NBA Best Bets & Expert Picks | Saturday, Jan. 13
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
| 8 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
With an 8-game slate on deck for Saturday, January 13, our Action Network NBA staff provides their best betting advice between the Knicks vs. Grizzlies matchup and the Lakers facing the Jazz.
Find out their NBA best bets and expert picks for Saturday below.
Knicks vs. Grizzlies
By Joe Dellera
Hello, we are doing this again. I’ve written about Isaiah Hartenstein and how he’s thrived playing alongside OG Anunoby in my Player Props Forecast.
Since Anunoby has joined the Knicks, Hartenstein is averaging 13.8 rebounds on 21 rebound chances per game, per NBA Advanced Stats. That makes him the fourth-highest rebounder in the NBA over this stretch.
Now, he gets a game against the Memphis Grizzlies whose offense falls off significantly without Ja Morant and they likely will be without Desmond Bane (ankle) as well.
The Grizzlies are the 23rd ranked team in Rebounding Percentage and after moving on from Bismack Biyombo they are even more undersized. The Grizzlies have allowed monster rebounding games to Nurkic (19), Sabonis (21), and Zubac (20) within the last two weeks and given Hartenstein’s rebounding proficiency, he should thrive here.
I like Harteinstein to exceed 11.5 rebounds and 15+ (+320 Bet365) is a good look as well.
Pick: Isaiah Hartenstein over 11.5 Rebounds
| | |
Lakers vs. Jazz
By Kenny Ducey
The Utah Jazz are an absolute heater at the moment, stealing away seven of their last eight games, and they’ll go for a third straight win on Saturday to improve to 14-5 in Utah with recent home wins over the Nuggets and Raptors.
There’s no reason to believe they won’t get it. The Lakers are really slumping at the moment, dropping five of their last seven and ranking just 22nd on the defensive end, which is a massive cause for concern for a team which relies so heavily upon that side of the ball to win games.
For the season, L.A. has had a particularly hard time stopping the 3, ranking 22nd in defending the outside shot according to Cleaning the Glass, and that’s concerning considering the Jazz rank sixth in the NBA in frequency of shot from 3.
When you factor in that D’Angelo Russell and Cam Reddish are in danger of missing this game due to injury, the outlook becomes even more bleak for the visitors. Even without the injuries the Lakers, who love to score inside, are up against a tough task again the 11th-best rim defense in the NBA.
Utah has been excellent at home this season and should have a way through L.A. on both ends of the floor with the Lakers’ struggles against the 3 and Utah’s solid defense in the paint. I am going to bypass the points and go with the Jazz to win this one outright.
Pick: Jazz ML (+116)
| | |
Knicks vs. Grizzlies
It's just a lot of points, man.
And I recognize that he's gone over this in five of his last eight games, and that Jalen Brunson is out, but how long do you expect Randle to be on this run?
Tonight he runs into Jaren Jackson Jr. They've played each other nine times and Randle has one game of 30 or more points, which was two years ago, Randle had 36 and shot 11-of-27 to get it.
Yes, the Grizzlies are decimated, JJJ won't repeat as Defensive Player of the Year — he shouldn't have won it last year to begin with — but I just don't think Randle hits 32 or more points, but I'm liable to be wrong if he puts up 35 shots.
Chances are, he won't need to — the Knicks should win this going away, covering the -8. I'm going under on Randle, but yes, this should be a sweat.
Pick: Julius Randle under 31.5 points (-105)
| | |
