Top NBA Betting Picks for Saturday, January 9

It is a busy day for bettors on Saturday, but the NBA offers enough intrigue to reel in those who would otherwise occupy themselves with the NFL playoffs. While there is no marquee matchup per se, the slate in chock full of interesting lines to attack both from a game, team, and player standpoint.

Here are the top NBA betting plays for Saturday, January 9, provided by BettingPros experts Isaiah Sirois, and Raju Byfield. (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: Suns -3.5 (-105 at FD Sportsbook)
Phoenix has been inconsistent this season but is getting a bonus cushion due to playing on the road against an Indiana Pacers team whose record makes them seem like a stronger team than they actually are. T.J. Warren is out for the Pacers, and as long as Chris Paul is active for the Suns, they should be able to find a way to cover. Fade this matchup altogether if CP3 sits.

Sirois: Spurs -5 (-110 at FD Sportsbook)
The Spurs looked fantastic last week. With LaMarcus Aldridge back in the lineup, San Antonio took down both the Clippers and the Lakers in California, and they’ll get the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves tonight. The Spurs average 112.2 points per game, and that jumps to 114.3 when you look at just their last three games. They rank 15th in offensive efficiency, too, while the Timberwolves are averaging 108.8 points per game and rank 26th in offensive efficiency. My model is projecting a 5.2-point win for the Spurs, and as long as this line doesn’t move anywhere, I’m riding with them.

Best Team Props of the Day

Byfield: Bucks 1st Quarter -4.5 (-105 at FD Sportsbook)
This line was set high enough so as to attract action on both sides and that is exactly what has happened, with the under actually having the juice at the time of writing. Anything under four points would have been met with unanimous sharp action, so at least here the books will have them on different sides. This is the classic best versus the worst scenario, as the Bucks have scored a league-leading 32.7 first quarter points per game, while the Cavaliers, have scored just 22.3 points per first quarter, the worst mark in the NBA. Of course, points don’t always tell the tale, so it is also necessary to analyze margin. The Bucks come in atop the NBA at +4.7 per 1st quarter, while the Cavs are in the bottom third at -3.7. That number drops to -4.7 on the road. The number may become more favorable for Bucks bettors by game time but could go in the opposite direction if Collin Sexton is ruled out. Lock in one unit, and do some line watching leading up to tip-off.

Sirois: Magic 4th Quarter +0.5 (-102 at FD Sportsbook)
The Magic have been the better late-game team this year. They’re scoring the sixth-most fourth-quarter points per game (28.3) while allowing the fourth-fewest (24.6); in contrast, the Mavericks score the 12th-most fourth-quarter points (27.5) and allow the 13th-most fourth-quarter points (also 27.5). The Magic are 5.5-point underdogs on a back-to-back, but they were able to rest their starters after falling behind early against Houston last night, and they should be able to keep this one close at the end.

Best Player Props of the Day 

Byfield: DeMar DeRozan under 6.5 assists (-134 at FD Sportsbook)
The juice on this prop is getting high, so this is one to lock in sooner rather than later. DeRozan has been an excellent facilitator once again this season, carrying over his playmaking emphasis from the bubble to the current season. He is averaging 7.3 assists per game thanks to a scorching start to the season that saw him average nine dimes a game over his first three contests of the season. He has fallen back to a more sustainable level lately and has averaged 6.2 assists since. He has crossed 6.5 assists just once in his last three contests and has done so just twice in five tries since his first three contests. At 5.5, the over would be the play, but at 6.5, the value is clearly on the under.

Sirois: DeAndre Ayton under 10.5 rebounds (-124 at FD Sportsbook)
Ayton played nearly 37 minutes against the Pistons last night, the second-most run he’s gotten all season, so he’s in line for fewer minutes against the Pacers. Indiana hasn’t been the best rebounding team this season, but their 34.5 defensive rebounds allowed per game ranks a respectable 13th. That’s enough for me to target the under here. Bet against Ayton’s usage by playing the under on his boards.

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