NBA Best Bets: Top 2 Betting Picks for Sunday, January 18
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
We went 0-2 yesterday – not what we wanted, but we’re still 21-12 this month, so we’re still up big. Six games on the board for January 18, and it’s a slate that screams “schedule and availability." We’ve got three back-to-backs (Charlotte, Denver, Los Angeles Lakers), one team traveling 944.9 miles on zero rest (Charlotte), and another traveling 866.0 miles on one day of rest (New Orleans). That’s where the market gets lazy – and that’s where we eat.
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Charlotte vs Denver Matchup
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- Arena: Ball Arena
- Location: Denver, CO
- Where to Watch: NBA League Pass
- Date: January 18, 2026
- Time: 8:00 PM ET
Charlotte Hornets vs Denver Nuggets Betting Odds
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- Spread: Denver Nuggets -1.5 (-106) | Charlotte Hornets 1.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Denver Nuggets -117 | Charlotte Hornets -104
Charlotte Hornets vs Denver Nuggets Kalshi Odds
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- Chance: Charlotte Hornets 48% | Denver Nuggets 51%
THE PICK: Denver Nuggets -1.5 (3 units)
Denver is the side I’m willing to plant a flag on, even on zero rest, because the situational data is that loud. Start with the macro: Denver is 7-3 straight up and 7-3 against the spread in its last 10, while Charlotte is 4-6 straight up but also 7-3 against the spread – so yes, the Hornets have been live, but this is where context matters. Both teams are on the back end of a back-to-back, but Charlotte is also finishing Game five of five on a road trip, and the travel spot is brutal: 944.9 miles from Chase Center to Ball Arena on zero days rest. Denver? Zero travel, at home, and historically they’ve been monsters in this exact schedule pocket: on the second night of back-to-backs, the Nuggets are 17-6 with a +9.83 average margin, scoring 124.43 and allowing 114.61. Charlotte in the same back-to-back slot is 9-14 with a -2.65 average margin (109.43 scored, 112.09 allowed), and they’ve also been shaky in compressed stretches overall (31.43% win rate in “three games in four days" spots). I’m not ignoring the injury list – Nikola Jokic is listed out – but the market is still hanging Denver as the favorite, and with this schedule edge plus Denver’s 70.0% against the spread hit rate over the last ten, I’m laying the short number.
Brooklyn vs Chicago Matchup
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- Arena: United Center
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Where to Watch: NBA League Pass
- Date: January 18, 2026
- Time: 07:00 PM ET
Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls Betting Odds
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- Spread: Chicago Bulls -6.5 (-110) | Brooklyn Nets 6.5 (-111)
- Moneyline: Chicago Bulls -250 | Brooklyn Nets +205
Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls Kalshi Odds
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- Chance: Brooklyn Nets 31% | Chicago Bulls 69%
THE PICK: Chicago Bulls -6.5 (2 units)
The headline here is simple: Michael Porter Jr. is expected to rest, and Brooklyn is losing their major scoring punch. The Nets are 0-7 without Porter this year – that’s not a typo, zero wins in seven tries. Porter is averaging 25.8 points per game with a 30.3% usage rate, so when he sits, Brooklyn’s offense loses both volume and shot creation. Yes, the schedule matters – Brooklyn is on the front end of a back-to-back, where they’re 6-16 straight up (27.27%) with a -7.77 average margin – but even with that, the Porter absence is the real story. Chicago is at home, and the Bulls are 15-15 with Josh Giddey (who’s doubtful tonight with a hamstring issue), but even if Giddey sits, the Nets without Porter are a team that’s shown zero ability to stay competitive. Kalshi has Chicago at 69% to win, and I’m comfortable laying six and a half against a Brooklyn team that’s structurally broken without their best scorer.
The Betting Edge
Three units: Denver Nuggets -1.5
Two units: Chicago Bulls -6.5
If you’re riding with me, you’re betting two things tonight: Denver’s elite back-to-back profile at home, and Brooklyn’s consistent faceplant on the front end of back-to-backs. If you want to fade, that’s your right – but don’t say I didn’t warn you when the schedule shows up in the fourth quarter.
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Data from Blitz. Stats as of January 18.
