NBA best bets: Rudy's the king of caroms tonight

We have a long wait until Super Bowl LVIII gets underway, but the NBA will do a fine job of holding us over until then. With a massive 10-game slate on deck for Wednesday night, let's focus in on two plus-money player props to close out the month. 

Rudy Gobert to record 16+ rebounds (+200 FanDuel)

Gobert might grab every single rebound in Wednesday night's matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs will be without their top three rebounders in Luka Doncic, Dereck Lively II and Kyrie Irving, and they don't have anyone left to mark the second-best rebounder in the NBA this season. Gobert is coming off a 17-rebound performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in his last game, and this is an even easier matchup for the big man. 

Damian Lillard to score 35+ points (+360 FD)

This isn't an on-court handicap as much as it is a gut feeling. Lillard will be returning to the Moda Center for the first time since he was traded by the Portland Trail Blazers to the Milwaukee Bucks, and you know he'll want to put on a show in front of his old fans. The star point guard scored 31 points on 21 shot attempts and 12 three-point attempts in his first matchup against the Blazers in Milwaukee, but he might surpass 30 shots in his first game back in Portland. Lillard has always had a flair for the dramatic, so he's surely had this date circled on the calendar for a while. 

If you're feeling spicy, you can parlay both props for +1280 on FanDuel Sportsbook.

In the news ...

Ben Johnson returning to Lions despite interest from other teams — After losing the NFC Championship to the San Francisco 49ers in agonizing fashion, the Detroit Lions were also in danger of losing their coveted offensive coordinator to a head coaching gig. But, in a surprising turn, Ben Johnson has decided to return as the Lions OC for another season. Detroit ranked fifth in scoring and third in yards per play this year, and now it gets a key member of its coaching staff back. 

Joel Embiid re-injures knee, will undergo MRI — Embiid returned to the court Tuesday night after missing the previous two games with left knee soreness, but the Philadelphia 76ers star didn't look healthy throughout the contest. Late in the fourth quarter, Embiid dove to the ground to retrieve a loose ball and quickly grabbed at his injured knee in pain. He left the game and didn't return, and he's scheduled to undergo an MRI this week. Embiid, who was the MVP betting favorite just a few days ago, is now down to +1500 to win the award.

Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler headline revamped Pebble Beach Pro-Am — The 2024 Pebble Beach Pro-Am will begin this Thursday, and the tournament features a star-studded field for the first time in years. Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth and more will all be in attendance at the second signature event of the young season. Unsurprisingly, McIlroy is the betting favorite to win at +850 odds. 

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jack Dougherty