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Thunder Dan Palyo offers his top NBA sports predictions for Novig markets on Wednesday, January 14. Use his recommended picks to win real money on Novig.
It's a seven-game slate tonight, a bit light for a Wednesday, but still plenty of NBA action on tap. There certainly are some good spots to wager on tonight, and I've got my top recommendations lined up for you here today - I mean, that's why you're reading this article, right?
I want to take this opportunity to introduce NBA bettors to one of the most unique and fastest-growing sports prediction sites -- Novig. If you're not familiar with the site, I'll explain how it works and provide some of my favorite wagers to place on Novig.
As always, make sure you're following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your fantasy football and betting needs. Now, here are some of my favorite NBA bets and player props for tonight's slate.
Featured Promo: New Novig users get a $25 purchase match (50% discount up to $25) on your first Novig deposit, and 6 free months of RotoBaller's "Big-4" Premium Pass (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) which includes exclusive tools for Betting, Props, DFS and more! CLAIM IT NOW
What is Novig?
Novig is one of the fastest-growing peer-to-peer sports prediction markets. On Novig, users trade directly with each other without the "vig" that is associated with a typical sportsbook. The vig represents the money that sportsbooks charge you to use their service. It's a hidden cost that can be found in the odds that are being offered on each side of a specific bet. When a book offers -110 odds on both sides of a bet, they're keeping close to 10% of every bettor's wager, regardless of whether you win or lose.
On Novig, users trade with each other on the outcomes of sporting events, similarly to the way that investors trade on the stock market. But instead of having to beat the books, you just have to win against other users -- there's no commission kept by the site.
Users can bet on most traditional sports markets, including moneyline bets, spreads, totals, player props, parlays, and futures!
Novig operates with two virtual currencies. Novig coins can be wagered for fun and to test out strategies, while Novig cash can be wagered on all markets and then redeemed for real cash prizes.
Access to Novig is widespread; it's now accessible in 36 U.S. states.
How Does Novig Work?
Since users are not playing against the books, there is an opportunity to make more money per wager that you win, and users can usually find better values on bets (in terms of the prices being offered) than on traditional sportsbooks.
There are no oddsmakers; users dictate their own odds. You can either accept the odds that the market is offering or set your own odds.
If you set your own odds, another user has to accept them on the other side for the bet to be activated.
Users drive the market, not the sportsbook or oddsmakers!
NBA Picks Against the Spread
Utah Jazz (+2.5) at Chicago Bulls (+102)
The Jazz have been a pretty good team lately when they're not resting key players. If you throw away that 55-point loss to Charlotte (when Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic both sat out), they've actually won two of their last three, including a big win over my beloved Cavaliers in their last game. They also hung around with the defending champion Thunder, losing by just four points.
Meanwhile, the Bulls have dropped four of their last five games, including their game against Houston last night. They should get Coby White back tonight, but are still without their best player, point guard Josh Giddey. Utah beat this Chicago team earlier this year in overtime, 150-147 - and while it's tempting to take the over again, I'll just back the Jazz here with the points instead.
Chicago is on the second half of a back-to-back and is just 2-4 in those situations this season. Utah should be fresh and can win this game outright if they continue to play at a high level with their core of Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen, and Jusuf Nurkic intact. The extra 2.5 points are some nice "buzzer-beater insurance," too.
Novig Promo Code and Welcome Bonus
Use code BALLER, and you'll receive a $25 purchase match (50% discount up to $25) on your first Novig purchase.
You also get a free month of RotoBaller's "Big-4" Premium Pass (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL), which includes exclusive tools for Betting, Props, DFS, and more!
You can claim your welcome offer to Novig right now by clicking on the image below.
NBA Prop Bets
All odds are from Novig and were accurate as of 8:00 AM
Jusuf Nurkic OVER 28.5 Points, Rebounds, and Assists (-112)
A lot of us in the fantasy basketball community have been a tad annoyed that the veteran Nurkic is getting big minutes and blocking the development of the second-year big man Kyle Filipowski. But in real life, Nurkic is the better basketball player and makes Utah considerably better as a team when he's on the floor with his elite rebounding, screening, and passing out of the high and low-post.
Jusuf Nurkić's last 10 games:
15.4 PPG | 11.7 RPG | 5.6 APG
Wrote about how he's stepped up for the @utahjazz this season and embraced his new surroundings 📝https://t.co/VMbxPDOTQM
— Eric Spyropoulos (@EricSpyroNBA) January 13, 2026
He's averaging 32.7 PRA over his last ten games, going over this number in nine of them. With Chicago having a pretty soft interior defense, look for Nurk to keep it rolling with another big outing tonight.
Collin Murray-Boyles OVER 10.5 Rebounds, and Assists (+101)
Injuries in Toronto have allowed the rookie Murray-Boyles to slide into the starting lineup, and he's starting to produce some solid numbers as a result. He should start at center for the Raptors tonight, and despite being undersized, he's shown the ability to dominate on the glass and also pass the ball quite well for a big man.
Fellow big man Sandro Mamukelashvili is questionable tonight, too, so if he's out, then CMB should play as many minutes as he can handle.
Sam Merrill OVER 12.5 Points (-105)
If you haven't watched the Cavs much this season, tune in tonight as they take on the Sixers in what should be a fantastic game between two Eastern Conference contenders. Sam "Money Merrill" is a lot of fun to watch and is arguably one of the most efficient three-point assassins in the game.
Sam Merrill is awesome. pic.twitter.com/n6asxCncVR
— Mack Perry (@DevaronPerry) January 9, 2026
He's rolling right now, averaging 15.7 points per game over his last ten games and going over this prop in eight of those. He provides much-need floor-spacing for this Cavs offense and can hit his prop in a hurry if he gets hot from behind the arc early (just like Grayson Allen did for us last night).
Jamal Murray OVER 35.5 Points and Assists (-118)
Murray is absolutely on fire right now and playing at an incredibly high level for the Nuggets since Nikola Jokic went down.
In the five games he's played without the Joker, he's averaging nearly 39 points and assists per game. He's cleared this number in four straight games, and I expect him to keep carrying the load for this Denver team tonight.
Malik Monk OVER 13.5 Points (-118)
Monk has been brought back from the dead in Sacramento, as the Kings have no choice but to turn to him as their bench scorer with Dennis Schroder currently suspended. For whatever reason, Sacto had buried Monk on the bench for weeks, keeping his minutes and role reduced; however, he's been thrust into a bigger role lately and has responded with 15 and 26 minutes in his last two games with a 22.5% usage rate.
This number feels far too low for a scorer of Monk's caliber. As long as he gets 25 minutes tonight, I think he can easily go over again.
