Best NBA Player Props Today - January 8

The NBA has six Games on the schedule tonight, highlighted by the Washington Wizards vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. Okay, maybe this isn't the best Game on the schedule, but it's the one I'm looking forward to as I found some gaps in the NBA odds for this matchup.

While I searched through the NBA player props to find some Phoenix Suns or Los Angeles Clippers players for everyone to root for, I came up empty-handed. So, you're going to have to settle for some Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz players.

Let's take a closer look at which props I hit the button on, with my free NBA picks for Monday, January 8.

Best NBA player props today

  • Kuzma Over 3.5 assists (+120 at bet365)
  • Markkanen Over 1.5 assists (+100 at BetMGM)
  • Giddey Over 4.5 assists (+114 at FanDuel)

Picks made on January 8 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Read full analysis of each pick.

Best NBA bonuses

DraftKings All Users
Get one no-sweat SGP every day
Bonus bets back if your wager doesn’t win! Claim Now

BetMGM New Users
Get up to $1,500 bonus bets back
If your first bet doesn’t win! Claim Now

Eligible USA locations only. Also, see our full list of best Sportsbook promotions for 2024.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

NBA player props for January 8

Prop bet #1: Cooking with Kuz

I'm going back to Kyle Kuzma's odds! The last time I bet on him it was in this same price range, and it was only a matter of time until he returned to the window where I could capitalize on his assists prop.

Kuzma will be facing the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, and while his assists numbers have been trending the wrong way, his price point has been adjusting along with the updated assists numbers. On Monday, I believe we have a probability gap.

Kuzma will be utilized in the pick-and-roll as a ball handler, and Chet Holmgren's foot speed and shot-blocking ability could disrupt his jump shot. This might lead to Holmgren overcommitting to Kuzma's jumper, and he could capitalize by utilizing the lob threat of Daniel Gafford or driving and kicking to his 3-point shooters more often than usual — resulting in more potential assists.

There has been momentum in the market for the Over on Jordan Poole's points prop as well, but I prefer to attack that angle with the Over on Kuzma's assists. I believe Kuz will find Poole for some of those open 3-point looks, and if Poole makes an incredibly stupid move, the Washington Wizards can always bring in Corey Kispert for some looks from beyond the arc as well.

Kuzma is projected to have 3.8 assists on Monday against the Thunder, which falls just short of the four we need, but the +120 price point is the key to this wager. Based on this projection, this bet is showing a positive expected value of 14%.

Kyle Kuzma prop: Over 3.5 assists (+120 at bet365)

BACK TO PICKS

Prop bet #2: On the Markk

I've been off for a while here, so it might feel like ages ago that I wrote about this bet. On Christmas Day, I highlighted Isaiah Hartenstein's assists prop against the Milwaukee Bucks, and the theory behind that bet is the same for this one.

We've seen several centers post higher-than-average assist numbers against the Bucks, and I think now is the perfect time to take a look at Lauri Markkanen's odds regarding his assist total.

Also, keep this angle in mind for future bets. This has been a common theme against Milwaukee all season: it's just about finding the correct player and pricing to match it. Sportsbooks have a hard enough time keeping up with the assist totals for the point guards of certain teams, so the centers go largely unnoticed in their pricing.

Markkanen is trading with a total of 1.5 assists at even money for the Over at BetMGM, and not only will his assist numbers receive a boost by playing against the Bucks, but he's also averaging more potential assists in his most recent games. 

Over his last eight outings, Markkanen is averaging 4.5 potential assists per game compared to 3.2 in the games prior. When you're trading at even money for Over 1.5 assists, 4.5 potential assists per game are more than enough to get us Over this total.

Markkanen is projected to have exactly two dimes tonight, which allows us to price the Over 1.5 assists at -125. Make sure you shop around for the best price on Markkanen as his assists prop isn't available at every Sportsbook — but there are multiple Over 1.5 (+100) available out there in the market.

Lauri Markkanen prop: Over 1.5 assists (+100 at BetMGM)

BACK TO PICKS

Prop bet #3: Giddey for assists

The last time I bet the Over on Josh Giddey's assists prop at 4.5 for plus money, he turned his ankle in the first half while sitting on four dimes. Let's hope for better fortunes this time because once again the price on Josh Giddey's odds is right, so he's forcing my hand to hit the button.

The Wizards' defense isn't good, to put it politely. They miss a ton of rotations, and typically, one extra pass can lead to a wide-open layup, dunk, or 3-point attempt. For someone like Giddey, he should be able to get to wherever he wants on the court, and he's a pass-first type of player. This Game should be wide open and play right into his hands of creating offense for his teammates.

The fear with a Giddey assists prop is he'll be faded by Mark Daigneault and play less than his usual 25 minutes because of matchups. With Washington having Deni Avdija and Kuzma hanging around the perimeter on offense, this should help keep Giddey in the game as he can match their size and speed on defense — even though Giddey isn't a plus defender by any means.

Giddey is projected to have five assists on Monday against the Wizards, which allows us to price Over 4.5 assists at -122. The price is +114 at FanDuel, showing a positive expected value of 17%.

Josh Giddey prop: Over 4.5 assists (+114 at FanDuel)

BACK TO PICKS

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.

🕒Vermont: Sports betting is coming!🕒

Vermont Sports betting will launch on January 11 — but you can pre-register now with FanDuel and DraftKings!

Check out the best Vermont Sports betting apps (as more brands launch in the Green Mountain State), as well as the best Vermont Sportsbook promos!

21+ and present in VT. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Today’s NBA games

Covers NBA betting tools
  • NBA picks
  • NBA odds
  • NBA player props
  • Best NBA betting sites
MORE NBA FREE PICKS

Google News
Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Sovereigns of the Sea : Exploring the Magnificence of King Crabs H19

Image
The Sove reign s of the Sea: Exploring the Magnificence of King Crabs” Introduction: In the vast expanse of the ocean depths, a group of majestic crustaceans reign supreme – the King Crabs. These formidable creatures, often referred to as the “Sove reign s of the Sea,” captivate marine enthusiasts and scientists alike with their impressive size, unique features, and intriguing behavior. Join us on a journey to explore the magnificence of these extraordinary marine monarchs. I. Royal Anatomy: King Crabs, scientifically known as Lithodidae, belong to the order Decapoda and are renowned for their colossal size. With legs that span impressive lengths, some reaching up to 10 feet, and a hard exoskeleton that serves as their royal armor, these regal crustaceans are well-equipped for life in the depths of the ocean. Their distinctive appearance, marked by a broad carapace and powerful claws, sets them apart as true rulers of the undersea r...
Read more

Over 3,000 migrants have hit NYC shelter time limit, report says

About 3,000 asylum-seekers have been told their time was up in New York City shelters, but about half have reapplied to stay NEW YORK -- About 3,000 asylum-seekers have been told their time was up in New York City shelters, but about half have reapplied to stay, according to a newspaper report. The United States' most populous city has struggled to contend with the arrival of over 120,000 asylum-seekers in the past year. About 60,000 are currently in shelter s run by the city, which is legally required to provide emergency housing to homeless people. The obligation is unmatched in any other major U.S. city. Mayor Eric Adams announced in July that New York would start giving adult migrants 60 days' notice to move out of city shelter s. The policy has since been extended to families with children, and tightened to 30 days for adults not accompanied by youngsters. Migrants, many of whom don't have legal authorization to work, can reapply for shelter if they can't find...
Read more

VIDEO: Crashed UFO Or Military Machine? UFO Crash Near Laredo, Texas 1948

Image
Texas Monthly magazine recently included the Laredo UFO Crash on a list of the eight most significant UFO cases in Texas History .Interestingly, this case is said to have occurred almost exactly one year after the more famous Roswell UFO Incident. Rumors about this case first began circulating in the 1950s, although details were not widely known until 1977. This case shares similarities with the Del Rio, Texas UFO Crash of 1955 and the Coyame UFO Incident of 1974, both of which reportedly also occurred along the Texas-Mexico border. According to Texas Monthly, talk of a UFO crash near Laredo first surfaced in the 1950s[2] , with additional details being released in 1978 by the late Leonard Stringfield, one of the first UFO researchers to advocate serious investigation of reported UFO crashes. Stringfield wrote, “In the Fall of 1977, new word of a 1948 crash came to me from a well-informed Military source. His information, however, was scanty. ...
Read more