NBA Underdog Player Predictions for Friday (1/2)
Friday, January 2, 2026: Below are three of the best picks for today’s NBA slate on Underdog according to our projections team. Using factors like advanced analytics, minutes, matchups, and pace, every single pick is going to be based on what our projections say is a meaningful edge. Get access to all of these picks, including much more, by subscribing to the RotoGrinders Props & Pick’em package.
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 news breaks. Be sure to keep close tabs on our NBA starting lineups page and NBA injury report to get a current snapshot of who is in/out and what a team’s rotation and depth chart looks like.
Below, I’ll detail how I’m approaching things on Underdog for this Friday slate.
First… Sign Up to Make NBA Underdog Picks
If you want to play along but haven’t signed up yet, grab a special offer with our Underdog promo code “GRINDERS” to unlock a generous bonus. Underdog – one of the most popular DFS pick’em sites – provides player projections for NBA matchups each day. It is then up to the user 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.
When making your NBA Underdog picks today, let RotoGrinders do the heavy lifting for you!
Underdog Top NBA Picks for January 2, 2026
Now that you’re signed up, here are some of our top NBA DFS picks on Underdog for Friday:
- Peyton Watson higher than 1.5 Assists
- Isaiah Joe higher than 1.5 Rebounds
- Julian Champagnie lower than 11.5 Points
Nuggets vs. Cavaliers NBA Underdog Predictions
Peyton Watson higher than 1.5 Assists
The assists projection for Peyton Watson looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 1.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 54.7% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 6.1% edge.
Thunder vs. Warriors NBA Underdog Predictions
Isaiah Joe higher than 1.5 Rebounds
The rebounds projection for Isaiah Joe looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 1.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 72.5% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 6.1% edge.
Spurs vs. Pacers NBA Underdog Predictions
Julian Champagnie lower than 11.5 Points
The points projection for Julian Champagnie looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 11.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 62.8% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 5.0% edge.
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Image Credit: Imagn