The NBA regular season resumes with a jam packed slate this Monday, with a total of 9 matchups on the docket scheduled for today. So, our staff of basketball experts dug into the latest odds and identified all the best betting value on the board for tonight.
Our betting experts have looked over the odds and made 6 NBA picks for today's matchups. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Monday, January 6.
NBA Best Bets Today, Predictions, Picks, Odds: Monday, January 6
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10 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. | ||
Magic vs. Knicks
By Joe Dellera
The Magic may again be without Jalen Suggs tonight, who missed Sunday's game with back spasms, and they are awful offensively this season.
They cannot buy a bucket and have the third-worst Adjusted Offensive Rating in the NBA.
The Knicks are dominant against bad teams but especially ones with bad offenses.
When the Knicks play teams with bottom-10 offenses, they are 15-0 with a +15.8 Net Rating. They have a 123.1 Offensive Rating compared to a 107.4 Defensive Rating and covering the spread by 4.2 points, per Cleaning the Glass.
While Karl-Anthony Towns is on the report with the knee injury he suffered very late against Chicago, his comments after seem to indicate that he's fine, considering he completed a workout after the game.
I'll back New York in this spot against a depleted Magic team.
Pick: Knicks -11 (-110)
| | | | | |
Suns vs. 76ers
I am fading the Suns here as their East coast road trip continues.
This Suns team looks disjointed. They really lack interior and switchable defense, and they do not shoot enough threes on offense, and they are apparently the loudest team in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes.
On the other hand, the Sixers are rolling right now and look like a contender.
Catching only -3 at home means they are power rating pretty equally, but Philadelphia also has home court advantage tonight.
I think the 76ers should are a point better than Phoenix on a neutral court right now, and should be closer to -4 or -4.5 at home. I also like the under in this game!
Picks: 76ers -3.5 (-110), Under 223.5 (-110)
| | | | | |
Pacers vs. Nets
By Nick Parsons
Indiana is 18-18 following back-to-back victories. The Pacers have now seen the total go Over in six straight games, and that's a big reason why the public is quick to back them to partake in another high-scoring affair tonight. But with the majority going one way, I'll be going the other on this one.
Brooklyn is just 13-22 after losing four of its last five, most recently a 123-94 setback to Philadelphia. I have a hard time seeing the inconsistent Nets reaching 100 in this contest.
The Nets beat the Pacers by a score of 99-90 at home back in early December, and everything points to a similar final combined score here as well. I'll take the Under.
Pick: Under 223 (-110)
| | | | | |
Spurs vs. Bulls
By Nick Galaida
Entering play, the Spurs quietly have the 6th- best net rating in the entire NBA across their last right games.
During that stretch, they rank 2nd in defensive rating and have held their opponents to a league-low 30.9% from the 3-point line.
This could be a tough matchup for Chicago, a team that has shot more 3-pointers than everyone except the Celtics.
The Bulls are below-average defensively and have a tendency to take poor shots at times.
The Spurs aren't quite a championship contender, but they are looking more like a legitimate playoff team by the day.
It wouldn't be surprising to see them win this game comfortably.
Pick: Spurs -3 (-110)
| | | | | |
Clippers vs. Timberwolves
The team chemistry has been off for a while in Minnesota and we suspect it's time for drastic action by Chris Finch to sort out the issues.
The current three-game skid has seen the Timberwolves veer off course.
Poor shot selection has been one reason; Anthony Edwards did score 53 on Saturday against the Pistons, but the offense has been out of sorts with Edwards shooting too many 3s, and wondering if Rudy Gobert even fits in personnel combinations that seem to demand more small-ball.
Minnesota's best successes this season came with a defense-first philosophy, which served the Wolves well for stretches in the first half of the season.
Two of those strong defensive efforts came against the Clippers in a five-day span (Nov. 29 & Dec. 4) when Minnesota won both matchups and neither total exceeded 188 points.
The Clips enter tonight on a 14-8 Under run. Play Clippers-Timberwolves Under
Pick: Under 214.5 (-110)
| | | | | |
Heat vs. Kings
One thing that I think the Miami Heat absolutely have to explore is Nikola Jovic as a playmaker.
I was very high on him coming into the 2022 NBA Draft, and in what we can start calling a post-Jimmy Butler era, he would have to be one of the biggest on-court beneficiaries. And it's about time. He has one of the most interesting skillsets on the team, which includes playmaker potential standing 6'10" tall.
He has recorded three or more assists in four straight games and in six of his last seven — in all six, he logged at least 20 minutes per contest.
When he gets the minutes and isn't reduced to standing in the corner, he hits this line. And now, they can't afford to limit him too much. He was damn near their only bright spot in the beatdown they suffered against Utah last time out.
Pick: Nikola Jovic Over 2.5 Assists (-125)
| | | | | |
