We will get an early start on Saturday with the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets opening things up in a rare early start for Houston. There are six games total to choose from, with each offering its own unique narratives and injury reports. The spreads continue to get tighter as Vegas is doing a remarkable job of adjusting where needed, while also baiting bettors in other spots.
Here are the top NBA betting plays for Saturday, January 2, provided by BettingPros experts Raju Byfield, Isaiah Sirois, and Vaughn Dalzell (Main game odds courtesy BettingPros Consensus; lock and prop odds sites may vary):
Check out our daily NBA consensus game odds here >>
Betting Locks of the Day
Byfield: Pelicans +1.5 (-112 at FD Sportsbook)
As echoed here before, the Toronto Raptors are merely a shell of the teams they have been in years past, and oddsmakers and bettors will get another awakening this evening. Toronto should not even be listed as the favorite for this contest as the Pelicans already proved to be the better team this season. Toronto is just not very good and what we saw from Siakam last season is likely his plateau, he can make incremental improvements, but as long as he remains a player that can just as easily shoot .333 as he can .666, he will be too inconsistent to ever be trusted as a top option. New Orleans has two players that can function in that role, Toronto remains the better team as a unit, but the talent disparity shifted grossly this offseason. This loss will likely turn out to be a catalyst for change for Toronto. Take the Pelicans with the bonus cushion.
Sirois: Hawks -6 (-115 at FD Sportsbook)
The Hawks just took down the Brooklyn Nets by 18 points. They kept the series' first game within a four-point margin, too. At 4-1, the Hawks deserve more respect than they're getting. They should be more than six-point favorites over the Cavs. Although Cleveland got out to a hot start, they followed it up with an 0-2 skid, as they dropped games against the Knicks (nine-point loss) and the Pacers (20-point loss). They're an easy target without Kevin Love and Isaac Okoro, and the Hawks should cover even though they’re on the wrong side of a back-to-back. If you're worried about Atlanta resting their starters, don't be, as they didn't log a ton of minutes last night. Trae Young led the team in minutes played with only 32.
Dalzell: Pelicans +1.5 (-112 at FD Sportsbook)
The Raptors are an impressive 16-2 ATS in their last 18 trips to New Orleans, but this isn’t your ordinary Pelicans team, and the same can be said for Toronto. The Raptors earned the first win of the season over the Knicks, while the Pelicans have already beat the Raptors plus San Antonio and Oklahoma City. You could argue both teams have defeated anyone good, but the Pelicans being home dogs is worth a grab over the big spreads tonight.
Best Team Props of the Day
Byfield: Cavaliers Second Quarter over 28.5 (-110 at FD Sportsbook)
Cleveland is the top second quarter team in the NBA with 34 points and will be facing a Hawks team allowing 30.6 points per second quarter. The Hawks should help keep the pace up, as they come in third in second quarter points per game. Atlanta’s defense will also play a factor, as they have allowed opponents to shoot .497 from the field overall and should allow the Cavs to get things going in the second after what is expected to be another slow start.
Sirois: Pacers Third Quarter -2.5 (-112 at FD Sportsbook)
I wrote this line up for Thursday, and it cashed then, so I'll ride it again here. The Pacers have been incredible in the third quarter, as they're scoring the most third-quarter points (33.4) while allowing the fewest third-quarter points (20.2). The Knicks are a fantastic team to play this line against, as they're scoring the fewest third-quarter points (21). Even with T.J. Warren hurt, I still expect the Pacers to win the third by at least three points.
Dalzell: Hawks First Quarter -1.5 (-122 at FD Sportsbook)
The Cavaliers are last in the league with 23.0 PPG in the first quarter. Atlanta leads the league with 34.0 PPG. That doesn’t make much sense, but Cleveland is No. 1 with 34.0 PPG in the second quarter and Atlanta third with 32.6 PPG. Every Cleveland game has been the same thus far, so let’s ride that train again.
Best Player Props of the Day
Byfield: Darius Garland over 15.5 points (-110 at FD Sportsbook)
Darius Garland continues to impress this season. He is averaging 19 points per game and has hit at least 20 points in three of his contests. He has scored more than 15.5 points in all but one of his contests this season and is a tremendous bet to do so once again. The Atlanta Hawks have allowed opponents to shoot .497 from the floor this season and are in the bottom third of the league in terms of scoring defense. Garland should once again have the green light and may be even more incensed than usual due to facing off against Trae Young and his average at best defense. Garland totals will be at 18.5 before long, so enjoy the ride while it lasts.
Sirois: Domantas Sabonis Over 11.5 Rebounds (-112 at FD Sportsbook)
Sabonis notched 13 boards in 37 minutes when the Pacers opened their season against the Knicks. Since then, he's yet to record more than 11 boards; he's totaled 10, 10, 11, and 11 since his first game. Not only were all four of those misses close, but they also came against teams that are much better at rebounding than the Knicks. Of the Bulls, Cavs, and Celtics — the four teams the Pacers played — the Celtics and Bulls both rank top-12 in terms of rebounds allowed to their opponents. The Cavs are only 21st, but that's still better than the 25th-placed Knicks, who give up 56.6 rebounds per game.
Dalzell: Joel Embiid Over 26.5 Points (-116 at FD Sportsbook)
Joel Embiid averages 26.3 PPG in eight games versus the Hornets, and he’s scored 27 or more in three of four games to start 2020-21. The Hornets are surprisingly good at defending centers this season, but Embiid is a different animal. He’s yet to score 30 points this season, and at home, I like him to drop a 30-piece. Embiid did this in all three meetings in 2018-19 and only met the Hornets once in 2019-20, scoring 18 points on only 10 shot attempts and seven free-throws in 26 minutes.
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