3 NBA Best Bets and Predictions for Thursday 1/30/25

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. Our NBA 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

Los Angeles Lakers at Washington Wizards

Under 224.0 Points (-110)

Thursday could be shaping up to be an off day for the Los Angeles Lakers. After sustained an abdominal muscle strain on Tuesday night, Anthony Davis will be out. He's joined by several notable players on the injury report, including LeBron James (foot) and Dorian Finney-Smith (shoulder) both listed as questionable.

Fortunately, L.A. will be facing the worst team in the NBA -- the 6-40 Washington Wizards. The Wiz have lost 15 straight games, averaging only 103.7 points per game (PPG) during the stretch. Washington already had the Association's worst offensive rating while putting up 107.2 PPG (fourth-fewest) and it's only getting worse.

The Wizards tend to lean on threes with the 15th-highest shot distribution -- via Dunks & Threes -- and they log the 12th-most three-point attempts per contest. Los Angeles has a knack for shutting down three-point attacks, surrendering the 10th-lowest shot distribution and 13th-fewest attempts per contest. The Lakers may even be open to letting Washington launch threes as the Wiz have shot a dreadful 27.6% from deep over the last six contests.

If LeBron does not go, L.A. will be without its top two scorers. But LeBron may play, so let's focus on when just Davis is not playing. He played for about 10 minutes on Tuesday, leading to only 104 points for the Lakers. A.D. was also out January 2 and 17; Los Angeles recorded only 108.0 PPG over those two outings. It's not like they were facing great defenses when he was out as all three games were against squads in the bottom 10 in defensive ratings.

FanDuel Sportsbook's 116.5-point team total for the Lakers seems too positive. While the Wizards have the worst defensive rating, there's still enough to not expect an explosion from the Lakers' offense.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Utah Jazz

Timberwolves Over 115.5 Points (-112)

Successful three-point shooting is always one of the best paths to hitting an over. The Minnesota Timberwolves tout a high volume, taking the seventh-most three-pointers while making the fifth-most per game. This is paired with the fifth-highest shot distribution, as well.

The Utah Jazz have the the second-worst defensive rating and allow 118.5 PPG (third-most) and a 55.6% effective field goal percentage (fourth-highest). As if that wasn't enough, the Jazz yield 91.2 shots per game (6th-most) while playing at the 13th-quickest pace.

Utah has struggled to defend the perimeter, surrendering the most three-point shots and third-most makes per game. Opponents also average a 44.1% shot distribution from three when facing the Jazz (third-highest). The Jazz just saw a three-ball happy team in the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, and they gave up 49 (!) three-point shots.

In line with their 38.3% three-point percentage this season (third-highest), the Wolves have drained 39.1% of their threes over the past four games. However, Minnesota will be without Donte DiVincenzo (toe), and Naz Reid (illness) could be absent after missing Wednesday's contest. Both players are in the top three for the most three-point shots per game on the Timberwolves.

Still, Minnesota has been highly efficient from three of late, and Utah's defense as a whole is a favorable matchup, putting me on over 115.5 points for the T-Wolves.

Orlando Magic at Portland Trail Blazers

Trail Blazers +5.5 (-112)

The Orlando Magic are 2-8 straight up and 3-7 against the spread over their last 10 games. They're finally getting healthy, though, as Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have been in the lineup together for three straight. However, it hasn't yielded different results as Orlando is 1-2 straight up and ATS with those two back. This even included a 22-point loss at home as seven-point favorites against the Portland Trail Blazers.

With the two meeting once again on Thursday, the Blazers to win outright (+180) is enticing. Portland is 5-1 over the last six, including back-to-back wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks. They're playing well.

The Magic have a chance to return Jalen Suggs (quad) from injury as he's questionable. Suggs is third on the team in scoring (16.2 PPG) and second in the starting lineup in defensive rating (105.0). Getting a defensive stopper in the backcourt could be a difference maker in this rematch as the Blazers' leading scorers are guards Anfernee Simons (18.5 PPG) and Shaedon Sharpe (17.3 PPG).

With that said, I'm on Portland to cover instead of winning outright. DRatings' game projections have the Magic winning by 4.4 points while MasseyRatings has Orlando by only two points.

While the Magic boasts the third-best defensive rating, they allow the eighth-highest shot distribution around the rim. The Trail Blazers hammer the paint by averaging the 16th-most points in the paint per game and the 3rd-highest shot distribution around the rim. Orlando's defense is put into a further bind with Portland shooting 44.1% from three over the last two games.

Look for the Blazers' hot streak to keep up against a struggling Magic squad.

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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.