The new week of NBA betting opens with a whopping 10 games on the schedule, which means there is plenty of betting value to be had in today’s basketball odds.
That includes a pair of player props for two of the top three picks in the 2019 NBA Draft. Can RJ Barrett continue his breakout campaign and will Ja Morant continue to improve after returning his ankle injury?
Let’s start the week off right as we break down the NBA odds for those games and more with our best free NBA picks and predictions for Monday, February 1.
NBA Picks for Today
New York Knicks vs Chicago Bulls
While their record isn’t outstanding, the New York Knicks are something they haven’t been in years...competitive. That’s thanks to a few things, mainly that the team seems to be buying into Tom Thibodeau’s defensive strategy and the development of second-year man RJ Barrett. Those two will hope to get the Knicks back into the win column when they visit the Chicago Bulls Monday.
The Knicks have dropped four of their last five games, but it’s hard to blame Barrett for that. After slumping through his rookie season, Barrett is now averaging 18 points per game with an effective field goal percentage of 46.6. Those numbers have been on the rise over the last nine games, where Barrett is averaging 19.9 points, which includes shooting 46.7 percent from long range.
Barrett faces a Bulls’ defense that ranks 27th in defensive rating and 28th in opponent scoring and field goal percentage. They also play at one of the highest paces in the NBA, which should mean plenty of opportunities for the sophomore to go Over his point total of 17.5—a number he has eclipsed in seven of his last nine games.
PREDICTION: RJ Barrett Over 17.5 Points (-115)
Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs
With the Utah Jazz’s epic winning streak coming to an end over the weekend, the NBA’s longest winning streak now belongs to the Memphis Grizzlies (of all teams)! Memphis has won six games in a row – straight up and against the spread – as it sure has been a boost to get Ja Morant back in the mix. The Grizz will try to make it seven in a row as they go for back-to-back wins against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Grizzlies beat the Spurs 129-112 as 3.5-point road underdogs back on Saturday, where Morant put up 19 points on 8-14 shooting with 11 assists, which has been a recurring theme for the Spurs all season. The Spurs allow the fifth-most points (25.9) and assists (8.6) to opposing point guards this season.
Morant is averaging 17.7 points per game since returning from his ankle injury but he is still getting his feet back underneath him—and you can expect him to get closer to his regular explosive self with the passing of each game. If he can keep his assist numbers up (9.0 per game in the three games since his return), then he should have no problem taking down his Points + Assists prop in this one.
PREDICTION: Ja Morant Over 28.5 Points + Assists (-120)
Detroit Pistons vs Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are one of the hottest teams going in the NBA, winners of six of their last seven games, which includes putting a stop to the Utah Jazz’s 11-game win streak the last time out. The Nuggets will try to keep rolling when they host the Detroit Pistons Monday night.
Of course, it should be no surprise that Nikola Jokic is leading the way for the Nuggets during this run. The Joker is currently one of the frontrunners for the NBA MVP award and he's averaged 30 points on 57.5 percent shooting, to go along with 12.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, during this seven-game stretch.
Jokic now faces a Pistons team that is about as inconsistent as they come. Detroit is 2-6 in its last eight games, but those two wins have come against the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers. One reason for that inconsistency has been the Pistons play at the defensive end of the floor.
Detroit ranks 22nd in defensive rating and 27th in opponent field goal percentage, as well as 20th in rebounding percentage. That means we are loving Jokic’s Points + Assists prop at 36.5, a number he has gone Over in seven of his last nine games. We’re betting the Joker stays hot in this matchup.
PREDICTION: Nikola Jokic Over 36.5 Points + Rebounds (-115)
Top NBA Consensus for Today
Want to know who today's biggest NBA betting and consensus bets are right now? Check out our top NBA consensus picks.
Yesterday's picks: 1-2 (-0.3 units)
Season record to date: 55-52-1 (-0.69 units)
NBA Betting Card for February 1
- RJ Barrett Over 17.5 Points (-115)
- Ja Morant Over 28.5 Points + Assists (-125)
- Nikola Jokic Over 36.5 Points + Rebounds (-115)
NBA Parlays
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NBA betting picks, you could win $52.91 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where Can I Bet on the NBA?
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