3 NBA Best Bets and Predictions for Thursday 1/23/25

The 82-game NBA regular season offers us a wide variety of betting options, including point spreads, moneylines, and totals. The Association features 1,230 regular season games, which can make sifting through the odds an overwhelming task.

However, various advanced statistics can help narrow the choices. numberFire's NBA power rankings and NBA game projections paired with advanced stats from the NBA can help give the inside track to quality bets.

While utilizing some of the mentioned tools, which NBA odds from FanDuel Sportsbook look like the best bets today?

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

Today's Best NBA Betting Picks

Portland Trail Blazers at Orlando Magic

Trail Blazers +8.5 (-112)

Amid a long list of injuries, the Orlando Magic are on a four-game skid, losing all four games by an average of 21.3 points. While I wouldn't go as far as backing the Portland Trail Blazers to hand the Magic their fifth consecutive defeat on Thursday, they are capable of keeping the game more competitive than expected.

Portland is on a two-game winning streak, and they've gone 6-4 against the spread (ATS) across their last 10 games. Meanwhile, besides losing four straight contests, Orlando has tallied a 3-7 overall record and 4-6 record ATS over their last 10 outings.

Even though the Trail Blazers are 28th in adjusted defensive rating (116.6) and 26th in effective field-goal percentage allowed (55.6%), the Magic are struggling to find ways to score the basketball right now. Orlando has gone 15 straight games of scoring 108 or fewer points, which should help Portland stay within striking distance.

Toronto Raptors at Atlanta Hawks

Over 234.5 (-110)

Defense could be a bit optional in Thursday's clash between the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks. The Raptors enter the matchup sitting at 26th in adjusted defensive rating (115.7) and 23rd in effective field-goal percentage allowed (55.3%) while the Hawks are 28th in effective field-goal percentage allowed (55.8%) and 28th in three-point percentage allowed (37.7%).

Additionally, Atlanta operates at the second-fastest pace in the NBA, so their woeful defensive shooting metrics can be heightened with them playing at a frantic pace. As for Toronto, they give up extra possessions and send opponents to the charity stripe often, ranking 26th in offensive rebound rate allowed (26.8%) and 30th in free-throw rate allowed (29.6%).

While the Hawks are on the second leg of a back-to-back, they faced the Raptors on the second leg of a back-to-back earlier this season, scoring 136 points en route to a 29-point victory. With Toronto also playing at the 11th-fastest pace in the league and Atlanta owning a 26-17 record to the over this season, points should be scored in bunches in Thursday's matchup.

Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder

Thunder Over 116.5 Points (-118)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are tied for the best record in the Association at 36-7, and they are showing no signs of slowing down despite not having Chet Holmgren or Isaiah Hartenstein available right now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off Wednesday's win over the Utah Jazz with a career-high 54 points as the Thunder posted 123 points at home.

On the season, OKC is 7th in adjusted offensive rating (115.0), 11th in effective field-goal percentage (54.8%), and tied for 8th in points per game (116.6). While the Thunder have produced 118-plus points in seven of their last eight games, the lone miss in that span came in a loss against the Dallas Mavericks, so there is some extra motivation entering Thursday's rematch.

Oklahoma City is arguably the best team at generating extra possessions for their offense, ranking first in defensive turnover rate (18.0%), first in defensive steal rate (11.4%), and third in defensive block rate (12.2%). Taking that into account, it's worth mentioning that a shorthanded Dallas squad has lost the turnover rate battle in each of their last four games, which could turn into easy points for the Thunder -- who are averaging the fifth-most points per game at home (118.2).

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.