The 2024-25 NBA season is in full swing. I’ll be giving out NBA best bets and player props here as often as possible, and I’ll also occasionally write up features on big news that shakes up the league. So, make sure you check out my work throughout the season. With that out of the way, let’s get into some NBA best bets and NBA player props for Monday, January 27th. Also, make sure you check out the picks page (linked right below) before games tip off. I occasionally add picks throughout the day.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on January 27th
NBA Best Bets Today – January 27th
Los Angeles Lakers at Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 pm ET
The Lakers have won and covered in three consecutive games, and they have also won five of their last six contests. However, the Hornets have also won four of their last six. And this is going to be a pretty tough on-court matchup for Los Angeles. It’s no secret that Anthony Davis doesn’t love playing the center position, and that’s only going to be exacerbated this evening. Davis will be going up against Mark Williams, who is 7’0” and 240 pounds and has all the energy in the world. In January, Williams is averaging 19.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He’s an absolute load on both ends of the floor, so it’ll be interesting to see how the battle in the paint goes. Also, there won’t be a player on the court with more firepower than LaMelo Ball, who is averaging 28.9 points and 7.5 assists per game this season. The Lakers can struggle to contain highly talented ball handlers, so Ball has the potential to torch them.
It’s also hard to ignore that Los Angeles is just 9-12 both straight-up and against the spread on the road this year. So, while JJ Redick’s team has been better lately, it is hard to trust the Lakers outside of Los Angeles. Also, under Redick, the Lakers are just 4-10 ATS as favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points, so this hasn’t been the best situation for them. Meanwhile, the Hornets are 11-9-1 ATS as home underdogs under Charles Lee, and they’re also 11-7-2 ATS as underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.
This just feels like a lot of points for Los Angeles to be laying against a Charlotte team that is suddenly playing good ball. However, VSiN subscribers shouldn’t be surprised by the recent play of this team. The old Hardwood Handicappers crew has been high on the Hornets since the offseason. They’re just now getting healthy and providing us with some late validation.
Bet: Hornets +5.5 (-107 – 1.5 units) & Hornets ML (+185 – 0.5 units)
Orlando Magic at Miami Heat – 7:30 pm ET
I’m not understanding why the Magic are being priced the way they are. I had Orlando to beat Detroit the other night, taking advantage of the -130 moneyline the oddsmakers set on them. Well, I’m going back to the well tonight. Jalen Suggs is questionable for the Magic tonight, and it’d be a big blow if he’s not out there for Orlando. But with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero healthy, this team should be viewed as a top-five group in the Eastern Conference. The Magic are undeniably a top-five defensive team in the NBA, and Wagner and Banchero give them two guys that can create offense in a half-court setting.
Realistically, the only thing Miami can do to beat a team like Orlando is go crazy from the 3-point line. And we have seen the Heat do it before. However, the Magic are allowing fewer 3-point makes per game (11.0) than any team in the NBA. They’re going to do whatever they can to run Miami off the 3-point line, and that should be a successful game plan for them. Also, if Suggs does end up suiting up, that solves the Tyler Herro problem. Suggs is one of the best isolation defenders the league has at the guard position.
Orlando also lost to Miami as a 1-point road favorite back on December 26th, and the Magic are 13-8 SU when coming off a loss to an opponent in which they were favored under Jamahl Mosley. He’ll have his guys prepared and fired up for this one.
Bet: Magic ML (-122 – 1.5 units)
NBA Player Props Today – January 27th
Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics – 7:30 pm ET
The VSiN NBA prop bet analyzer continues to point me in the direction of Derrick White. The Celtics guard has gone Over his combined points, rebounds and assists total for tonight in 31 of the 44 games he has played this season. White also been playing very well lately. The 30-year-old just had 23 points, four rebounds and four assists in a win over the Mavericks, and he had 20 points, six boards and four assists two games before that. Also, when Boston played Houston on January 3rd, White went for 23 points, four rebounds and two assists, showing that he’s not exactly fazed by facing this elite Rockets defense. White is also averaging 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this year, which is good for a combined 24.4 points, rebounds and assists per game. He regularly goes Over these totals, making it somewhat difficult to understand why the numbers continue to be set this low.
Bet: White Over 20.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-110 – 1.5 units)
Denver Nuggets at Chicago Bulls – 8:00 pm ET
Michael Porter Jr. is another player that consistently goes Over his combined points, rebounds and assists totals. The big wing is averaging 18.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, which is a combined 26.8 points, rebounds and assists per game. Yet, we’re seeing him priced at 23.5 in tonight’s meeting with the Bulls. That’s especially interesting considering Chicago is 26th in the league in adjusted defensive rating (115.7), meaning Porter should be able to do a ton of damage as a scorer. After all, this game has a total of 248.5 tonight. Porter will also pitch in a little when it comes to rebounds and assists.
Bet: Porter Jr. Over 23.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-115 – 1.5 units)
Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix Suns – 9:30 pm ET
Since being traded to the Suns, Nick Richards is averaging 12.3 rebounds per game. Richards has also had double digits in rebounds in three of the four games he has played for Phoenix — and he’s even coming off a game in which he had 19 boards against Washington. It’s just hard to imagine Richards not doing some good work on the glass tonight, even in a meeting with Ivica Zubac and a good Los Angeles team. These are the types of games that Richards was acquired for, so he should have a good amount of energy when he gets out there. Richards also did start one game against Zubac and the Clippers last season, and he had 10 boards in 33 minutes in that game. So, we’re not looking for him to do something he hasn’t done before. And it should be noted that only three players in the NBA have gotten more rebound chances per game than Richards over the last four games.
Bet: Richards Over 9.5 Rebounds (-115)
Additional Plays
This is where I’ll include any late added plays, teasers/parlays or in-season futures. Come back before tip if you don’t want to miss anything. It’s always possible I’ll add something to my card.
PARLAY: Timberwolves ML vs. Hawks & Suns Alt Spread +7.5 vs. Clippers (-141 – 1.5 units)
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2024-25 NBA Record: 206-197-2 (+8.81 units)
