Expert NBA Picks and Player Props: Best NBA Bets Today Jan. 5
With the calendar turning to 2026, Monday’s NBA slate offers plenty of angles to attack. Between short home underdogs and a plethora of individual talent taking the floor tonight, there are a few spots that stand out as the best NBA bets today when scrolling through sports betting apps.
Here are three game lines, four player props and one three-leg parlay that pop on Monday’s card, which can be further enhanced by the latest sportsbook promotions.
Game Lines
Detroit Pistons +2.5 (-105) vs New York Knicks
🏀 Odds via BetMGM 📈
Detroit has quietly become a tougher out at home as Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren continue to mature, and the rotation around them stabilizes. The Knicks can grind teams down with their physicality, yet they also lean heavily on Jalen Brunson for late-clock shot creation, which has led to some uneven offensive stretches on the road. Catching the points with an improving Pistons team that can win the rebounding battle and get to the free throw line makes sense in what profiles as a close game.
Houston Rockets -7.5 (-120) vs Phoenix Suns
🏀 Odds via bet365 📈
Houston has turned into one of the league’s better home teams thanks to a top-tier defense and a balanced scoring attack built around Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant. Phoenix has been one of the more surprising teams of the season so far, with success fueled by energy and defensive intensity. Although Jalen Green won't get to play against his former team, Dillon Brooks will tonight.
Utah Jazz +6.5 (-115) vs Portland Trail Blazers
🏀 Odds via Caesars Sportsbook 📈
Portland’s offense now runs almost entirely through Deni Avdija, which has given the Blazers a higher scoring ceiling but also makes them somewhat reliant on one creator. Utah’s defense has been more respectable than its record suggests, and the Jazz have enough size and length to throw different looks at Avdija while still staying attached to shooters. Getting nearly two possessions with a Jazz team that can control the glass and slow the tempo feels like solid value, especially if Keyonte George gets hot.
Player Props
Jalen Johnson over 10 rebounds (-117)
🏀 Odds via bet365 📈
Jalen Johnson has emerged as one of the league’s most active rebounders, regularly flirting with double-doubles while playing heavy minutes for the Atlanta Hawks. Toronto often plays smaller in the frontcourt and takes a high volume of jumpers, which can lead to long rebound chances that Johnson is well-suited to chase down in transition. If he avoids foul trouble, he should again threaten double-digit boards with a strong chance to clear this number.
Matas Buzelis over 1.5 assists (-109)
🏀 Odds via BetMGM 📈
Chicago uses emerging forward Matas Buzelis as more than just a spot-up shooter, giving him touches as a secondary playmaker who can attack closeouts and find cutters. Boston’s defense is elite, yet it is also aggressive, frequently sending extra help at drivers and trusting rotations behind the ball. That style can open up simple kick-out passing lanes, so Buzelis’ combination of size, vision and minutes load makes two assists a very attainable target.
Kon Knueppel over 2.5 made threes (-180)
🏀 Odds via Caesars Sportsbook 📈
Kon Knueppel has quickly established himself as one of Charlotte’s most reliable perimeter threats, knocking down a high percentage of his attempts from deep while showing no hesitation to fire when he gets daylight. Oklahoma City’s defense is elite, yet the Thunder is willing to concede some three-point volume to keep the paint protected, particularly to role players rather than star creators. With Knueppel’s green light and likely 30-plus minutes, three makes from beyond the arc is well within reach.
Deni Avdija over 27.5 points (-122)
🏀 Odds via bet365 📈
Deni Avdija continues to take on a heavy load and true number-one scoring duties, consistently averaging in the mid-20s in points. Utah’s defense can be sturdy at the rim, but the Jazz do not have a perfect wing stopper to check Avdija for a full game, especially when he is used as a pick-and-roll ball handler and in post mismatches. With his usage rate sky high and free-throw attempts climbing, this matchup sets up for another aggressive scoring night that can push him past 28.
Today’s Best Parlay
🏀 Combined Parlay Odds: +631 (via BetMGM) 📈
- Leg 1: Nicolas Batum over 5.5 points (+102)
- Leg 2: Jordan Goodwin over 8.5 points (+100)
- Leg 3: Mitchell Robinson over 3.5 points (-123)
Nicolas Batum’s minutes and shot volume tend to spike in competitive games for the Clippers, and a matchup with Golden State should keep him on the floor long enough to clear a modest scoring line with a couple of threes or cuts to the rim. Jordan Goodwin brings energy and perimeter for the Suns’ backcourt, and is coming off one of the best games of his career last night. Mitchell Robinson does not need many touches to score for New York because his offense is almost entirely dunks and put-backs, so as long as he sees his usual run against Detroit’s front line, four points is well within his typical range and ties the legs together as one of the best NBA parlay bets bettors can consider today.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win As always, shop these numbers across different sports betting apps, keep an eye on late injury news and be ready to adjust if rotations change.
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All Odds as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Jan. 5
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