Another profitable day in the books, going 2-for-3 – hitting on both Derrick White and Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s fantasy scores and just missing on Jalen Williams‘ point total, as he finished with 16. Wednesday brings another opportunity to grow our bankroll, with 12 NBA games. There are three games with totals over 240, including a 258 total for Bucks-Pacers, who will meet for the fifth time this season and the second time in three days. Bradley Beal is back for the Suns as they host the Clippers as 3-point favorites. Lastly, we’ll close out the night at 10 ET in Los Angeles with the Heat-Lakers. Let’s get to the the best PrizePicks NBA plays, starting with Tyrese Haliburton.
Selecting the right projections may be challenging, but with the assistance of OddsShopper’s NBA PrizePicks Optimizer and thorough research, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the best picks for Jan. 3!
NBA Player Predictions | January 3
Tyrese Haliburton M/L 52.5 Fantasy Score
Tyrese Haliburton will face the Bucks for the fifth time this season, and he averaged 51.2 fantasy points in the four previous games. He’s averaging 1.48 fantasy points per minute on the season and should be in line for 36-plus minutes in a game with the highest total of the night at 258. The Bucks and Pacers both rank top 5 in offensive rating and pace, creating an environment for fantasy heaven. It should be a competitive game tonight, as the Bucks play again tomorrow in San Antonio, where they will likely rest some of their starters.
Haliburton leads the NBA with 12.7 assists on 21.5 potential assists per game and is averaging 24.7 points per game. This has become its own playoff series, and the crowd in Indiana will be rocking tonight, allowing Haliburton to thrive at home.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Tyrese Haliburton More Than 52.5 Fantasy Score
Josh Giddey M/L 23.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
Josh Giddey has been playing exceptionally well lately, averaging 25.2 points + rebounds + assists (PRA) over his last five games. During this stretch, he boasts a 23.3 Net Rating, the fifth best in the NBA. The notable uptick in production is attributed to his increase in 3-point attempts, averaging 3.5 per game in December compared to just 2.0 at the beginning of the season. The Thunder face the second leg of a back-to-back but enjoy a favorable matchup against the Hawks, who rank 24th in defending the three.
This presents a pace-up opportunity for the Thunder, given Atlanta’s fourth-ranked pace and 27th-ranked defensive rating. The Thunder are favored by 1 point in a game with a healthy total of 248.5. We find nearly even odds from the books at -115 on more than 23.5 PRA. Giddey maintains an average of 22.4 PRA on the season, and in this pace-up scenario against a struggling defense, he’s poised to reach 24-plus tonight.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Josh Giddey More Than 23.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
Jalen Duren M/L 25 Points + Rebounds
The Pistons finally broke their 28-game losing streak when they beat the Raptors on Dec. 30. A big part of that victory was the dominance of Jalen Duren, who had 18 points and 17 rebounds in 34 minutes. Duren has been a bright spot for the Pistons, recording 14 double-doubles in just 18 games. Even though the Pistons are 9-point underdogs in Salt Lake City, this is a favorable matchup against the Jazz, who rank dead last against the center position.
The Jazz are 19th in opponent points in the paint and 22nd in defensive rating. The 240 total indicates a high-scoring game, as both teams rank in the top 10 in pace. I like Duren to get to 26 points + rebounds tonight against a team that ranks 21st in 3-point percentage.
Best PrizePicks NBA Player Prediction: Jalen Duren More Than 25 Points + Rebounds
Two-pick power plays and five-pick flex plays have the most expected value. If you’re looking for more picks, check out our PrizePicks Optimizer.
