NBA Best Bets Today | Expert Picks for Sunday, Jan. 28
The NBA regular season continues on Sunday, January 28th with a five-game slate. Our NBA betting analyst Joe Dellera is ready with three NBA best bets for today's games, including a pick for Suns vs. Magic at 6 p.m. ET.
Let's dive into our NBA best bets and expert picks for Sunday, January 28.
NBA Best Bets Today
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 2 p.m. | |
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 6 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. | ||
Thunder vs. Pistons
By Joe Dellera
Cade Cunningham is back and returned with a bang. He logged a 20-point and 12-assist double-double on Saturday while securing four rebounds as well.
Today he gets a tougher matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but this line is still a touch low. On the season, Cunningham is averaging 4.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game while exceeding this line of 10.5 Rebounds + Assists (RA) in 57% of games. He’s been better at home because his teammates have played better at home as well. He’s averaging 4.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists at home for 12.9 RA and a 76% hit rate on the 10.5 RA.
Cunningham has hit this in nine straight home games, and even in a tough matchup against OKC, he’s more than capable as the primary engine of this offense.
Pick: Cade Cunningham Over 10.5 Rebounds + Assists -130
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Grizzlies vs. Pacers
By Joe Dellera
Jaren Jackson Jr. has been playing great basketball lately, but this line is simply too high for a player who is not a regular volume scorer.
JJJ has averaged 21.8 points per game on the season and has exceeded 30 points in just eight games this season. While the entire Grizzlies team is seemingly on the injury report, it simply means there will be more defensive focus on JJJ.
Although the Pacers have a soft defense overall, this specific matchup is not a great one for JJJ. He has never scored 30 points in eight games against Pascal Siakam, and he’s scored 30 points once in six games against Myles Turner. He doesn’t have the size or bruising mentality to attack either of them on the interior, and their quickness gives them a chance to defend him well.
JJJ should see plenty of Usage here, but he’ll have to have one of his best scoring games of the last two seasons to exceed this line.
Pick: Jaren Jackson Jr Under 31.5 Points -125
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Suns vs. Magic
By Joe Dellera
Bradley Beal (nasal fracture) is listed as questionable for this game, and this could open up a greater opportunity for Durant in this matchup against the Orlando Magic.
Durant has averaged 5.2 assists when playing alongside both Booker and Beal; with Book but without Beal, this spikes to 6.0 per game with a median output of 5.5 in 15 games.
The matchup against Orlando is a tougher one; however, Durant is matchup proof. This season with both Booker and Beal, he dished five assists against Orlando in their only matchup on New Year's Eve, and if Beal cannot go today, Durant will see even greater Usage than he did in that prior matchup. Considering this is the first of back-to-back road games for the Suns, it’s not unreasonable to expect Beal to play in just the second of these games.
I’ll buy into Durant’s assists now as I’m comfortable at the 4.5 dimes regardless of if Beal plays or not, but there’s additional upside if Beal sits.
Pick: Kevin Durant Over 4.5 Assists
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