The Orlando Magic are off to a 1-4 start, which is surprising for a young team expected to take the next step after making the playoffs last season.
Tonight will be a good opportunity for them to get their offense going, which is why my NBA picks are betting on All-Star forward Paolo Banchero to have a big game.
Here are my best NBA player props for tonight's action.
Best NBA player props today
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Ajay Mitchell |
Over 15.5 points | -115 |
 Paolo Banchero |
Over 4.5 assists | -115 |
 Davion Mitchell |
Under 10.5 points | -110 |
Prop #1: Ajay Mitchell Over 15.5 points
The rich keep getting richer. The Oklahoma City Thunder have discovered another rising star in Ajay Mitchell, who's averaging 18.2 points per game off the bench. The sophomore guard has dropped 16+ points in four of five games, including a 26-point performance against Indiana last Thursday.
Tonight, Mitchell and the Thunder are at home against the Washington Wizards, who play at the fifth-fastest pace in the NBA and rank dead last in points per game allowed (129.5).
The Thunder are massive 15.5-point favorites, and if they get up big early, they could rest their starter,s which would mean more playing time for Mitchell.
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: FDSN Oklahoma | MNMT
Prop #2: Paolo Banchero Over 4.5 assists
The Orlando Magic played at the slowest pace in the NBA last season, but are playing at a Top-10 tempo so far this year.
While that hasn't resulted in better offensive efficiency, they should be able to put up points today against the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets play at an even faster tempo, and they struggle to defend, ranking 26th in ppg allowed (124.8 ppg).
Paolo Banchero is the offensive focal point for Orlando, and he led the team in points (25.9) and assists (4.8) per game last season. The do-everything forward struggled in the first few games this year, but positive regression has set in.
He's averaging 6.0 assists and 9.0 potential assists per game over the last two contests, and his play-making ability should be on full display tonight.
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: FDSN Florida | FDSN Southeast
Prop #3: Davion Mitchell Under 10.5 points
The Miami Heat are coming off a 144-117 win against the Hornets, where they had seven players score in double digits. Davion Mitchell was not one of those players despite starting and logging 30 minutes.
Mitchell finished with eight points in that game, which was his third straight contest with fewer than 10.5 points. The pass-first point guard is averaging just 6.0 field goal attempts per game over that span.
I don't see him taking enough shots to eclipse 10.5 points tonight, especially against a San Antonio Spurs squad that plays at the fourth-slowest pace in the NBA and ranks second in defensive rating.
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: FDSN Southwest | FDSN Sun
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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