NBA Picks and Predictions for January 11th: Best Bets for Sunday

It’s an exciting schedule of 10 games and appetizing matchups in the NBA today.

After a careful review of each matchup, the following are our Best NBA Bets for Sunday, January 11.

Our focus will be on games featuring some of the top teams in each conference:

New York Knicks vs. Portland Trailblazers

We have a pair of teams here that are headed in opposite directions: with a win over the Houston Rockets Friday (and Tuesday), Portland has won five in a row and seven of its last eight. As for the Knicks, New York has lost five of its last six after dropping one to the Sun on Friday, 112-107.

Injuries will have an impact on both teams with the Knicks ruling out Landry Shamet and Portland listing Jerami Grant and Kris Murray a,long with Matisse Thybulle. But there is a solid chance that Portland gets Jrue Holiday back.

O.ur Pick: Portland +4.5 at -106 (FanDuel)

The Knicks should be the better team, but they are playing poorly at the moment, while Portland is one of the league’s hottest teams. Their momentum can’t be ignored. They’ll keep it close against a struggling Knicks team, if not win outright.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

San Antonio will be playing in the second half of a back-to-back in tonight’s game vs. Minnesota. However, they’ll have momentum on their side as the Spurs recorded a solid 100-95 win over the Celtics Saturday night in Boston, their second in a row and fourth in their last six games.

The Timberwolves are also playing in the second half of a back-to-back. But they lost a fast-paced game to the Cavaliers in Cleveland, 146-134. They had won their previous four in a row.

Our Pick: Spurs +3 at -115 (FanDuel)

These two teams have already played once, back on November 30, in a game the T-wolves won 125-112. However, Minnesota did not have to face Victor Wembanyama in that contest and he’s playing tonight. He’ll be a difference maker and give the Spurs the edge they need to keep it close if not win outright.

Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

New Year’s Day was a good one for the Heat as they started the new year off with a 118-112 win over the East-leading Pistons. But since then, they’ve lost to Minnesota twice, beat New Orleans, had a game postponed, and lost to the lowly Indiana Pacers in their last game, 123-99.

OKC has cut it close the last couple of games, needing overtime to beat the Jazz 129-125 and edging out the Grizzlies by one, 117-116. However, the win over Memphis came without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the lineup. SGA will be back in the lineup tonight against Miami.

Our Pick: Thunder by -13.5 at -115 (DraftKings)

If Miami can’t be competitive against the Indiana Pacers, it is doubtful they make it interesting against SGA and the Thunder. OKC has been too dominant at home to drop one to Miami.