Table of Contents
  1. NBA Best Bets Today, 1/1: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Thursday
  2. NBA Prop Bet Today, 1/1
  3. Get $200 in Bonus Bets Today At DraftKings Sportsbook When You Sign Up

Meatloaf for the fourth day in a row! Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets is on a roll, and we are dialed into the NBA season with accurate betting. Stephen Curry cashed in the +123 odds on his three-point proposition. Jordan Poole cleared his point line by over 10 points last night, and he will be a name to monitor going forward. 

The New York Knicks versus San Antonio Spurs put up a certified classic last night that went well over the projected total of 237.5 points. The game ended with 266 points and a San Antonio Spurs victory, despite a last-second three-point field goal made by Jalen Brunson. This once again proved that ‘Two out of three ain’t bad’. 

There are five games to begin the 2026 calendar year. Although there is only one nationally televised game, there are a couple of great games on deck. The first Fantasy Alarm NBA best bet of 2026 is on a familiar face that has brought in several units thus far this season.

 

 

 

 

NBA Best Bets Today, 1/1: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Thursday

Houston Rockets vs Brooklyn Nets: Thursday 1/1

Game Time: 6:00 PM ET | TV: Local | Location: Barclays Center | Odds: HOU -11.5 | O/U 218.5

Michael Porter is the most mentioned player of this year’s NBA Best Bets. And for good reason, too. He’s having the best season of his career in a role that he hasn’t been able to display. Playing alongside the best player of all time will cause that to happen, but for the Brooklyn Nets, he is their go-to guy.

The return of Cam Thomas has not diminished Porter’s value. In fact, Thomas has taken some of the responsibility off of Porter Jr., and Thomas is now guarded by the opposing team’s best perimeter defender. They are an underrated dynamic duo, and Porter Jr. has benefited from it immensely. So much so that he is likely headed to his first NBA All-Star game.

Porter has scored over 23.5 points in five consecutive games and eight of his last nine games. He is a scoring machine for a team that has difficulty playing defense. The Houston Rockets are a great defensive team, and the sportsbooks have responded by lowering Porter Jr’s point line. They have also thrown a little juice on the over. That does not detour us from putting our money on the Nets' best player. Put a unit on Porter Jr. to cover the 23.5-point proposition.

Boston Celtics vs Sacramento Kings: Thursday 1/1

Game Time: 10:00 PM ET | TV: NBA League Pass | Location: Golden 1 Center | Odds: BOS -9.5 | O/U 227.5

The Boston Celtics continue their Western Conference road trip, and tonight play in the ‘Capital City’ of California. The Golden 1 Center will have patches of green in the crowd tonight as the Sacramento Kings host the Celtics in a projected lopsided match. The Celtics enter as -9.5 road favorites, and to their credit, they have been playing well. 

They have won seven of their last ten games, have a 10 - 7 road record, and have found their rhythm without Jayson Tatum. On the flipside, the Sacramento Kings have lost eight of their last ten games, have a 5 - 10 record at home, and have lost two consecutive games. They will not have Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis today either. 

This game should be all offense as the Kings allow 122.3 points per game, and the Celtics do not have a great defensive backcourt. The Kings' offense is almost entirely generated with their backcourt due to LaVine and Sabonis being injured. The Celtics could score 128 points tonight, which would imply that the Kings need only score 100. The total seems too low, and we are taking advantage of it. Put a unit on the score to exceed 227.5 points for the second-best bet today.

 

 


 

NBA Prop Bet Today, 1/1

If you haven’t noticed, Fantasy Alarm is a profitable prop betting company. Mark Lammey, Jonathan Impemba, James Grande, and I are closing in on our 150th correct NBA prop prediction of the season. Today, that mark is met. If not with Michael Porter, then Cade Cunningham will deliver.

His point line is set at 26.5, which is exactly at his season average. He has scored over 26.5 points in his last three games, and the Miami Heat allow 117.5 points per game. This game is being played at Little Caesars Arena, and Carius LaVert is out for the Pistons. That will put more playing time on Cunningham. 

Meanwhile, the Heat will be without Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, and Pelle Larsson. Also, Simone Fontecchio is questionable, making their backcourt awfully thin. The Pistons currently have a 119.1 points per game average, are 12 - 2 at home, and are only 2.0 games ahead of the New York Knicks. They must keep playing well to retain the top seed.

With Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Victor Wembanyama injured, paired with NBA/basketball fans becoming exhausted by the unethical, foulbaiting play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cunningham has planted himself as a leading candidate to win the NBA MVP. He must continue his great season with points, assists, and wins in order to silence any doubters. Put a unit on him to score over 26.5 points against the Miami Heat today.

 

 

 

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Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy G. -
*All bets placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise. 

 

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