NBA Prop Bets for Saturday, January 3 | Betting News

Danny Burke

Written by: Danny Burke

Published: Sat Jan 03, 2026, 2:54 pm ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns

nba

Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope the New Year has treated you well so far – especially in the betting department. We'll look to make it even better with today's slate of hoops, as I've got a few plays to dish out. Let's dive into my NBA prop bets for Saturday, January 3.

For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our NFL Picks Page or our NFL Odds Page.

You can also browse our recommendations for the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.

NBA Prop Bets for Saturday, January 3

Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson Under 30.5 Points (-105)

Jalen Brunson and the Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight. This will be the second time Brunson has faced Philly this season, and in the first meeting he was limited to 22 points on 31.8% shooting from the floor (7-of-22).

This is not a favorable matchup for the Knicks guard. Not only does Philadelphia rank seventh in defensive effective field goal percentage (53.7%) and 13th in points allowed per 100 possessions (114.8), but the Sixers also thrive in the exact areas where Brunson takes most of his shots.

Philly ranks fourth in field goal percentage allowed from mid-range (41.8%) and sixth in shot rate allowed from that area (27.9%). They're also third in opponent field goal percentage from beyond the arc (34.4%) and 10th in shot attempts allowed from deep (36.8%).

It's easy to see why Brunson struggled in the first matchup, and I'm expecting a similar outcome this time around. A line of 30.5 points feels too high for a player who may have trouble generating clean looks tonight and owns a season-long scoring average below that number.

Mikal Bridges Under 2.5 3-Pointers (-137)

Given those numbers on the defensive side for Philadelphia, I'll also be targeting Mikal Bridges to stay under 2.5 made three-pointers tonight. Bridges is averaging 2.3 threes on 5.7 attempts per game this season and has stayed right in line with those averages over the past month.

We're getting a relatively affordable price on the under, which makes sense considering he's stayed below 2.5 made threes in the majority of his games this season. In his last matchup against the 76ers, Bridges did knock down three triples on seven attempts, which is likely why the under isn't chalkier.

I don't expect Bridges to eclipse 2.5 made threes against Philly again this evening, so let's take advantage of this decent price being dealt to us when in reality it should be a lot more expensive.

Lucky Rebel Sportsbook logo 4.9/5 Review Rating
Bonus & Benefits
Up to $1,250 + 50 Free Slots Spins
See our review »
$1,250 Welcome Bonus
Bet Live on Your Favorite Sports
Earn More with Rebel Rewards!
Play Now & Claim Bonus »

Keldon Johnson Under 6.5 Rebounds (-124)

In a matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers, I'll be targeting Spurs forward Keldon Johnson to stay under 6.5 rebounds.

On the season, Johnson is averaging 6.4 boards per game, though his production in that area has been a bit volatile over the past month. Over his last 16 games, he's finished with fewer than seven rebounds in nine of them. That's not a remarkable stat on its own per se, but it does show a recent tendency to stay below this number.

When you pair that with an upcoming matchup against the seventh-best rebounding team in the league, it shapes up as a quality spot to wager on his under tonight.

Best Bets

NBA Record: 86-60-1 (+18.17 units)

Still Didn't Get Your NBA Fix?

Follow me on X @dannyburke5 for all my picks, analysis and plenty more. Also be sure to follow Betting News on 'X' and Twitch to catch us on stream! Betting News is also on TikTok! Follow us for more picks and news every day and check out our Free Expert Picks for every major sports league.

Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly

Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER

Check Out All of Our Betting Resources at Betting News

Danny Burke
Danny Burke

Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.