NBA Best Bets Today, 1/17: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Friday

The Bet of the Night was successful for the second NBA best bets in a row! Cade Cunningham did exactly as expected and left his assists hanging on the hook. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers were embarrassed by the Oklahoma City Thunder. They were out of the game as soon as it began.
James Harden was terrible, he did attempt the exact number of threes we predicted, eight. But he only made one successfully, causing the juiced line to fail, and thus spoiling our potential for Meatloaf.
NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 1/17
The sportsbooks are really dialed in as we enter the halfway mark of the NBA Season, it goes by so fast.
There are nine games for today’s NBA best bets, a few teams on back-to-back action, and two games nationally televised on ESPN. One of those games is mentioned later, but the bet of the night comes from an NBA Finals rematch.
Nuggets vs. Heat Prediction: Denver Money Line (+100 on Bet365) *2.0U Bet of the Night
The Denver Nuggets were hung out to dry by the Houston Rockets, but Nikola Jokic did not play in that match. Tonight, the Nuggets are playing the Miami Heat in a rematch of the 2023 NBA Finals. Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic are listed as day-to-day, but that does not deter us from our selection.
Jimmy Butler is coming back from his team suspension and still seems adamant about not signing with the Heat next year. He would prefer to be traded, but Pat Riley has sent bigger men and bigger names packing from South Beach. This standoff between the team's best player and the president of operations has and will continue to affect the team in a negative manner.
The Heat have lost two in a row, five of their last ten, and are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference. Butler only has a 14.5 point line, and coming back will force a new rhythm on the team. It will be interesting to see how the Heat respond to Butler on the court.
The Nuggets have played six games without Jokic this season and actually have depth to their bench. Russell Westbrook is arguably the best signing of this offseason and he has covered the injuries of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic.
If all three of those players do play, the money line will jump to put the Nuggets as favorites. Take advantage with a double unit wager now!
Thunder vs. Mavericks Prediction: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 32.5 Points (-110 on DraftKings)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on a performance for the ages last night, 40 points in under thirty minutes played against the best team in the Association. He displayed why he is the leading candidate for the MVP, but can he repeat it tonight against the defending Western Conference Champions?
The Dallas Mavericks are banged up, Luka Doncic, and Dereck Lively are both out. However, Kyrie Irving is back, and some of Dallas’ key defenders are still there. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.6 points per game and with 8.0 free throw attempts per game betting his under is a rare occasion.
He put a lot of effort into what was an emotional game last night, and expecting a repeat performance is a bit deceiving. He has scored 31 or less points in three of his last five games, and it feels his point line is spiked due to last night’s performance. Take the under on the MVP as Dallas will press him tonight.
NBA Player Props & Other Picks Today, 1/17
As the betting lines tighten across the NBA, there is still one player our NBA best bets trust through it all.
The Well will deliver again as we continue our betting streak on Nikola Vucevic.
Hornets vs. Bulls Prediction: Nikola Vucevic Over 11.5 Rebounds (-115 on Bet365)
The Chicago Bulls continue their five-game home span against the Charlotte Hornets. The opposite of logic, Chicago is 8-14 at the United Center and 10-9 at home. It is rarely that uneven, but the Bulls have lost their last three games too.
Nikola Vucevic has been dependent during this stretch. We pivoted to his rebounds from his threes and the sportsbooks have moved his rebounding line up one. That does not intimate us, as we continue to put units down The Well.
Tonight will be a tough test as he plays against the seven-foot Mark Williams, who has really improved his play. Vucevic was a top ten rebounder last season for a reason though. The same reason he has a career double-double average, Vucevic is an elite rebounder.
Since announcing he was embarrassed about his seven rebound performance he has games with 15 and 16 rebounds. The Bulls and Hornets both have high powered offenses which should lead to more field goal attempts.
It was tempting to add over 1.5 three point field goals which puts the bet at +200, but 12 rebounds is more than achievable, and the name of the game is winning. Put a unit on The Well to bring a profit once again.
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Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy
*All odds accurate at time of writing and NBA best bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise