Tuesday night will be a quiet one in the NBA, with only two games scheduled across the league. Timberwolves – Knicks gets it started at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV, followed up by the Pistons – Warriors at 10 p.m. Let’s dive into the best NBA bets, picks and overall NBA betting tips for Tuesday, Jan. 18.
NBA Best Bets: Game Tips & Expert Betting Predictions
Timberwolves vs. Knicks Best Bet
The New York Knicks are back at it on Tuesday in Madison Square Garden after coming off a disappointing loss at home yesterday to the Hornets, losing 97-87 and snapping a three-game win streak. The Timberwolves travel to New York in the first game of a back-to-back. These two teams matched up on Dec. 28 in a game where the Knicks defeated the Timberwolves 96-88. Minnesota played this game without Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, the team’s top three scorers. All three players will be back in action tonight, presenting a more difficult matchup in a rematch against the Knicks on Tuesday.
Minnesota comes into this matchup with a healthy roster and riding some momentum, winning five of their last seven games. Jaylen Nowell is probable coming off his first game back from an ankle sprain. The Timberwolves have stepped up on both ends of the floor as of late, ranking top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating over the last 10 games. Towns continues to dominant opponents, posting 25 or more points in each of the last four games. Minnesota’s offense is averaging 110.1 points per game on 43.9% shooting for the season. They love to shoot the 3, ranking fourth with 14.3 3-pointers a night. The Knicks defense ranks 21st, allowing 13 3-pointers made per game.
The Knicks rank 26th in scoring offense with 104.6 points per contest entering this game. Julius Randle leads the team with 19.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and five assists per game. Both Randle and R.J. Barrett and both coming off an 18-point double-double in their loss to the Hornets. New York will be without Cam Reddish (ankle) and Nerlens Noel (knee). Kemba Walker (knee) status will need to be monitored going into Tuesday’s matchup, as he is currently listed as questionable. The Knicks will need to turn their offense around after putting up 87 points in yesterday’s game if they want to keep up with a surging Timberwolves offense.
The Timberwolves have the rest advantage and are playing some good basketball right now, winning their last five games by an average of 11.4 points. New York is 10-13 against the spread at home this season, while Minnesota is 13-8 against the spread on the road. The Knicks are playing their third game in four nights. With how inconsistently the Knicks tend to play, it is hard to back them in tonight’s matchup. Lay the points with the Timberwolves on the road.
Best Bet for Tonight’s Game: Minnesota Timberwolves -3
The best odds are available on Caesars Sportsbook found through OddsShopper. Find your best bet in 30 seconds or less.
The Latest Sports Betting Content from Stokastic Odds
- BetMGM North Carolina Pre-Registration: $200 in Bonus Bets Awaiting You When Sports Betting Launches
- Bet365 North Carolina Pre-Registration: Get $100 in Bonus Bets Before March 11
- DraftKings North Carolina Pre-Registration: Up to $300 in Bonus Bets for NC Launch on March 11!
- FanDuel North Carolina Pre-Registration: Grab $300 in Bonus Bets Between Now and March 11!
- Bet365 Louisiana Bonus Code: Bet $1, Get $365 in Bonus Bets!
- Stokastic DFS on Youtube
Pistons vs. Warriors Best Bet
Detroit continues their West Coast road trip with a stop in San Francisco to take on the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are coming off a 20-point loss against Minnesota where Golden State was without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Curry is no longer listed on the injury report and will be active in Tuesday’s matchup. Green is expected to miss the next two weeks as he continues to work through a calf injury. The Detroit Pistons have been closing out more games as of late, winning five of their past nine games, and they are hoping to bounce back on Tuesday after getting handled by the Suns in a 135-108 home loss on Sunday.
The Pistons are 10-32 and one of the bottom teams in the Eastern Conference. Their leading scorer, Jerami Grant, was assigned to the G League on Monday but is still yet without a timetable on his return. Detroit will be shorthanded again, as they will be without Grant (thumb), Kelly Olynyk (knee) and Frank Jackson (COVID). Their offense ranks 30th in offensive rating and averages 101.4 points per game. Cade Cunningham continues to improve during his rookie campaign, averaging 15.7 points per game. Detroit is coming off a 27-point loss against the Suns defense, which ranks second. Tonight will be no different, as they will be taking on the top-ranked Warriors defense.
The Warriors, who once looked unbeatable, have lost five of their last seven games. These losses can be contributed to the absence of several key players over this span. Gary Payton II is questionable with a back injury that has caused him to miss the last two games. Tonight will be an opportunity for Golden State to pull out a victory at home against a weaker opponent. Curry will be excited to get back on the court after a one-game absence due to a hand injury. Curry is going through rare shooting slump, going 29.9% from 3 in January, down almost 10 percentage points from his season averages. Tonight he will look to break out his cold streak against a Pistons defense that is allowing the third highest 3-point percentage to opponents this season (36.7%).
While the Pistons have showed signs of life over their last five games, it is time for them to come back to reality. The Pistons’ last game finished with a total of 243 points. Three of the last four games for the Warriors have hit the over. With Klay Thompson shaking off the rust as he continues to work his way back to 100% and Curry ready to break out of a slump, expect to see a better offensive performance out of the Warriors in tonight’s matchup. Golden State can easily put up 120 points against a Pistons defense that is allowing 111.3 points per game to opponents. Take the over and watch for the Warriors to get back in the win column with an easy win over Detroit.
Best Bet for Tonight’s Game: Total Over 218.5 Points
The best odds are available on Caesars Sportsbook found through OddsShopper. Find your best bet in 30 seconds or less.
Thanks for reading to the end of this article! If you appreciate this free content and want to see more of it every day, you can help us out by sharing this article on social media!
Check out Stokastic's Best Bets home page for more sports betting picks and predictions.
