January 12th NBA Props – Player Props and Best Bets for All Games

• Six NBA games are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 12
• Extensive player props are available for many of the league’s biggest stars
• See below to see where we think the betting value lies

Outside the bubble, the NBA is as susceptible to COVID-19 as any other sports league, and Tuesday will mark the third  straight day with an official game cancellation, with more potentially coming.

A seven-pack slate has been sliced by one, with the Bulls-Celtics postponement, while the Heat-76ers is in major limbo as of this writing.

But enough of the doomsday stuff — let’s try to lift your spirits with some player props from the games that are still a go, and you should be targeting to make some hay.

NBA Player Props – Tuesday January 12

Odds taken on Jan 11th from FanDuel. This table will be updated as more props come available.

Murray Malaise

Jamal Murray proved himself in the bubble to be one of the leaders of the next class, only to stumble out of the gate to start this season. After a pair of 30+ outings to kick off 2021, Murray has gone radio silent.

I don't have any inside information on Jamal Murray, but I have seen him flexing his right arm a few times the last couple games. If you remember, Murray missed a game due to an elbow contusion.

— Mike Singer (@msinger) January 11, 2021

He tied a season-low nine points in a blowout win over the Knicks. While the W is nice, that’s the second time he’s gone for single digits this season, and he’s only cracked the 20-point plateau once in the last five games.

His current 19.7 point-per-game average is a career-high, but that’s way down from his impactful playoff line of 26.5 points, 6.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game on the biggest stage in hoops.

I feel for Steve Nash, having to deal with so many obstacles already in his young coaching career.

Kevin Durant, after he worked his ass off to return from one of the most devastating injuries.

But mostly, I feel for Nets fans who deserve to enjoy an era of great basketball.

— Billy Reinhardt (@BillyReinhardt) January 12, 2021

Perhaps the Brooklyn Nets are the right tonic. The limited offseason, COVID and a personal leave from Kyrie Irving has Steve Nash scrambling for chemistry and lineups that work. They’re bleeding points in the process. Brooklyn is surrendering 113 points a game, which ranks 22nd in the NBA.

Maybe Murray breaks out, but I’d bet against that until he’s back in the groove.

The pick: UNDER 21.5 points (-118)

Curry Will Cook

Whether you’re a Golden State fan or not, you have to be happy to see Steph Curry back to his flame-throwing self. After playing all of five games in the longest season in NBA history a year ago, watching him get off to the slow start was borderline sad.

https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1347777429520044033

Thankfully, Curry found himself. While he has a decent supporting cast — also aided by the return of Draymond Green from COVID and a foot injury — they can only go so far as the baby-faced assassin can take them.

Steph is averaging 28.6 points a game, though he’s doing more of the volume scoring than precision we’re used to, shooting 43.2% from the field and 36.8% from three. But who cares, and who else would you want taking shots anyways?

Steph Curry tonight

11 PTS
12 FG%
1/10 3PM
5 Turnovers

Warriors still get the W pic.twitter.com/ZymcPDCwAV

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 11, 2021

Indiana is a nice test, but they are tied for 28th in the league, surrendering a generous 39.6% from downtown. Coincidentally, they’re tied with the Warriors. Don’t worry that Curry has gone for 13 points or less in two of his last three starts, a 30-bomb is on the horizon.

The pick: OVER 29.5 points (-120)

LaMarcus No Marksman

LaMarcus Aldridge is absolutely necessary for the San Antonio Spurs’ success. As the Spurs have cobbled together an exciting young core of wing players, the veteran big man binds it all together.

Without him in the lineup, the Spurs are 0-3 and look lost. Having the smooth-operating Aldridge as the hub that can initiate offense and get buckets at all levels of the floor, San Antonio is 5-2.

Like Patty Mills, everyone here at Spurs Nation is happy to have LaMarcus Aldridge back on the floor 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ww7pzWI9KU

— Spurs Nation (@SpursNationCP) January 6, 2021

While he’s expanded his game to beyond the arc, he hasn’t found the mark early this campaign. After a career-high 38.9% from three on a career-high 157 attempts in 53 games a year ago, Aldridge is shooting a pedestrian 9-for-30 this season, a less-than-average 30%.

He’s also hit more than one from distance just two times in seven games.

LaMarcus Aldridge's game-high 28 PTS pace the @spurs road W in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/vCOLrbDreo

— NBA (@NBA) January 8, 2021

Against OKC, the gameplan should call for LA to live down low. With no big man to match him (sorry, Al Horford), the Thunder surrender 52 points a game in the paint, the third worst mark in the league.

Aldridge’s three-point shooting will come around, it just won’t need to Tuesday night.

The pick: UNDER 1.5 three-point makes (-190)