It's a pretty small slate of games today (6) but I still have a few spots that I am eyeing up for bets anyway! Sorry, I wasn't able to get an article out on Friday but the NFL was kicking my butt as I was trying to keep up with the madness that was Week 18. I am back on the NBA beat today and looking for ways in which we can profit.
I'm only picking sides and totals in this article three days a week, so consider subscribing to my sports betting substack here as I put out some DFS stuff and props on most evenings from Monday through Friday, too. Props have been hot lately, too!
In this article, I'll be providing my favorite picks against the spread, game totals, parlays, and teasers for NBA games that tip-off at 7:00 PM EST on Monday, January 9th. Let's take a look at the games that I am targeting with wagers tonight in the NBA!
Thunder Dan's NBA Best Bets
- 2022-2023 Overall Record: 81-97
- Against the Spread: 39-46
- Game/Team Totals: 11-23
- Moneyline Parlay: 11-18
- Teasers: 19-9
NBA Betting Picks: Against the Spread
New Orleans Pelicans (+1.5) @ Washington Wizards (227.5 total)
Money is coming in on the Pelicans as this line has already moved a half-point since I first started my research this morning. This is a no-brainer pick for me, and you all probably know by now how much I really like this New Orleans team. They get CJ McCollum back tonight and have the depth and quality of the bench to withstand the absence of Ingram and Zion.
But can the Wizards withstand another extended absence from Bradley Beal? I'm not so sure. They were embarrassed by OKC in their last game and are a pretty volatile team on a nightly basis. They could win this game at home and I wouldn't be totally surprised, but the Pelicans should be favored here based on the strong season they've put together so far. They are the more complete team on both sides of the floor and I'm backing them to pick up another tough win tonight.
The Pick: Pels ML (+100)
Chicago Bulls (+8) @ Boston Celtics (237.5 total)
For some reason, the Bulls have had the Celtics' number this season. Are they a better team than Boston? Of course not, but they're 2-1 against Boston and only lost by four points to the Celtics the last time they played in Boston.
Chicago has won three in a row and picked up a couple of nice wins in that stretch against Brooklyn and Philly. This team has been pretty unpredictable this year and the conventional stats point me towards the Celtics winning (and maybe even covering), but I am going against the grain here and backing the road dogs to cover. The Bulls can keep this one close, even if they don't win and this spread is just too big for Chicago's history against Boston this year.
The Pick: Bulls +8 (-110)
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Los Angeles Lakers (+10) @ Denver Nuggets (241 total)
The Lakers have beaten the Nuggets twice this year in three meetings and have won five straight! Yet, they find themselves as 10-point road dogs here in Denver, and bettors don't seem to be giving them any respect despite their recent improved play.
Denver has been playing very well and I definitely view them as a top-5 team in the league, but they're also not all that great ATS this year at 20-19. Their margin of victory is only 2.6 points, meaning they simply haven't blown many teams out this year.
LeBron is playing like the ageless wonder that he is and the Lakers are getting some really good production from Russell Westbrook, too. When you add in a red-hot Dennis Schroder and a legit big man in Thomas Bryant, I think LA has enough firepower to hang with Denver in this one.
The Pick: Lakers +10 (-110)
NBA Betting Picks: Game and Team Totals
NO TOTALS TONIGHT
NBA Betting Picks: Parlays and Teasers
MONEYLINE PARLAY
MEM + SAC = (-154 DK)
FAVORITE UNDERDOG TEASER (buying 4.5 points)
NOP +6.5, CHI +12.5, LAL +13.5 = (+150 DK)
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