The NBA regular season is back in full swing with a loaded slate of games this Monday, with a total of eight matchups on the docket scheduled for today, featuring a trio of excellent nationally televised showdowns on Peacock, as Knicks vs. Pistons takes center stage at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by Nuggets vs. 76ers at 8:30 p.m. ET, and then we'll close out the evening with Warriors vs. Clippers at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified NBA picks for all eight of tonight's matchups.
Continue below for our NBA picks, odds, props, and predictions for Monday, January 5.
NBA Picks, Odds, Props, Predictions: Monday, January 5
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Knicks vs. Pistons
By Joe Dellera
The Knicks face off against the Pistons on Monday night, and I’m expecting a strong performance from Miles McBride.
McBride has been one of the best scoring threats on the Knicks, and they are leaning on him even more right now due to Josh Hart’s injury.
McBride has cooked for New York without Hart this season — averaging 16.2 points per game and has scored 11+ in all five games without him this year, and 9-of-10 dating back to last season.
McBride's volume simply increases without Hart.
This matchup against the Pistons is not an easy one by any measure; however, I do not expect McBride to see the Pistons’ top defensive options, especially when Brunson is on the floor.
Pick: Miles McBride Over 11.5 Points (-115)
| | | | | | | |
Bulls vs. Celtics
By Joe Dellera
The Celtics have a matchup against the Bulls on Monday in what should be a high scoring affair.
Jaylen Brown has been wrecking worlds since the start of December, having scored 30+ points in 10-of-12 games, and is now coming off a 50-burger against the Clippers.
While I don’t typically like to back a player coming off a performance such as that, this matchup is too strong.
The Bulls play at the second-fastest pace in the league and are owners of the sixth-worst adjusted defensive rating.
This is in large part because Chicago is an absolute sieve at the rim — an area that Brown absolutely dominates with his ability to attack the basket.
This is a strong spot for JB, especially after he felt that he was snubbed for Eastern Conference Player of the Month.
Pick: Jaylen Brown 30+ Points (-118)
| | | | | | | |
Hawks vs. Raptors
By Bet Labs
This NBA system focuses on regular season situations where visiting underdogs are primed for a rebound after failing to cover the spread in their previous game.
These teams often show stronger effort and tighter execution following a poor performance, particularly when facing opponents coming off strong ATS wins who may enter overconfident or slightly overvalued by the market.
The travel factor adds to the motivation, as underdogs on the road tend to play with urgency and discipline to stay competitive.
By isolating games where perception favors the home team and the spread is wide enough to allow value, this system captures bounce-back opportunities where public sentiment skews the line, rewarding disciplined bettors who back undervalued road 'dogs in resilient spots.
Pick: Hawks +3 (-110)
| | | | | | | |
Suns vs. Rockets
By Kyle Murray
Grayson Allen hasn't played since December 14, so we could see some limitations on his minutes, especially with the Suns being pretty healthy on the wings, and guys like Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin playing decent as of late.
This is also a tough matchup, as the Rockets have a top-8 defense.
Allen would likely have to beat this number by scoring, as his assist and rebound rates are fairly low.
Pick: Grayson Allen Under 18.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists (-115)
| | | | | | | |
Hornets vs. Thunder
By Kyle Murray
This number seems a bit too high despite LaMelo's strong production of late, as he still remains on a pretty clear minutes limit.
This is a bad spot for him as well, as he gets a matchup on the road against the Thunder, who have the best defense in the NBA.
This game also has a 15.5-point spread, so we could see LaMelo miss out on some minutes due to a blowout.
Pick: LaMelo Ball Under 29.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists (-120)
| | | | | | | |
Nuggets vs. 76ers
By Kyle Murray
Murray seems worthy of a sprinkle to record a triple-double here, as we are projecting Aaron Gordon to sit this one out, joining Nikola Jokic, Cam Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas on the sideline.
With that being the case, Murray's rebound ceiling is much higher than normal (in what is a good rebounding matchup against the Sixers), and he's always a threat to crack double-digits in the points and assists departments.
Pick: Jamal Murray To Record A Triple-Double (+2600)
| | | | | | | |
Jazz vs. Trail Blazers
By Bet Labs
This system identifies value on the Under in division games where the total drops despite the public leaning Over (40% or less of bets).
The reverse movement of the line suggests sharp action is backing the Under.
Division familiarity often leads to tighter, lower-scoring games, enhancing the edge.
Pick: Under 241.5 (-110)
| | | | | | | |
Warriors vs. Clippers
By Bet Labs
This NBA system identifies regular season matchups where efficient but undervalued teams face opponents with poor defensive metrics.
When a team’s underlying performance indicators, such as Pythagorean strength, exceed public perception, the betting market often undervalues them against weak defensive opponents who allow high scoring efficiency.
These games typically feature modest moneylines that signal balance but overlook the defensive mismatch.
Slight movement toward the undervalued side reinforces that bettors are slowly recognizing the edge, yet the market remains mispriced.
Over recent seasons, this pattern has rewarded teams whose true performance levels are masked by variance while exploiting opponents that consistently fail to contain efficient offenses, creating a steady opportunity on the moneyline.
Pick: Warriors Moneyline (-120)
| | | | | | | |
