Our Best Bets for January 8

There are nine games on the NBA schedule on Sunday, January 8. Scottie Barnes and Damian Lillard are in a shooting slump. Rudy Gobert is likely to make life hard for Alperen Sengun.

Our Best Bets for January 8 are picks made on 1/8/2023 at 1:00 a.m. ET.

DraftKings offers two great bets for January 8th. New users can bet $5 and get $200 in free bets.

Barnes has struggled in his second season with the Toronto Raptors. He was Rookie of the Year last year but his efficiency has decreased since then. Barnes is shooting 28.9% from three on the season and 18.2% over his last five games. The most important swing skill for Barnes remains his perimeter shooting. He didn't even attempt a three-pointer in the most recent game against the New York Knicks despite playing 36 minutes.

Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors are playing on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. Damian Lillard is in a shooting slump from the outside lately. Toronto's defense has been disappointing this season, but it does limit opponent 3-point shooting above the break. The team's length makes it hard for Dame to get uncontested looks. He will try to drive the ball more than pull up. It's the path of least resistance for him.

Alperen Sengun came to the NBA last year and won the Turkish league MVP as an 18-year-old. He is a good post player, but his team, the Rockets, doesn't give him enough touches. His old-school game has drawbacks, and he's completely paint dependent for all of his offense. S Engun is going to play against Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. Goberts is coming off his best game of the season and his defensive metrics are improving. Opponents are shooting -6.3 points worse when he is the primary defender on shots taken within six feet of a hoop.