Every night of the 2025-26 NBA season gives us a fresh set of games and numbers to pick apart. This daily column digs into the best sides and totals on the board, using in-depth basketball analysis, betting trends, and our VSiN NBA betting splits to spot value. We’ll also be tackling these slates relentlessly on our live VSiN programming, which is why basketball fans should really consider a VSiN Pro subscription. Below you’ll find some NBA picks and predictions for January 12.
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NBA Best Bets Today – Monday, January 12
Mavericks -3.5 (-114) vs. Nets
Nets at Mavericks – 8:30 pm ET
The Mavericks injury report is a mess, as Anthony Davis is out indefinitely. Considering Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II are also out for the season, Dallas will be missing some key pieces the remainder of the year. P.J. Washington also happens to be questionable for tonight, and it seems like Brandon Williams will miss this game. However, this is the second leg of a back-to-back for Brooklyn. The Nets, like most teams, struggle when playing two days in a row, and they’re now 6-15 straight-up and 8-13 against the spread in these situations under Jordi Fernandez. Last night’s loss to the Grizzlies was also a hard-fought battle, so I’m expecting some tired legs on the Brooklyn side.
Dallas should be ready to run. The Mavericks haven’t played a back-to-back since before Christmas, so they are at least well-rested. That should mean that they’ll push the tempo and take advantage of any fatigue the Nets are dealing with. I expect this to be a big game for Cooper Flagg, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is another nice showing for Ryan Nembhard. The latter plays with the type of speed that could be a factor in this game.
Additional Plays (Teasers, Parlays, Futures)
Timberwolves To Win Western Conference (25-1 – 0.5 units) & Timberwolves To Win NBA Finals (40-1 – 0.25 units) – I mentioned the possibility of adding Timberwolves futures on today’s episode of Hardwood Handicappers (link can be found below). Well, I ended up finding better odds at theScore, locking in Minnesota to win the Western Conference at 25-1 and NBA title at 40-1. As I mentioned on the show, this is less of a play on what the Timberwolves are now. It’s more of a play on what they might become.
As of this moment, Minnesota is ninth in the league in adjusted offensive rating (116.3) and 10th in adjusted defensive rating (113.2). The team is also fourth in the West — with a real path towards finishing second come playoff time. All of that is great. However, what I love about the Timberwolves is that Tim Connelly, one of the better decision-makers in the league, is actively looking for guard help. Minnesota has been linked to Coby White, who would be an awesome fit next Anthony Edwards. The Wolves will also sniff around on any other available guards. That’s enough for me to make a small speculative play on a feisty Minnesota group. Now that Oklahoma City looks beatable, it’s hard not to like the idea of taking some shots in this conference.
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2025-26 NBA Record: 255-238 (+9.53 units)
Check out today’s episode of Hardwood Handicappers!
