The new year starts with a loaded NBA slate, from the Nuggets and Timberwolves in action to the Pistons coming off a victory. Even the red-hot Suns are playing, hosting the Trail Blazers. As for totals, look no further than a 260.5-point number in Milwaukee between the Pacers and Bucks. It’s a great way to ring in the New Year, so let’s get to the best NBA bets today, with one side and total for Monday, Jan. 1.
Best NBA Bets Today: Picks, Side Bets & More
Best NBA Side Bet: Mavericks-Jazz
This game in Utah has an added element of motivation as Utah looks to avenge a 50-point loss on Dec. 6. Some things have changed since that humiliation, namely the Jazz are healthy and have won seven of their last 10 games. This isn’t a major push to the playoffs for Utah, but it’s good enough momentum to ride into this specific game. Dallas is the better team but has struggled with injury and consistency.
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are questionable heading into tonight’s game, and while Doncic just played on Saturday, he did miss Thursday’s game with the same quad injury. This is where the Jazz have that extra advantage for this specific game; they come in motivated, full of revenge and healthy, and they are taking on a Mavericks team in far more disarray than at the start of December. Seth Curry and Dante Exum are also questionable.
Dallas is either playing with a banged-up roster or a bunch of backups; either way, it is not a great recipe to keep with this suddenly sparking Jazz team.
Best NBA Side Bet: Utah Jazz +3.5 at BetRivers
OddsShopper’s betting model found a key pricing disparity in the odds for this Mavericks-Jazz game. Lauri Markkanen is -148 on FanDuel to stay under 3.5 3-Pointers, which is below the true odds of -160 and well below the odds of Pinnacle, which is a sharp book. That makes this wager on Markkanen a +EV Bet by 3%. For the rest of our model’s projections — more than just the NBA — subscribe to OddsShopper Premium!
Best NBA Total Bet: Heat-Clippers O/U 239.5
The last total we played was an under with the Clippers, which cashed once again on Friday night. The same theory here applies with a Heat team down Jimmy Butler to a foot injury and the possible return of Kawhi Leonard to Los Angeles’ lineup. Neither of them being absent (potentially with Leonard) hurts this game going under the total. The Clippers are more inclined to keep with a slower pace and maximize fewer possessions per game without their best player. If Leonard does play, it’s more of the workload isn’t as spread out as without him, rather than an additional 15 to 20 points to the total.
Butler is a great defender, but the Heat can still defend against an opponent not looking to run a track meet. They take on the first of the two Los Angeles teams tonight then the Lakers on Wednesday — a game with far more star power. It’s always something to keep an eye on when a team comes to Los Angeles to play the Clippers then the Lakers in back-to-back games. Maybe the most impressive feat coming from Los Angeles’ most recent Friday win against the Grizzlies was Ivica Zubac grabbing 20 rebounds, furthering the Clippers’ defensive strengths.
Neither of these teams are interested nor fully equipped to play at a speed to get over this total. Once again, the Clippers will come through with an under play.
Best NBA Total Bet: Under 227.5 Heat-Clippers (-108 at BetRivers)
OddsShopper’s NBA Tools & Tips
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