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Thunder Dan Palyo's top NBA prop bets for 12/26/25: expert player-prop picks, value plays, quick model edges and line-shopping tips for today’s slate. Check odds & get the edge.
I hope you enjoyed the NBA Christmas Day slate; it provided a lot more entertainment than those NFL stinkers - am I right? We have two certified bangers, with the Knicks coming back to beat my beloved Cavs late by just two points in the early game, and then the Nuggets and Timberwolves combining for 280 points in an overtime victory for Denver. Oh, and the Spurs beat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder for the third time in the last two weeks!
Friday brings us a solid seven-game slate of NBA action, and I'm here to drop some of my favorite NBA player props for tonight's games. I won't go as crazy as I did on Tuesday, when I posted 12 props, but I do have seven spots that I have circled that I love on this slate tonight that I'll share with you.
In this article, I will provide my favorite NBA player props picks for Friday, December 26th. Prop picks can range from individual stats—such as points, assists, rebounds, three-pointers made, and defensive statistics—to combination props (Points + Rebounds + Assists = PRA). All odds and sportsbooks used are listed, but it's always a good idea to shop around, as odds change throughout the day as bets are placed. Let's get to the picks already.
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Today’s Best NBA Prop Bets & Player Props
Let’s take a look at the top player props for today’s NBA slate:
- Josh Giddey over 17.5 Rebounds + Assists
- Anthony Black over 17.5 Points
- Bobby Portis over 24.5 Points and Rebounds
- Dillon Brooks over 20.5 Points
- Hugo Gonzalez over 4.5 Rebounds
- Sandro Mamukelashvili over 13.5 Points
- Moussa Diabate over 19.5 Points + Rebounds
Josh Giddey over 17.5 Rebounds + Assists (-110 FD, -115 Novig)
Giddey will lead the Chicago Bulls into battle tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers. We still aren't sure who Philly will play tonight, but there is a chance they'll be without Joel Embiid, Quentin Grimes, Dominick Barlow, and VJ Edgecomb, who are all listed as probable.
The Bulls are actually one-point favorites at home and winners of four straight games. Giddey has been excellent lately, going over this prop in three of those four wins and with two triple-doubles. With the Sixers allowing the 8th-most assists to point guards, and Giddey already proving he can excel in this matchup (he had 15 boards and 12 assists in their first meeting), I love our chances of hitting this bet tonight.
This game should be competitive, and Giddey is the one Chicago player whose minutes and role are secure on a nightly basis.
Anthony Black over 17.5 Points (+102 Novig)
We are witnessing a true breakout from Black in his third year in the league, and he continues to see his role grow on this Orlando team lately as the Magic keep dealing with injuries to key players. Jalen Suggs is doubtful to return tonight, and Franz Wagner continues to miss time for Orlando, thrusting Black into a top-three scoring role alongside Desmond Bane and Paolo Banchero.
Anthony Black masterclass🪄 pic.twitter.com/nhCmuFZPfm
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 24, 2025
Black has hit this prop rather easily in four straight games, averaging over 20 points per game in that stretch. Black posted a season-high 32% usage rate against Portland and had 19 points just in the first half of that game. Look for him to continue to be more assertive on offense and help carry this Magic team to a win at home tonight.
Bobby Portis over 24.5 Points and Rebounds (-115 FAN, -121 Novig)
With Giannis Antetokounmpo continuing to miss time, we could see yet another big game from Portis against the Memphis Grizzlies tonight. He's been starting at power forward now for several weeks and has finally settled into a pretty consistent pattern of scoring and rebounding of late.
Portis is usually a pretty dependable scorer, but his rebounding lately has been tremendous as he's snagged nine or more boards in four of his last five games. I had some interest in both his point and rebounds props, but to mitigate the risk of a bad shooting night, I'm going to combine them here and count on him contributing 25 combined points and boards in this one, something he's done 60% of the time this year when Giannis has been out of the lineup.
Dillon Brooks over 20.5 Points (-119 DK), over 21.5 PTS (+100 Novig)
Everyone loves to hate Dillon Brooks, and with his on-court antics, he makes it easy! However, we have to acknowledge that he's playing some really great basketball this season for Phoenix, and he's been locked in as one of the top options behind Devin Booker as a scorer.
The Suns get a tasty matchup with New Orleans tonight, a team that ranks near the bottom of the league against guards, wings, and big men. They've allowed the fourth-most points to opposing small forwards, which is how I would classify Brooks.
Without Jalen Green and Grayson Allen on the court, Brooks has gone over this prop in 7 of his last 10 games, averaging nearly 23 points in that stretch. He's hit the over in four straight and has the green light to shoot in this offense. I love his chances here of keeping his hot streak going, and I am comfortable taking him at either 20.5 or 21.5 over at Novig if you want to get some great value at even money.
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Top Value Props & Sleeper Picks
Betting on superstars is always exciting, but the best value often lies on the margins of a roster. Role players and emerging contributors can offer hidden advantages, especially as the season progresses and injuries start to shake up rotations.
Let’s dive into some of the top value plays for today’s NBA slate.
Hugo Gonzalez over 4.5 Rebounds (+130 FAN)
Jordan Walsh is probable to return tonight, but he's been losing minutes to the rookie Gonzalez, who has been a huge spark for the Celtics with his recent play. Gonzalez led the team with 36 minutes played last time out and his hard-nosed style of play is quickly endearing him with his coach, teammates, and Boston fans.
Celtics rookie, Hugo Gonzalez has been a menace over his last 3 games:
10 PTS | 8 REB | 2 STL | 1 BLK | +22 +/- | W
10 PTS | 10 REB | 2 STL | 1 BLK | +37 +/- | W
6 PTS | 11 REB | 2 BLK | 1 STL | +21 +/- | W
HUGE IMPACT FROM THE 19 YEAR OLD 😤 pic.twitter.com/KfxK5BmGue
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) December 23, 2025
You can't argue with those numbers either. He's been a net positive on the floor and hitting the boards hard. Even if Walsh starts tonight, I like Gonzalez's chances of having another productive day on the glass and getting plenty of run with the second unit. If he's playing well, he's hard to take off the floor, so he could eat into Walsh's minutes tonight, too. I am riding the hot hand here and taking a bit of risk with an unknown minutes projection to get this bet at great odds.
Sandro Mamukelashvili over 13.5 Points (-120 DK), over 14.5 (+104 Novig)
Mamu has fed families this season if you have played his props in the right spots! This certainly qualifies as the right spot as he'll draw another start for Jakob Poeltl at center and faces the Washington Wizards, who allow the most points to opposing centers this season.
Mamu's role on this team continues to grow, and he's been scoring the ball quite well lately. He's a good bet here at either number (13.5 or 14.5), depending on what type of odds you are looking for, as he's gone for 15+ points in four of the last five games in which he played 28 minutes or more. This is the definition of a smash spot for Mamu, don't hesitate to hit this prop hard!
Moussa Diabate over 19.5 Points + Rebounds (-120 Novig)
The Hornets have a shortage of big men available again tonight as Ryan Kalkbrenner and Mason Plumlee remain out with injuries. Those two missed Charlotte's last game against Washington, which led to Diabate getting the start and playing a season-high 36 points.
He was a beast in the paint, scoring 12 points and pulling down 18 boards in Charlotte's win on Tuesday night. He's an excellent rebounder on a per-minute basis and could dominate on the glass again tonight, especially against an Orlando team that starts an undersized Wendell Carter Jr. at center.
NBA Betting Tools & Resources
Don't forget to utilize all of the NBA DFS and betting tools we have here at RotoBaller! The NBA betting landscape changes by the minute throughout the day, so stay up to date with the latest odds and market values with our NBA DFS and betting tools and projections.
Thanks for reading, RotoBallers, and good luck if you are tailing our bets tonight!
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