Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions, Prop Bets for Lauri Markkanen, Knicks-Kings, Cooper Flagg)

Wednesday’s NBA action features a seven-game slate, highlighted by an Eastern Conference battle between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers.

That game has a ton of intrigue as both teams battle for a top-six seed in the East, but it does not feature one of my favorite bets on Jan. 14.

I’m eyeing three picks on Wednesday, as a bounce-back showing is in order after both the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks came up short on Tuesday night, leading to a 1-2 showing.

Still, it’s been a great season overall, as I’m up just over 16 units and sit at 40 picks over .500.

On Wednesday, I’m eyeing a pair of player props, including one for Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who has quickly become a frequent fixture in Peter’s Points.

In addition to that, there is a spread pick that I’m taking with an interesting trend to follow.

So, let’s dive into the breakdowns of each of Wednesday’s top picks!

1 Season, 600 Bets: NBA Betting Record

2025-26 season record: 139-99 (+16.08 units)
2024-25 season record: 281-293-5 (-4.94 units)
OVERALL (since 2021-22 season): 1430-1336-27 (+49.24 units)

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

NBA Best Bets Today

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Cooper Flagg OVER 4.5 Assists (-141)
Sacramento Kings +11.5 (-115) vs. New York Knicks
Lauri Markkanen 25+ Points (-152)

Cooper Flagg OVER 4.5 Assists (-141)

Flagg has really improved as a playmaker as his rookie season has gone on, and he's averaging 5.9 assists per game over his last 15 contests.

During that 15-game stretch, Flagg is averaging 7.9 potential assists per game, which is slightly up from the 7.4 potential assists he's averaging for the entire season.

Now, the rookie sensation takes on a Denver team that is 23rd in the NBA in defensive rating and opponent assists per game. Flagg nearly had a triple-double (33 points, nine rebounds, nine assists) the last time he faced Denver, and he's wildly undervalued with this prop set at just 4.5 dimes.

Over his last 15 games, Flagg has five or more assists in 12 of them. I'm buying him as a prop target now that he's the clear focal point of this Dallas attack.

Sacramento Kings +11.5 (-115) vs. New York Knicks

There’s no question that the New York Knicks are a better team than the Sacramento Kings this season, but asking them to cover a double-digit spread on the road is a risky endeavor.

New York is under .500 on the road this season, and it’s gone just 4-10 against the spread as a road favorite – one of the worst marks in the NBA.

The Knicks’ road net rating is -1.4 this season, so I’m not sold on them winning this game in dominant fashion against a Kings team that has shown some fight in recent games. Sacramento just won both ends of a back-to-back against the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, and it has been a lot better at home (7-13) than on the road (3-17) this season.

I’d still trust the Knicks to win this game if you want to play a moneyline parlay on Wednesday, but New York’s struggles against the number on the road are too glaring to bet them to cover.

Lauri Markkanen 25+ Points (-152)

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is a terrific prop target on Wednesday night against a Chicago Bulls team that is just 26th in the NBA in defensive rating and opponent points per game.

This is a little bit of a revenge spot for Markkanen against one of his former teams, and he dominated the Bulls in a double overtime win back in mid-November, scoring 47 points on 15-of-33 shooting from the field.

Markkanen is averaging 27.9 points per game this season while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from 3. He’s taking a career-high 19.7 shots per game, leading to the best scoring season of his career.

I’ve lowered Markkanen’s points prop to just 25+ for this pick, and he’s hit the 25-point mark in 22 of his 33 games this season, including four of five games in the month of January.

The Bulls are one of the worst defensive teams in the league, and these teams are No. 3 and No. 4 in the NBA in pace. That should lead to a high-scoring affair on Wednesday night.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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