The Thursday hoops schedule features three of the Bottom 5 teams in the standings, but don’t dwell on that — if anything, it just opens up more chances to wager against them.
The Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, and New Orleans Pelicans are going nowhere fast, so my top NBA player props and NBA picks for tonight include Lauri Markkanen and Anthony Edwards in favorable matchups.
Buckle up for some lopsided scorelines as the December 4 action unfolds.
Best NBA player props today
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Lauri Markkanen |
Over 26.5 points | -120 |
 Austin Reaves |
Over 28.5 points | -120 |
 Anthony Edwards |
Over 29.5 points | -115 |
Prop #1: Lauri Markkanen Over 26.5 points
Whether it ultimately amounts to rebuilding trade value or accelerating the Utah Jazz’s timeline, Lauri Markkanen has put together a terrific first six weeks.
The big Finn is averaging 28 PPG this season while shooting 47% from the field. He’s taking 20 shots a night and is on pace for a career-high in minutes (35.6 MPG this year).
Markkanen hit the 40-point mark twice in November, and he should feast against an overmatched Nets defense here.
The Jazz are coming off an impressive 133-125 victory against the Houston Rockets on Monday, with Markkanen dropping 29 points on a 9-for-17 shooting line.
If he can put up that kind of total against one of the NBA’s better defenses, a 30-point effort feels within reach as he takes on a Brooklyn team that’s 1-9 at Barclays Center this season.
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: KJZZ, YES
Prop #2: Austin Reaves Over 28.5 points
Luka Doncic will miss the Los Angeles Lakers’ visit to the Toronto Raptors tonight, so we can expect to see a very different L.A. offense at Scotiabank Arena.
But Austin Reaves should still be a huge part of the equation with his multi-level scoring, and he’s an obvious choice to pick up some of the Doncic shots. He’s already averaging 28.1 PPG this season in the co-star role — tonight he gets to take over the show.
Reaves and the Lakers had a rare sub-par outing on Monday against the Phoenix Suns. He was limited to 16 points that night, but he’s walking into a bigger workload here. So he should be in range for this Over even if he can’t sustain his 52% mark from the field.
The Raptors had some sloppy moments against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, and that won’t fly with Reaves pouring in 25+ points in six of his past eight contests. Look for him to be in attack mode from the start.
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: SPECSN, SN
Prop #3: Anthony Edwards Over 29.5 points
Anthony Edwards’ role has evolved this season for the Minnesota Timberwolves to include a bigger share of the playmaking duties, but he’s still scoring effortlessly.
He’s been on a tear over the past two weeks, with 30+ points in six straight games — and he averaged 38.3 PPG in that span.
Ant certainly took a liking to the New Orleans defense in Tuesday’s OT win. He finished with 44 points while knocking down six triples, and I’m banking on another masterclass in tonight’s rematch.
The Pelicans will be without Herb Jones’ perimeter pressure, as well as Zion Williamson’s offensive spark, and this season is veering from bad to worse for a franchise that’s 3-19 and doesn’t have its own first round pick in the 2026 draft.
New Orleans is allowing the third-most points per game this year, and Edwards can nail this Over even if he doesn’t match the 30 FGAs from earlier this week.
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: FDSN-NO, GCSEN
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