NBA Underdog Fantasy Player Predictions for Thursday (1/9)
I’m here to give you a (free!) peek behind the curtain regarding some of the awesome things our NBA DFS projections team is cooking up by giving you my top picks for today’s NBA slate on Underdog Fantasy. Every single pick you will find below is going to be based on what our projections say is a meaningful edge, and I will then use my basketball and analytical background to try to pinpoint the very best of the best. Please keep in mind that the NBA news cycle can get crazy, so what is listed below may become a better/worse play depending on how that news breaks. You can always stay up to date on exactly what a team’s rotation and depth chart will look like on a given day by heading to our NBA starting lineups page.
We have 7 games on the schedule as the NBA is set to tip off on 1/9. Below, I’ll detail how I’m approaching things on Underdog this Thursday evening.
First… Sign Up to Make NBA Underdog Fantasy Picks
If you want to play along but haven’t signed up yet, grab a special offer with the RotoGrinders Underdog promo code “GRINDERS” to unlock up to $1000 Bonus Cash courtesy of a generous deposit match. Underdog Fantasy – one of the most popular DFS pick’em sites – provides player projections for NBA matchups each day. The ball is then in our court to decide whether a player will ultimately exceed or fall short of those projections in the games. With a huge roster of players available from which to choose, we just need to make a minimum of two picks to build an entry.
I’ll break down the board by looking at factors like usage rates, projected pace, lines in the sports betting market, and of course, our RotoGrinders projections to forecast how NBA players might fare in categories like points, rebounds, and assists. For even more insight when making your Underdog picks today, be sure to check out our fantasy pick’em tool.
Underdog Fantasy Top NBA Picks for 1/9
Now that you’re signed up, here are some of our top NBA picks on Underdog for 1/9 at a glance:
- Alperen Sengun Higher/Lower Than 10.5 Rebounds
- Kevin Durant Higher/Lower Than 6.5 Rebounds
- Walker Kessler Higher/Lower Than 22.5 Points + Rebounds
Rockets vs. Grizzlies NBA Underdog Fantasy Predictions
Here are the Rockets vs. Grizzlies NBA Underdog Fantasy predictions for tonight:
Alperen Sengun Lower Than 10.5 Rebounds
Sengun has struggled to consistently hit double-digit rebounds recently. Over his last 10 games, he has averaged 9.9 rebounds, hitting higher than 10.5 in only 30% of those games. This trend worsens over his last 5 games, where his average drops to 9.4 rebounds with just a 20% hit rate. Additionally, Memphis has a slightly above-average defense against opposing centers. While Sengun did grab 15 rebounds in his only prior matchup against Memphis, our projections think he could regress this time out.
Our NBA projections show this pick with a 3.15% edge and a 60.89% win rate.
Hawks vs. Suns NBA Underdog Fantasy Predictions
Here are the Hawks vs. Suns NBA Underdog Fantasy predictions for tonight:
Kevin Durant Lower Than 6.5 Rebounds
Durant’s rebounding numbers have been inconsistent, with a season average of 6.52 rebounds and a hit rate of just 48% for higher than 6.5 rebounds. Over his last 10 games, Durant has averaged 6.6 rebounds but has only hit higher than 6.5 in 40% of those games. While he has performed slightly better at home (7.0 rebounds per game), that doesn’t seem like a significant split.
Our NBA projections show this pick with a 2.62% edge and a 60.35% win rate.
Heat vs. Jazz NBA Underdog Fantasy Predictions
Here are the Heat vs. Jazz NBA Underdog Fantasy predictions for tonight:
Walker Kessler Higher Than 22.5 Points + Rebounds
This season, he’s averaging 10.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, totaling 21.7 Points + Rebounds on average. In his last game, Kessler posted 21 points and 10 rebounds, demonstrating his ability to exceed this line. While his season averages are just below this total, he should get a bit of a usage boost with John Collins (hip) out. As a key contributor for the Jazz, Kessler’s consistent rebounding and scoring, especially in games where he logs significant minutes, make him a strong candidate to surpass 22.5 Points + Rebounds tonight.
Our NBA projections show this pick with a 2.59% edge and a 61.33% win rate.
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