NBA PrizePicks Player Predictions: Sunday (1/12)
For the first time all year, our Sunday slate of NBA games starts much earlier. A handful of games start at around 3:00 p.m. ET, and another four matchups begin at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Get your entries in early!
Like every NBA PrizePicks article, we’ll give out four-player predictions you can use for a four-leg Power Play entry. A two-leg Power Play entry will give you implied odds of -137 for each prediction. A three-leg Power Play entry will give you implied odds of -141. A four-leg NBA PrizePicks Power Play entry will give you implied odds of -128 for each prediction.
Getting -128 on the same prediction is better than -137 or -141. Here are our top NBA PrizePicks player predictions for tonight’s action.
Remember that a Flex play can still win if one pick misses, but you’d get lower payouts.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander More Than 32.5 Points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best scorers in the NBA. He’s already coming off a 39-point performance against the Knicks. Now, he’ll take on a Wizards defense that ranks dead last in points allowed to point guards this season.
Washington has allowed point guards to make 3.63 threes per contest and ranks 24th in defensive field goals made by point guards. Shai is very likely to hit at least one three, but it’s even more likely that he will find himself at the foul line throughout this game. Washington ranks 30th in free throw attempts and free throws made by point guards this year.
Let’s take Shai to have a big offensive game.
Jayson Tatum More Than 25.5 Points
Are people really panicking about Jayson Tatum’s 15-point game against the Kings a couple of days ago? Not me.
Tatum has averaged nearly 19 field goals a game but only took 13 against Sacramento. He’ll get back to his average, especially since he’s facing a Pelicans defense that ranks 28th in points allowed to small forwards this year. The Pelicans rank dead last in three-pointers allowed and defensive three-point field goal percentage against small forwards. Look for Tatum to get a bunch of great looks tonight.
Kristaps Porzingis More Than 18.5 Points
Kristaps Porzingis is feeling it!
He’s scored at least 19 points in three consecutive games, including a 22-point performance against the Kings last time out. He’s in line to face a Pelicans defense that ranks 22nd in the NBA in points allowed to power forwards. Beyond that, power forwards have attempted nearly 18 shots per game against the Pelicans.
There’s a good chance Porzingis and Tatum will see heavy volume in tonight’s showdown against the Pelicans.
Keegan Murray Less Than 11.5 Points
Keegan Murray broke out for 19 points against the Celtics. But before this matchup, he had really struggled to score at a consistent rate. Over the last ten games, he’s added 11.2 points per game and has nailed at least 12 points in just three of his last ten.
Additionally, he’s taking on a Chicago defense that ranks 9th in the NBA in points allowed to small forwards. Small forwards have also shot just 38.31% from the field against the Bulls this season. There are games where Murray isn’t involved as much, and this will likely be one of those games for him.
Our PrizePicks NBA Cheat Sheet helps bettors by comparing lines from PrizePicks vs. our daily NBA projections. We highlight top NBA props based on advanced metrics such as Cover Probability, Expected Value and historical Over%. This report is updated in real-time to prove the most current odds, projections and NBA prop bet picks.