Brook Lopez Over 9.5 Pts (-122 FD)

Lopez is over this line with the three stars playing in 27 of 38 games, and when he plays 20-32 minutes with those guys playing, he’s gone over this prop in 12 of 15 games. The Pelicans are going to be focused on clogging the paint to stop Giannis, and trap Lillard off the pick & roll (which could mean to attack his assists prop). This has allowed Lopez to dominate the Pelicans in the previous game, scoring 24 points. The Pelicans are one of the top defenses against the pick & roll ball handler, as they try to trap them and force them to pass and take away the mid-range and pullup but are prone to good players that can finish at the rim. This type of defense allows for a lot of three-point opportunities, and in the last 10 games, they’ve allowed the third highest three-point frequency and the second highest on the season. Another player who is a good target for an over for these exact reasons is Malik Beasley because when players such as Giannis drive, this will open up corner three looks, similar to how the Pelicans were defending Paolo Banchero and the Magic last week as this allowed a lot of corners three looks. Guys like Giannis will need extra attention when they drive, which should allow for a lot of three-point opportunities. Against the bottom 20 spot up defenses this season, Lopez has gone over this prop in 31 of 43 games this season, including 16 of 20 games when the three stars all play. This should be a game where Lopez should see a lot of three-point attempts as his primary shooting, which could have potential in laddering his threes if the Pelicans defensive tendencies stay true.