NBA Best Bets Today: Free Basketball Picks for Tuesday, January 9th
What kind of performances can we expect on Tuesday from the Timberwolves, Magic, Knicks, and Mavericks? Follow along as our NBA betting expert, Nick Galaida, breaks down three of his favorite NBA bets for today — Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Get all of Nick’s picks, including more NBA player props, at ScoresandOdds.
On Tuesday night, NBA fans will be treated to 5 games, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET with a pair of contests on the East Coast. The Trail Blazers and Mavericks will meet at 8:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Raptors against the Lakers to close the evening with a 10:30 p.m. ET tip-off. There is plenty of action spread throughout the evening, giving bettors plenty of time to find a few wagers to their liking!
Below, we take a look at three best bets on the spread worth considering for January 9, 2024!
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NBA Best Bets Today – Tuesday, January 9
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic (Under 217.5)
- Portland Trail Blazers at New York Knicks (-12)
- Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks (-8)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic (Under 217.5)
During the last 30 days, the Timberwolves and Magic have both proven to be top-10 defensive teams while struggling in many key areas offensively. Since December 10, the Timberwolves rank 4th in defensive efficiency but 20th in offensive efficiency. Their poor offensive efficiency has been driven primarily by average shot selection and the league’s highest turnover rate. Similarly, Orlando ranks 10th in defensive efficiency during that stretch but only 26th in offensive efficiency. The Magic rank 23rd in eFG%, 24th in TS%, and have committed more turnovers than all but two other teams across the last month. These two teams are likely to end up producing a low-scoring affair on Tuesday night.
Portland Trail Blazers at New York Knicks (-12)
Since trading for OG Anunoby, the Knicks are an unblemished 4-0, with victories against the Timberwolves, Bulls, 76ers, and Wizards. Though 4 games is obviously a small sample size, anyone who consistently watches the Knicks finds it impossible to overlook how much better the floor spacing offensively and the rotations on defense have been since the trade. In those 4 games, New York leads the NBA in defensive efficiency, allowing only 103.1 points per 100 possessions. The Trail Blazers’ last four losses have all come by 13 points or more – when they lose, they tend to lose by a lot. Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson should be able to make quick work of their guests at Madison Square Garden this evening.
Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks (-8)
Prior to Ja Morant returning from suspension on December 19, the Grizzlies were 6-19 and ranked 24th in Net Rating. Tonight, and going forward, Memphis will be without their franchise cornerstone due to a season-ending shoulder injury. The team faces a tough test on Tuesday without Morant, facing a Dallas team that has outscored their opponents by 8.8 points per 100 possessions at home during the last month. It would not be surprising to see this game get ugly early.
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