Category: NBA

Lauri Markkanen faces one of his former teams on Wednesday night, and I think his points prop is a smash play.

Tonight’s NBA props narrative: Markkanen and the Utah Jazz are on the road against the Chicago Bulls in a game that should turn into a track meet. Look for the power forward to produce in what continues to be a career year.

Check out my top NBA prop picks for Jan. 14, featuring Cooper Flagg and Bub Carrington.

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NBA prop picks Jan. 14

Best bet: Markkanen over 26.5 points (-107)

I don’t understand why this line sits where it does, but I’ll gladly jump on the over at a nice price.

Markkanen is averaging 27.9 points this season, and he’ll be in a high-paced scoring environment tonight that should allow him to push for an above-average total.

The Bulls host Markkanen’s Jazz for a matchup with the highest over/under on the night’s seven-game slate (243 points). Both squads play at a top-five pace and have a bottom-five defensive rating.

When these teams last met in November, they combined for 254 points in regulation. The final score was 150-147 for Utah in double overtime.

Oh, and Markkanen dropped 47 points in that barn-burner.

-> Bet on Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen vs. Bulls!

To sum it up, Markkanen is in a matchup tonight that should produce a mountain of points based on the teams’ tendencies, defensive shortcomings, and recent precedent.

And he can cash this bet without even reaching his season scoring average. So yeah, I’m all over that.

Since the start of December, Markkanen has cashed this bet in 10 of 14 games while posting 50.7/38.3/85.6 shooting splits.

Key stat: Markkanen is 4-1 vs. this scoring prop in his past five games against the Bulls (dating back to the 2022-23 season, when he joined the Jazz).

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Best NBA picks

Flagg 6+ assists (+143): You can get Flagg over 4.5 assists at -148, which is fine, but I’m cutting out the juice and aiming a bit higher tonight.

Ryan Nembhard, the Dallas Mavericks’ assist leader, has come off the bench in four of his past five games. That has left Flagg with a greater opportunity to facilitate in the starting rotation.

In those four recent games with Nembhard playing as a reserve, Flagg has 25 total assists and is 3-1 vs. this milestone prop.

-> Full betting markets for Wednesday’s NBA slate

Flagg will face the Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets, and I think he can do his part as a passer. The Nuggets allow the eighth-most assists per game in the NBA.

When Flagg last faced the Nuggets on Dec. 23, he finished with nine assists — his second-highest total of the season.

NBA player prop predictions

Carrington over 1.5 threes (-129): Here’s an odd stat: Carrington has a better shooting percentage from 3-point range (42.1%) than he has overall (40.5%).

I’d like to see a bit more 3-point volume from the second-year player, but at a line this low, he’s worth a play on Wednesday night.

• Carrington is averaging 2.0 made 3s on 4.7 attempts this season.

• Since Nov. 22, Carrington is 17-6 vs. this prop while averaging 5.9 attempts.

-> Don’t miss out — bet on tonight’s NBA prop markets!

CJ McCollum used to be the Wizards’ most active 3-point shooter, but he plays for the Atlanta Hawks now. That should open things up a bit for guys like Carrington.

In three games since McCollum left, Carrington is 9-for-21 from deep (42.9%).

NBA prop picks made at 9:45 a.m. ET on Jan. 14, 2026.

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After a stunning upset win last night, the Sacramento Kings are back at it on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The pregame narrative: Tonight marks the seventh time in nine games in which the Kings are underdogs by at least 7.5 points. The Lakers have won and covered in six straight against the Kings since the start of the 2024-25 season.

Check out my Lakers vs. Kings SGP predictions for Jan. 12, featuring prop picks on Luka Doncic and Russell Westbrook.

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Lakers vs. Kings predictions

Parlay: Lakers -6.5 | Doncic 8+ assists | Westbrook 2+ threes (+310)

Lakers -6.5 (-190): I just shredded the Kings yesterday for how atrocious they’d been during a seven-game losing streak. Naturally, they turned around and beat the Rockets at home as 14.5-point underdogs.

I refuse to be reactionary off that one game, though, and I’ll take a rested Lakers squad on a trimmed-down spread tonight.

• Prior to Sunday’s surprise win, Sacramento had lost seven in a row (1-6 ATS) with an average point differential of -22.9 points.

• Six of the seven losses during that skid came by 14+ points.

-> Build your Lakers vs. Kings SGP at NorthStar Bets

Los Angeles is coming off back-to-back days off and has covered a -6.5 spread in both prior meetings with Sacramento this season.

These teams last met on Dec. 28, and the rest situation was the same: two days off for L.A., no rest for Sacramento.

The Lakers won that game by 24 points.

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NBA SGP legs

Doncic 8+ assists (-230): The juice indicates that this is a pretty safe play, and the numbers back it up.

• Doncic has cashed this bet in six straight games, as well as 19 of 29 on the season.

• He’s averaging 8.8 APG despite also pacing the league in scoring (33.3 PPG).

Doncic’s backcourt buddy, Austin Reaves, has missed extended time this year. And Reaves’ absence has forced Doncic to be a bit more active as a passer than he might otherwise be.

-> Back Lakers’ superstar Luka Doncic vs. Kings

Without Reaves this year, Doncic’s scoring average is a bit down (30.8 PPG), and he’s hit this assists milestone in nine of 12 games.

Westbrook 2+ threes (-136): No one would accuse Westbrook of being an efficient scorer, but he’s still getting enough shots up for this line to be enticing.

Westbrook’s overall shot volume is nowhere near what it was back in the mid-2010s when he was competing for scoring titles. But he’s been surprisingly active from 3-point land.

On the season, the 37-year-old is putting up 5.5 attempted 3s per night — the third-highest mark of his career.

He’s 20-19 vs. this prop and has hit 5-of-11 threes across a pair of matchups vs. the Lakers.

Westbrook is on a 3-point shooting binge right now, averaging 7.2 attempts over his past 11 games.

He’s 6-5 vs. this milestone in that span and made at least one triple in each of those games. I think this is a decent time to buy in.

Lakers vs. Kings SGP made at 11:15 a.m. ET on Jan. 12, 2026.

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It’s been a banner year for Michael Porter Jr., who draws my attention in the NBA prop market for Monday night.

Tonight’s NBA props narrative: Porter was given the keys to the Brooklyn Nets’ offence after being traded there this offseason, and he’s been excellent all year. His points prop is at a very playable line tonight against the Dallas Mavericks.

Check out my top NBA prop picks for Jan. 12, featuring Payton Pritchard and Miles Bridges.

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NBA prop picks Jan. 12

Best bet: Porter over 25.5 points (-117)

If the Nets truly want to embrace a tank this season, they’ll probably want to get rid of Porter.

The ex-Nugget is doing his part and then some for the 11-win Nets, posting career-high averages in points (25.9), rebounds (7.4) and assists (3.4).

It’s really been an across-the-board improvement for Porter. He’s averaging about six more field goal attempts, three-and-a-half more 3s and two-and-a-half more free throws than during his Denver tenure.

-> Bet on MPJ tonight in Nets vs. Mavericks!

The 27-year-old rested last night, which is typical for him to do on one end of a back-to-back. He should be good to go on Monday, and this number looks like a smash to me.

• In 13 games since Dec. 1, Porter is averaging 27.8 PPG. He’s 10-3 vs. this points prop in that span.

• From December onward, Porter has been dominant beyond the arc, shooting 43.3% on a hearty 10.3 attempts per game.

MPJ’s Nets are visiting the Mavericks, who are missing a ton of size with Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively out. P.J. Washington is doubtful, too.

On Dec. 12, Porter went 6-for-10 from deep in Dallas as part of a 34-point performance.

Key stat: Porter has gone over 25.5 points in five of his past six games.

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Best NBA picks

Pritchard under 6.5 assists (+100): I’m struggling to understand why this line is so high, but I’ll gladly take the under at even money.

• Pritchard is averaging 5.2 assists, and this under is 29-9 on the season.

• He hit the under in both matchups vs. the Indiana Pacers last month, posting exactly five assists apiece in those games.

-> Full betting markets for Monday’s NBA slate

The Pacers are arguably the worst team in the NBA this season, but they haven’t been total pushovers on defence. Indiana ranks 20th in defensive rating and is allowing the seventh-fewest assists per game.

With Jaylen Brown listed as doubtful for the Boston Celtics, I’d expect Pritchard to be tasked with a heightened role as a scorer, not as a facilitator.

NBA player prop predictions

Bridges under 18.5 points (-105): The Charlotte Hornets have four players who average between 19.0 and 20.0 points, and sometimes it’s difficult to predict who’s going to get buckets on any given night.

Bridges looks like a reasonable fade candidate tonight in Los Angeles, where he’ll face a Clippers squad that allows the third-fewest points to opposing power forwards (per Fantasy Pros).

Yes, Bridges did sneak over this line with a 19-point effort when he faced the Clips at home in November, but that came with an uncharacteristically high volume of free throws. He shot 9-for-10 at the line.

-> Don’t miss out — bet on tonight’s NBA prop markets!

Since the start of December, Bridges has averaged just 3.1 free throw attempts per game. This under is 11-7 in that span, with Bridges putting up 16.8 PPG.

NBA prop picks made at 9:45 a.m. ET on Jan. 12, 2026.

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In the final NBA game of the night, the Houston Rockets look to bounce back against the Sacramento Kings.

The pregame narrative: Houston is in a bit of a rough patch, but no one is as down as Sacramento right now. My +380 same-game parlay is calling for a dominant win by the Rockets, along with a fade of one of the Kings’ top players.

Check out my Rockets vs. Kings SGP predictions for Jan. 11, featuring Russell Westbrook and Maxime Raynaud.

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Rockets vs. Kings predictions

Parlay: Rockets -9.5 | Raynaud over 10.5 points | Westbrook under 15.5 points (+380)

Rockets -9.5 (-200): Houston kicked off this road trip with back-to-back losses in Portland as a favourite, which isn’t great. That marks three straight road games in which the Rockets have lost outright as favourites.

But this a “hold my beer” moment for the Kings, whose recent slide is unparalleled.

• Sacramento is on a seven-game losing streak (1-6 ATS) in which its average point differential is -22.9 points.

• Six of the seven losses have come by 14+ points.

-> Build your Rockets vs. Kings SGP at NorthStar Bets

Sacramento won’t have Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis or Dennis Schroder. And the Kings’ healthy players have been ice cold on offence (dead-last in effective FG% in their past 15 games).

Houston has had some recent stumbles, but this is still a playoff-calibre team with guys like Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.

This should be a get-right game for the Rockets before they head back home.

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NBA SGP legs

Raynaud over 10.5 points (-103): On Dec. 3, the Rockets dismantled the Kings, 121-95. Raynaud was one of the very few bright spots for Sacramento.

The rookie big man scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting off the bench. He’s been in the Kings’ starting lineup ever since.

From that game onward, Raynaud has averaged 13.6 PPG on 58.7% shooting. He’s 12-5 vs. this prop, cashing it in both matchups vs. Houston.

-> Back Houston rookie Maxime Raynaud vs. Rockets

At 7-foot-1, Raynaud will be the tallest player on the court Sunday. And with Alperen Sengun (ankle) questionable to play, he could really capitalize on a mismatch in the paint.

Westbrook under 15.5 points (-167): Westbrook is in a shooting slump that completely overlaps with the Kings’ recent woes. I’m going to ride that wave.

The 18-year veteran is averaging 13.9 PPG over his past seven games, shooting an unsightly 37.0% from the field in that span. He’s gone under this prop in five of seven games.

Houston has the fifth-ranked defensive rating in the NBA (112.2) and plays at the third-slowest pace. Teams really don’t score much against the Rockets.

At 14.5 PPG for the season, Westbrook is going under this point total more often than not. The under is 22-16 this season.

Rockets vs. Kings SGP made at 1:15 p.m. ET on Jan. 11, 2026.

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