Top 5 NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (1/20)
There are eight games on the slate for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Things kick off early at noon ET). There is certainly no shortage of options to explore for today. Let's not waste any more time and jump right into some of our favorite picks for Monday, January 20th.
Monday’s Best NBA Picks
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Detroit Pistons +8 (-112)
We start the day in Houston, where the Pistons take on the daunting task of slowing down the Rockets, who sit in second place in the Western Conference.
Detroit has incurred four losses in its last 14 games, with only two of the losses resulting in a losing margin of over eight points. The Rockets have lost four games over their last 11 contests. If you extract the two 20+ point victories over the Wizards and Trail Blazers (19 wins combined), Houston has a winning margin of 6.2 points in their last five wins.
The Pistons are nowhere near Washington or Portland, respectfully. Detroit could certainly use a win in this contest after losing two consecutive games. The Pistons should stay within eight points of their opponent.
Trae Young Over 37.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-120)
It's Trae Young against the Knicks... At Madison Square Garden. If there's one thing we know for sure, Young is going to take every measure possible to infuriate the New York crowd. This is why we expect a performance that is anything but pedestrian from the veteran guard.
In nine games played at Madison Square Garden, Young is averaging 24.1 points, 8.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds. This includes the initial two meetings of his career where he only produced 29 points combined. He has surpassed the implied total for points, rebounds and assists in two of the last three contests when playing in New York.
In the six previous matchups at Madison Square Garden, Young is averaging 26 points, 9.0 assists and 3.5 boards. The Atlanta guard has exceeded 35.5 combined points + rebounds + assists in seven of his last eight games.
Boston Celtics First-Half/Full-Time Winner (-160)
The Celtics face a Warriors team who have not performed anywhere near preseason expectations. To make matters worse, Steph Curry is listed as questionable, while Draymond Green has already been ruled out for Monday's game. Curry may be the catalyst for Golden State's scoring, but Green is equally as crucial to the success of the team.
Without Green, the Warriors lose a major force on the rebounding front. On the offensive end, Golden State would be without their second-best option for assists.
Boston has successfully recorded a win in six of their previous 10 games and in five out of eight road contests. After losing to Atlanta on Saturday, the Celtics will be looking for redemption. Boston has only lost two consecutive games on one occasion this season.
The juice certainly doesn't fill our hearts with joy. Having said that, this looks like a smash play, especially if Curry does indeed miss the contest. Putting a full unit on this play sounds like a great way to engage this selection.
Utah Jazz @ New Orleans Pelicans Under 233 Points (-110)
The total for this contest comes across a bit high considering the Jazz will be without four of their best players. Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins will all miss this game. Oddsmakers are expecting the Jazz to score almost 110 points, a projection we strongly disagree with.
The point threshold for tonight seems more indicative of the last matchup between these two teams on Friday, where the total fell just short of 260. This contest marked only the second time in six games that the Jazz were involved in a game that eclipsed 233 combined points.
Without Sexton running the offense, Utah may not be as efficient as they were in the previous contest. While New Orleans has been smoking-hot over the past five games from a scoring perspective, the Jazz are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.
This selection could be the sweatiest of the bunch. However, it's difficult to feel confident in the over when the available Jazz players are averaging below 75 points per game combined on the season.
Chicago Bulls @ Los Angeles Clippers Under 231.5 Points (-118)
We are doubling down on the under for the combined team total in our last suggestion. Both teams are playing in back-to-back situations, and Chicago was barely able to produce more than 100 points against Portland last night - a team with half the amount of wins as they have incurred losses.
The combination of the seventh-worst defensive rating and second-highest pace makes Chicago the premier team to target in regards to eclipsing an over bet. The issue in this contest is that the Bulls are facing a Clippers team ranked second in defensive rating on the season.
Los Angeles is only allowing 103.2 points when playing at home. In January, that number has improved to 101.4. In eight games when playing on two consecutive days, the Clippers are only averaging 102 points per game.
We feel it's best to side with logic for this contest. The Bulls may find it difficult to score and their opponent is averaging seven fewer points when playing on zero days rest. It stands to reason this contest will fall short of 231.5 total.
Enjoy the games throughout the day and best of luck with your picks.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Monday: