own shot from anywhere on the floor. Tonight's game has a spread of 7.5 points, but Kyrie has played 38 or more minutes in 9 consecutive games and should be in for more of the same tonight. Brooklyn is on the 2nd leg of a back-to-back and while that may be worrisome for some players, Irving dropped 48 points on Utah in his last B2B and played 39 minutes. I absolutely love getting this prop below 30 points tonight!
1U Kyrie Irving (BKN) over 29.5 points (-115) widely available at time of publishing. Playable to -125 odds.
With Kevin Durant sidelined due to injury, Kyrie Irving has stepped up in a massive way. The former 1st overall pick in the 2011 draft is on a tear, scoring 30, 38, 48, and 30 points in his last 4 games played. Over his last 5 games he is driving the ball 17 times per game while averaging 11.8 points per game on those drives. Those marks are up from his season averages of 10.6 drives and 8.6 PPG off them. He has shot 32 FTA in the last 4 games which is a direct result of his more aggressive nature, and his opponent tonight in the Pistons allow the 4th most FTA per game. Overall this season with Durant off the floor Irving sees a 4.4% increase in his usage rate. In 6 games without his elite partner Irving has averaged 22.83 shots per game and played 38 or more minutes in each game. The Nets have a lack of alternative self-creating scoring options in the absence of KD and Kyrie is more than willing to chuck the ball time and time again.
This matchup against the Pistons is an ideal one for Irving and other talented scoring guards. Detroit struggles to contain elite scorers from the backcourt, allowing the 10th most PPG to PG and 3rd most PPG to SG over the course of the season. In these teams first matchup this season Irving scored an efficient 38 points while pouring in baskets from at the rim, behind the arc, and at the foul line. Oh yeah, Kevin Durant also played in that game and scored 43 points of his own. Now with his own show Kyrie should be able to scorch this line against a porous Pistons defense. Detroit ranks just 3rd percentile when defending PnR ball-handlers, are dead-last defending isolation scorers, 31st percentile in transition defense, allow the 2nd most PITP, the 9th highest mid-range FG%, and the 12th highest 3P%. Overall they rank 29th in DRTG behind only the Spurs and allow 120.3 PPG to their opponents.
Kyrie is one of the games better pull-up shooters, attempting the 6th most pull-up jumpers per game and connecting on 46.7% of them, the 3rd highest percentage among those top 6 players. He is deadly from both the mid-range (49.7% on 4.9 attempts per game), and behind the arc (37.1% on 8.6 attempts per game.) The elimination of the take-foul has resulted in 14.6% of Irving's points coming in transition, his highest mark as a Net, and he averages the 10th most transition possessions per game. He sits 7th in isolation possessions per game while ranking 96th percentile in efficiency when doing so. As a PnR ball-handler he ranks 86th percentile in efficiency and is the definition of a 3-level scorer with the ability to get his own shot from anywhere on the floor. Tonight's game has a spread of 7.5 points, but Kyrie has played 38 or more minutes in 9 consecutive games and should be in for more of the same tonight. Brooklyn is on the 2nd leg of a back-to-back and while that may be worrisome for some players, Irving dropped 48 points on Utah in his last B2B and played 39 minutes. I absolutely love getting this prop below 30 points tonight!
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