Player props have become one of the NBA’s most entertaining ways to bet, offering value beyond the standard spread or total. Each night, this column highlights the best opportunities on the board — from points and rebounds to assists and combo lines — using matchup data, recent performance, and betting trends to find edges. Keep reading for the top NBA player prop picks for January 2. Also, make sure you check out our live VSiN programming for more. Our hosts and analysts will be all over the NBA, which is why it pays to be a VSiN Pro subscriber.
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2025-26 NBA Record: 229-208 (+16.92 units)
Friday Player Prop Best Bets
Below you’ll find my official plays on the player prop market for Friday. These are the ones that make the VSiN Pro Picks page and count towards my season-long record.
De’Aaron Fox Over 24.5 Points (-118) vs. Pacers
Spurs at Pacers – 7:00 pm ET
The Spurs will be without Victor Wembanyama tonight, as the young phenom suffered a hyperextension in his knee against the Knicks last game. Further testing revealed no structural damage, so Wembanyama won’t be out long. However, there will be opportunities for other Spurs to do some damage tonight. That’s why I like Fox to go Over 24.5 points.
Fox is averaging 25.2 points per game in games played without Wembanyama this season, and this is the perfect matchup for him. The Pacers are 24th in the NBA at guarding inside 10 feet, where Fox scores 40% of his points. They’re also 22nd in the NBA at guarding pull-up jumpers, and Fox scores 48% of his points on those shots. On top of that, Indiana is a bottom-five team when it comes to guarding in isolation, and the team also fouls a ton. Fox should take advantage of all of that, and he should also do some good work as a pick-and-roll handler.
It should also be noted that Devin Vassell is out for San Antonio. That should mean Fox will see strong minutes, even with the Spurs having a good group of guards.
Wendell Carter Jr. Over 12.5 Points (-108) vs. Bulls
Magic at Bulls – 8:00 pm ET
Carter comes into this game having only scored 15 total points over the last two contests, but he had scored at least 14 points in seven of the previous eight games before this recent two-game stretch. Carter also happened to score 17 points against this Bulls team on December 1, so we have seen him have a productive offensive outing against Chicago already this season.
The Bulls are just a great matchup for opposing centers. They’re the worst team in the NBA when it comes to defending at the rim, making for some easy finishes around the basket. They’re also weak when it comes to defending catch-and-shoot jumpers, as only six teams in the NBA do it worse. Well, Carter is a good floor-spacing big. So, he should knock down an outside shot or two, which would go a long way towards him going Over for us.
Myles Turner Over 12.5 Points (-113 – 1.5 units) & Alt Points 15+ (+155 – 0.5 units) vs. Hornets
Hornets at Bucks – 8:00 pm ET
There’s a chance I’m being suckered into a miserable play here, but I can’t pass up on Turner to score at least 13 tonight. I’m also sprinkling a little on him to have at least 15.
Turner had 23 points against the Hornets on December 29, taking advantage of one of the better matchups that exists for a player with his skill set. Not only is Charlotte 24th in the NBA at defending around the rim but the team is also 26th when it comes to guarding above-the-break 3s. Well, Turner scores 52% of his points on non-corner 3s. So, he really should get some quality looks from deep here, and he’ll also have some chances to finish at the rim. That’s why Turner is averaging 20.7 points per game against the Hornets on the year, and I can see him scoring another 20 here.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Over 25.5 Points + Rebounds (-115) vs. Lakers
Grizzlies at Lakers – 10:30 pm ET
Jackson has had at least 27 points and rebounds in seven of the last eight games, and he’s averaging 30.8 points and rebounds in this recent stretch. With Zach Edey out, Jackson is just being a little more aggressive on the glass, and that’s allowing him to post some big numbers. Well, I don’t see him slowing down in tonight’s matchup.
The Lakers are a bottom-10 team in the NBA in rebound rate (49.3%). They’re also 29th in the NBA in defensive rating (122.6) over the last 15 games. This is not a team that should be able to keep Jackson from doing some damage as a rebounder, and I have a lot of faith in him producing as a scorer.
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Noteworthy OptaAI Player Prop Edges
Check out the OptaAI Player Props pages for more of these! VSiN Pro subscribers can find 50+ player prop ideas on a daily basis! We’ll list the top edges in some of the biggest markets below, but there will always be a lot more to uncover on the pages themselves.
Cameron Thomas Under 20.5 Points (-117) vs. Wizards
Our OptaAI player prop projections have him going for 15.66 points.
Donovan Clingan Under 11.5 Rebounds (-116) vs. Pelicans
Our OptaAI player prop projections have him finishing with 8.92 rebounds.
Jamal Murray Over 7.5 Assists (-130) vs. Cavaliers
Our OptaAI player prop projections have him projected for 9.13 assists.
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