5 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Sunday 1/12/25

.The 82-game NBA regular season offers us a wide variety of betting options, including point spreads, moneylines, and totals. The Association features 1,230 regular season games, which can make sifting through the odds an overwhelming task.

However, various advanced statistics can help narrow the choices. numberFire's NBA power rankings and daily NBA projections paired with advanced stats from the NBA can help give the inside track to quality bets.

While utilizing some of the mentioned tools, which NBA odds from FanDuel Sportsbook look like the best bets today?

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All injury news comes from the NBA's official injury report.

Today's Best NBA Bets and Player Props

Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks Over 112.5 Points (-114)
Klay Thompson 4+ Threes Made (+145)

Though they may get Aaron Gordon (calf) back in a limited fashion from a questionable listing, the Denver Nuggets' defense is the gift that keeps on giving in betting markets.

Seven of Denver's last nine opponents have hit the over on their pregame team total with the exceptions being some weaker offenses like the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets. In total, Nuggets opponents are averaging 117.9 points per game in this stretch.

The Dallas Mavericks aren't one of those, maintaining a 112.0 offensive rating (ORTG) over their last 10 games despite missing Luka Doncic (calf) and Kyrie Irving (back) for most of them.

Dallas is up to 15th in pace over their last 10 games as they try to manufacture easy buckets in light of those injuries. The reigning MVP might dominate their defense, but they'll score this evening.

One of the ways they can is via the right arm of Klay Thompson.

With or without Gordon, Denver's three-point defense is in the toilet. They're allowing 39.4 attempts per game (sixth-most in the NBA), which is how they're also allowing the fourth-most made threes per game to shooting guards (3.7).

Thompson is definitely a combo wing that'll chuck it. He's attempting 7.2 threes per game this month despite some brutal matchups. For those who believe in regression, Thompson's 0-for-4 day on Thursday could mean a huge bounce back is in store on Sunday.

FanDuel Research's daily NBA projections expect 3.4 median makes from deep from Thompson in this one. That translates to roughly +126 odds for at least four of them if correct.

Sacramento Kings at Chicago Bulls

Under 238.0 Points (-110)

I'll eat some humble pie from a previous article. Doug Christie has cleaned up the Sacramento Kings' defense.

Sacramento is allowing just 112.5 points per game over their past 10 contests behind the league's 10th-best defensive rating (DRTG) and 13th-fastest pace. There is nothing "special" about their side to encroach a 240-point total at the moment.

On the flip side, the Chicago Bulls typically find themselves in Globetrotter-esque affairs, but Chicago's pace (103.9 in the last 10 games) is what carries that effort. They're 20th in ORTG and 16th in DRTG over their last 10, which also isn't special.

The Bulls' over rate is just 47.2% this season. Oddsmakers tend to overvalue their pace when they just can't deliver the makes. Against Christie's improving defense, I'll bet the under in a game that could sail that direction if it's indeed a tight game late.

Charlotte Hornets at Phoenix Suns

Hornets +7 (-110)
Miles Bridges Over 17.5 Points (-113)

I truly thought the Phoenix Suns would get right in yesterday's NBA best bets. After another dud of a performance relative to their competition, how can I lay this many points opposite a healthy Charlotte Hornets squad?

Charlotte might opt against Mark Williams (rest) on a back-to-back, but this team has LaMelo Ball back in the fold -- and an improved -6.7 net rating (NRTG) over their last 10.

This is about the Suns, though. Phoenix's -3.7 NRTG over their last 10 games is 24th in the NBA. They're laying chalk like the West contender we perceived them to be, but that's not reality as they figure out this Tyus Jones-Bradley Beal lineup mess.

I may have buried the lede; Charlotte just beat Phoenix by 11 points in their building on Tuesday. The Hornets quietly have the 12th-best rebounding rate in the NBA (73.4%) against a Phoenix squad that's kryptonite is size.

I'd love to have confirmation about Charlotte's center position for props, but Miles Bridges will work from the power forward slot.

Perhaps due to his checkered past, Bridges is one of the league's most unheralded scorers, posting at least 19 points in six of his last seven games. This line is due to too many cooks believed to be in the kitchen with LaMelo back, but Bridges' usage rate with Ball on the floor (23.0%) is still quite healthy.

This is a matchup that'll favor bigs, too. Phoenix is allowing the fifth-most points per game to opposing power forwards (23.7).

We've got Bridges projected for 17.6 points. This line is slightly too low when Charlotte's overall scoring expectation is also probably not high enough.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.