NBA Betting Picks for Tuesday 1/23/24: Two Contests to Target the Over

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 daily projections paired with advanced stats from the NBA can help give the inside track to winning big.

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.

NBA Best Bets

New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets

Over 223 (-110)

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets collide for an intrastate battle on TNT's primetime doubleheader tonight. The Knicks have hit their groove with a three-game winning streak while going 2-1 against the spread (ATS), and the Nets are spiraling out of control with a 2-8 record over their previous 10 contests.

The over has hit in back-to-back Brooklyn games. With the Nets giving up 118.5 points per game (PPG) over the last two, Brooklyn could be involved in another high-scoring game. New York certainly has the tools to make it happen after totaling 119.5 PPG in the last two contests.

One of the Knicks' strengths is shooting the three with the 13th-most attempts per game and the 11th-best three-point percentage. During the three-game winning streak, New York's production from deep has remained steady with 13.3 makes per game and 38.0 attempts each contest (13.3 makes and 35.6 shots are the season averages).

So, how is shooting from beyond the arc relevant for this collision? The Nets' perimeter defense has lacked, giving up the ninth-most attempts per contest while opponents shoot 38.2% from deep (seventh-worst for defense). After erupting for 39.5 PPG over the last two while making 7 of 15 threes (46.7%), Jalen Brunson could continue to excel -- especially with potential matchups against Brooklyn's Spencer Dinwiddie (117.8 defensive rating).

On the other side of the court, the Nets' offense has showed signs of life over the last two games with 122.0 PPG. The efficiency has been even more impressive; Brooklyn has carried a 50.8% field goal percentage (FG%) during the stretch. The unit has also increased their three-point volume with 43.0 attempts per contest compared to their season average of 37.8 (seventh-most).

This could be an ideal matchup for a team that leans on threes as the Knicks give up the 16th-most three-point attempts each game. If you compare this to the rest of New York's defensive stats, this looks like the clear weakness. For example, the Knicks allow the 11th-fewest points in the paint per game, the 3rd-fewest PPG, the 5th-fewest free throw shots each contest, and have the 12th-best mark in opponent effective field goal percentage (eFG%).

The three-ball could play a major role in helping the Knicks-Nets go over.

Utah Jazz at New Orleans Pelicans

Jazz +6.5 (-110)

The Utah Jazz's hot streak has come to an end with two consecutive losses, and the road ahead is getting no easier as they face the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. New Orleans features the ninth-best defensive rating in the Association, which could be a problem for Utah's offense that is averaging 129.1 PPG over their last 10 games.

The Jazz are 7-1 ATS over the last eight contests, though. Can Utah's offense overcome the Pelicans' formidable defense, coming up with yet another cover?

In short, I think the answer is yes. This offense has been an absolute buzzsaw, touting a 50.0 FG% while converting 37.6% of their three-point looks over the last 10 games. The three-point shooting could be an area to watch as New Orleans gives up the most three-point attempts per contest. Lauri Markkanen (24.0 PPG) and Jordan Clarkson (18.3 PPG) could be poised for big outings as they lead Utah with the most three-point shots; Markkanen has shot 44.9% from deep this month while Clarkson has cashed in 40.9% of his looks over the last seven games.

The Jazz struggle in most defensive categories with the NBA's 10th-worst rating. However, they are solid in the right areas ahead of their clash with the Pelicans. New Orleans totals the 11th-most points in the paint per game, and opponents shoot 54.2% on two-pointers against Utah (14th-best for defense). This is miles better than some of the Jazz's defensive stats, such as giving up the sixth-most three-point attempts per contest. The Pels attempt the fifth-fewest threes.

Additionally, New Orleans gets to the line frequently with the fifth-most attempts per game. This is another area where Utah actually fares pretty well, giving up the 12th-fewest shots each contest.

Rebounding could also give the Jazz a nice advantage. They do an excellent job of gaining extra possessions with the league's top offensive rebounding percentage, and the Pelicans have the 13th-best defensive rebounding percentage. Utah can look like hungry, hungry hippos on the glass with the most rebounds in the NBA while New Orleans totals the 10th-most boards per game.

Tonight's 6.5-point spread simply feels a bit high when considering the Jazz's recent level of play. Utah should have enough advantages -- even on defense -- to cover their eighth contest during a nine-game span.

Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers

Over 234.5 (-110)

The Battle of L.A. is in the primetime slot on TNT. Typically, we are used to the Los Angeles Lakers being the alpha dog of this matchup. However, the Los Angeles Clippers are well above the Purple and Gold this season as the Clips are the second choice to win the Western Conference (+370) while the Lakers have the seventh-shortest odds to win the conference (+1900), per FanDuel's NBA conference odds.

The Lake Show finally regained their footing over the last week with a 3-1 record while going 3-1 ATS. However, LeBron James will be absent from tonight's game due to an ankle setback. Per usual, LeBron has carried a large load with a team-high 29.8% usage rate while averaging 24.8 PPG (second on team), 7.2 rebounds per game (RPG), and a team-high 7.4 assists per game (APG).

According to numberFire's nERD-based power rankings, the Clippers are the 4th-best team in the NBA while the Lakers rank 18th. The Purple and Gold simply cannot afford to be without one of their top contributors to pull off the upset. With that said, the Clips favored by nine points certainly adds up.

However, I'm having a hard time with picking a side due to the large spread. Instead, the over for the 234.5 total (-110) could be the way to go.

First off, the Lakers have a weak perimeter defense, giving up the fourth-most three-point shots per game. The Clippers have a lethal three-point attack with the top shooting percentage in the league, and they have scorched the nets over the last five games with a 46.2% three-point percentage.

The Lake Show's wings have lacked on the defensive end; this includes Austin Reaves (118.5 defensive rating) and Taurean Prince (117.0 defensive rating). According to numberFire's projections, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden all fall within the top eight players with the most projected FanDuel points for Tuesday. Leonard (23.7 PPG) could be the one to circle as he's shooting 50.6% from the floor and 50.0% from three this month. It could be a long night on the defensive end for Prince.

With the sixth-best offensive rating, the Clippers' advantages are clear, but how can the Lakers help the over hit? The Purple and Gold have been much more efficient from three over the previous four games, making 38.1% of their attempts (35.8% on the season). This bodes well against the Clippers, who give up the 15th-most three-point makes per contest.

In addition, Anthony Davis (24.9 PPG; 12.2 RPG) typically shows up in this matchup; he has recorded a double-double in three straight meetings. Without LeBron out of the lineup, Davis' 26.8% usage rate jumps to 29.6%. His history against the Clippers bodes well for the Lakers' point total.

I can even make the support for the over quite simple. The Clippers are averaging 123.7 PPG over their last six games while the Lakers totaled 122.0 PPG in the previous five contests. I'm rocking with the over for the Clippers-Lakers.

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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.