I only have a few picks for the NBA slate on Monday, January 26. Normally I’d break down a slate like this with two separate articles, but it doesn’t feel necessary today. So, instead of splitting sides/totals and player props into two pieces, I’m bringing everything under one roof — a streamlined look at my favorite bets for the day’s slate. Keep reading for my NBA picks and predictions for Monday.
RELATED: Check out the Pro Picks page for more selections from our talented VSiN hosts and analysts!
NBA Best Bets Today (Sides/Totals)
Trail Blazers +8.5 (-110) vs. Celtics
Blazers at Celtics – 8:00 pm ET
Over the last 10 games, the Blazers are 7-3 with a net rating of +4.2. Meanwhile, the Celtics are 5-5 with a net rating of +4.7 in that same span. With that in mind, Portland hasn’t been much worse than Boston recently, making 8.5 seem like a lot of points in this road game. Of course, Deni Avdija is questionable with a sore back, so there’s a shot the Blazers won’t be at full strength here. But I’m grabbing the points and hoping for the best. This is a Portland team that is coming off two days of rest, while Boston is playing a third game in four nights. The Blazers are also 11-4 against the spread as underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points under Tiago Splitter, while the Celtics have a losing ATS record as home favorites of 6.5 to 12 under Joe Mazzulla. I also like Portland’s advantage when it comes to size inside. Donovan Clingan should be a true X-factor here.
Bulls +1.5 (-112) vs. Lakers
Lakers at Bulls – 8:00 pm ET
The Lakers have won three of their last four games, but it’s hard to be impressed with those results. They beat banged-up Nuggets and Mavericks teams, and they took down a Raptors team that was in a miserable rest spot. I still don’t trust Los Angeles against a quality opponent, and Chicago sure looks like a quality opponent right now. The Bulls have won-and-covered in four straight games, and they’re 6-2 with a +8.2 net rating over the last eight contests. Now that Josh Giddey is healthy, this is a team that has some real firepower offensively. That said, they’re well-equipped to take advantage of a matchup with a Lakers team that is absolutely awful defensively. Under Billy Donovan, Chicago is 64-48 straight-up and 57-51-4 against the spread against teams that give up at least 116.0 points per game.
NBA Player Props Today
CJ McCollum Over 16.5 Points (-125) vs. Pacers
Pacers at Hawks – 1:30 pm ET
The Pacers are the best team in the league when it comes to defending above-the-break 3s, and they’re also the No. 2 team when it comes to guarding catch-and-shoot attempts. However, if you have the ability to score off the bounce, you can easily take advantage of this matchup. Well, McCollum can certainly do that. He has a duffle-sized bag, allowing him to knock down off-the-dribble jumpers, floaters, and all kinds of unique shots when driving to the basket.
McCollum also happened to score 18 points in his last meeting with Indiana, plus he’s averaging 17.3 points per game in the seven games he has played for Atlanta. He’s also averaging 19.0 points per game in his last two home games with the Hawks. He’s getting comfortable with his new surroundings.
Jaylon Tyson Over 14.5 Points (-104) vs. Magic
Magic at Cavaliers – 7:00 pm ET
Sam Merrill is questionable for the Cavaliers tonight, so there’s a chance Tyson won’t have quite as big of a workload as we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks. However, Darius Garland remains out for Cleveland. And the last time Tyson played a game with Merrill in the lineup and Garland out, he finished with 17 points in 31 minutes. That said, he’s still going to get plenty of action here, especially if either Merrill or De’Andre Hunter (questionable) can’t find a way on the floor.
We also just saw Tyson score 17 points against Orlando on Saturday, so it’s not like we haven’t seen him take advantage of this matchup recently.
Additional Plays (Late Adds, Parlays, Teasers, Futures)
PARLAY: Hornets Alt +7.5 vs. 76ers & Timberwolves ML vs. Warriors (-133 – 1.5 units)
2025-26 NBA Record: 291-275 (+3.74 units)
