NBA Underdog Player Predictions for Thursday (1/8)
Thursday, January 8, 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 Thursday 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 8, 2026
Now that you’re signed up, here are some of our top NBA DFS picks on Underdog for Thursday:
- Keyonte George lower than 33.5 Points & Assists
- Lauri Markkanen lower than 35.5 Points & Rebounds
- Donovan Mitchell lower than 39.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
Mavericks vs. Jazz NBA Underdog Predictions
Keyonte George lower than 33.5 Points & Assists
The points & assists projection for Keyonte George looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 33.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 64.5% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 6.7% edge.
Lauri Markkanen lower than 35.5 Points & Rebounds
The points & rebounds projection for Lauri Markkanen looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 35.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 64.3% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 6.5% edge.
Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves NBA Underdog Predictions
Donovan Mitchell lower than 39.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
The points, rebounds, & assists projection for Donovan Mitchell looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 39.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 63.3% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 5.5% edge.
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Image Credit: Imagn