The NBA regular season is back in full swing with a solid slate of games on New Year's Day, with a total of five matchups on the docket scheduled for Thursday, featuring an excellent nationally televised showdown on NBA TV, as 76ers vs. Mavericks takes center stage at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified NBA picks for four of today's matchups.
Continue below for our NBA picks, odds, props, and predictions for Thursday, January 1.
NBA Picks, Odds, Props, Predictions: Thursday, January 1
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 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. | ||
Rockets vs. Nets
By Bet Labs
This NBA totals system is built on the idea that strong traveling teams can drive pace and scoring in matchups where the market leans too heavily toward the under.
By focusing on regular season games outside of division play, the system avoids slower rivalry environments and taps into contests that tend to be more open and less physical.
It targets overs specifically when the betting public and money trends show a clear lean toward the under, creating a contrarian opportunity where expectations are suppressed but conditions for scoring remain strong.
The away team must be early enough in its season to still carry energy and identity, and it must also be coming off a decisive win, a signal that its offense and confidence are functioning at a high level.
When these elements align, strong road teams often set the tone, push pace, and elevate scoring beyond market expectations, making the over more attractive precisely when it is being overlooked.
Pick: Over 218.5 (-110)
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Heat vs. Pistons
By Bet Labs
This NBA system targets regular season games where betting action and market movement are misaligned.
When a majority of wagers lean heavily toward the Over yet the total drops from open to close, it signals sharp money driving the line down despite public sentiment.
In these spots, both teams often come off recent games that exceeded expectations offensively, inflating totals and public confidence in high scoring outcomes.
However, regression and defensive adjustments tend to follow, especially when oddsmakers shade lines higher to match demand.
This setup creates ideal conditions for value on the Under, as professional bettors anticipate slower pace, shooting variance, or fatigue leading to lower scoring than the market expects.
Pick: Under 237.5 (-110)
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Celtics vs. Kings
By Bet Labs
The NBA system titled "First Half 'Dog vs Coasting Teams" focuses on first half moneyline opportunities where strong teams often start slow against inferior opponents.
During the regular season, underdogs with modest Pythagorean ratings face elite opponents with high win records who may be pacing themselves or conserving energy early in games.
These matchups frequently occur when the superior team is in cruise control, relying on second half adjustments rather than urgency in the opening quarters.
Meanwhile, the underdog typically plays with early intensity and effort, creating value in short term situations before talent disparity takes over.
By isolating first halves against top competition, this system leverages motivational imbalance and situational focus to identify profitable early game edges.
Pick: Kings First Half Moneyline (+320)
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Jazz vs. Clippers
By Bet Labs
This NBA system focuses on regular season matchups where struggling road underdogs offer hidden value.
Teams on short losing streaks, both straight up and against the spread, often become undervalued in the market, as public sentiment turns sharply against them.
These spots tend to produce inflated lines that fail to reflect the small margins separating most teams, especially when the visiting side has already been in the role of the underdog for consecutive games.
Such teams frequently respond with higher energy and focus after a string of poor performances, particularly when traveling, where distractions are limited, and motivation is heightened to end a skid.
This system capitalizes on market overreaction to recent losses, finding edges where perception diverges from reality and resilient road teams quietly bounce back to outperform expectations.
Pick: Jazz +12.5 (-110)
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