NBA Best Bets & Player Props January 2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Takes on the Boston Celtics
What a day yesterday, bringing in over 1.7 units for profit behind another Meat Loaf moment. Jalen Duren is an amazing rebounder and he slipped by the hook with a double unit win. There are six games tonight, and only the Charlotte Hornets are playing the second of back-to-back games. The bet of the night features a player who has been playing exceptionally well over the past two weeks.
Franz Wagner and the Orlando Magic play the first of back-to-back nights against the Golden State Warriors. Jonas Valanciunas is a column favorite and he has a plus-money prop tonight versus the Brooklyn Nets. There is also a bet on what is the game of the night, Boston Celtics at Oklahoma City Thunder, two of the top five teams in the Association meet on the hardwood. Shai Gilgeious-Alexander, one of the highest scorers of December, has a favorable prop near even odds to round the night of betting.
NBA Bet of the Night
Franz Wagner OVER 5.5 Rebounds (-125 at DraftKings)
The Orlando Magic continue their road tour and play against the Golden State Warriors tonight with a 10:00 PM ET tip-off. The Warriors are still going through their roster to figure out the best rotation, and truly are not the same team without Draymond Green. Golden State has lost three in a row, and the once-mighty dynasty is currently ranked in the bottom five of the Western Conference.
Franz Wagner has been a rebounding machine as of late, with six or more rebounds in seven of his last eight games. He averages six per game and the Warriors are 12 in rebounds allowed to opposing teams, but have allowed 53.4 in their last three games, and 53.0 at home. Wagner is also scoring and being aggressive in defensive rebounding. There should be several shots from the Splash Brothers which could lead to long rebounds, favoring Wagner’s over on this prop. Trust the twenty-two-year-old to outhustle the older Warriors.
NBA Prop Bets
Jonas Valanciunas UNDER 9.5 Rebounds (+105 at DraftKings)
Jonas Valanciunas is one of the most consistent rebounding line proposition bets, and he has been mentioned in here a few times. This will be his first appearance on the under of his rebound total though, as the New Orleans Pelicans host the Brooklyn Nets. He has the potential to be a rebounding machine and has more weight and experience than opposing center Nic Claxton. Both of their lines are set at 9.5 and both are the leading rebounder for their team. Jonas is also a top-ten rebounder on the season, but he has gone under in his last two games.
A large part of the dip is better rebounding from Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Even Herbert Jones is getting more rebounds, but most importantly Larry Nance is back and getting playing time (Valanciunas's backup). Nance has played over twenty-three minutes in the last two games, and this trend could continue as New Orleans plays the first of back-to-back games. The under at plus money with Valanciunas competition not only from Nic Claxton but his teammates makes this prop bet a great play.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER 32.5 Points (-105 at BetMGM)
Shai Gligeous-Alexander (SGA) has been a scoring machine. He is playing absolutely lights out, and his December was a stretch that would rival any month, from any guard, from any era. He scored 415 points, with only one game less than twenty-four points, had 86 assists, 70 rebounds, and shot 55.3% from the field. The points and the field goal percentage are really what pop out though. He is the third-highest scorer in the league with 31.2 points per game and is playing the best Eastern Conference defense tonight, the Boston Celtics.
Here’s a fact though, SGA put up thirty-four points against the best defense in the league, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Three days later he put up forty against the second-best defense and did it at Ball Arena against the Denver Nuggets. Now he is at home against the third-best defense in the league, who allow the seventeenth most points to opposing guards. It is the first of back-to-back games, but those seem to have little effect on his play. A fun prop bet on the game of the night, SGA could make his case for a legitimate MVP if he puts up another thirty-three-point game against a top-three defense.
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Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy
*All Bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise
Player News
Dalton Knecht shot 3-of-15 from the field and 1-of-4 from the foul line in Monday’s loss to the Clippers, scoring eight points with seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer.
Knecht had a rough night, shooting 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. Unfortunately for the second-year wing, he’s had more difficult nights than good ones this summer, which is concerning for the Lakers. Generally speaking, teams want to see their returnees excel in Las Vegas, if not dominate. Knecht has not done that, which may result in him playing more games at summer league than the Lakers would have hoped.
Bronny James accounted for 17 points (6-of-10 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, five assists and three three-pointers in Monday’s loss to the Clippers.
James put forth his best performance of the NBA 2K26 Summer League on Monday, leading the Lakers in scoring and offering solid value in the rebound and assist categories. Looking forward to the regular season, the second-year guard is not in a great position to provide tangible fantasy value. The Lakers remain in win-now mode, likely limiting Bronny’s opportunities to contribute. His ability to crack the rotation will likely hinge on what James can provide as a defender and perimeter shooter.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser tallied 10 points (5-of-9 FGs), two rebounds and two steals in Monday’s win over the Lakers.
After two subdued performances, Konan Niederhauser was more involved offensively on Monday. The nine shot attempts exceeded his total in the Clippers’ first two games in Las Vegas, and the rookie’s teammates appeared more intent on getting him the ball. That led to a few dunks that likely boosted Konan Niederhauser’s confidence, and he finished in double figures. The hope is that he’ll be more consistent on both ends of the floor.
Jordan Miller finished Monday’s win over the Lakers with 19 points (7-of-11 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer.
Waived by the Clippers just before the start of summer league, Miller is looking to earn another NBA opportunity, whether it’s with Los Angeles or another team. He needs to improve three-point shooting and defense, both on and off the ball. Miller looked good against the Lakers and performed well in Sunday’s win over the Bucks. The Clippers have a few standard contract slots available, and Miller may be positioning himself to earn one. However, he won’t be worth the risk in fantasy leagues.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports the Hornets have signed Drew Peterson to a two-way contract.
After spending his first two seasons with the Celtics, Peterson is reportedly headed to Charlotte. The player and his new head coach are familiar with each other, as Hornets coach Charles Lee was a Celtics assistant during the 2023-24 season. While the change of scenery may result in more opportunities for Peterson, he is not a player to target in fantasy drafts.
Rasheer Fleming accumulated seven points (3-of-6 FGs), two rebounds, one steal, one block and one three-pointer in Monday’s loss to the Kings.
After missing Phoenix’s first two summer league games with a sore right knee, Fleming was available to make his debut on Monday. The second-round pick out of Saint Joseph’s was a Suns target, as evidenced by the team’s moves to draft him. Fleming had a quiet night, but he’s a frontcourt player who has range beyond the three-point line and can defend multiple positions. Due to the Suns’ defensive struggles last season, Fleming may be able to earn consistent playing time as a rookie.