NBA New Year’s Day Predictions: Rockets, Celtics, Clippers Lead the Way with Promising Player Props
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The NBA tips off 2026 with a five-game slate on New Year’s Day, offering a fresh start for teams and a wealth of betting opportunities. One analyst, known as Peter Dewey, is already off to a strong start this season with a +9.79 unit return as of January 1st, and is eyeing several plays for Thursday’s action, including player props centered around Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard.
Parlay Potential: Three Heavy Favorites to Start the Year Strong
Dewey is opening the new year with a three-team moneyline parlay, backing significant favorites to secure wins on Thursday night. The parlay currently sits at -133 odds.
Houston Rockets Look to Continue Winning Streak
The Houston Rockets are heavily favored at -500 to defeat the Brooklyn Nets. After a recent loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in late December, the Rockets have rebounded with three consecutive victories, including double-digit wins over Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the Nets holding the No. 5 net rating over their last 10 games, they are just 6-9 against the spread as home underdogs and suffered a recent blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors.
A potential absence of Michael Porter Jr. for Brooklyn further weakens their offensive capabilities. Dewey believes the Rockets’ strong offense – currently ranked No. 3 in the league – and No. 2 road record against the spread (11-7) will prove too much for the Nets to handle.
Boston Celtics Aim to Dominate a Depleted Kings Roster
The Boston Celtics, continuing their impressive 2025-26 season, are massive -410 favorites against the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento will be without key players Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine, and currently holds an 8-25 overall record and a 2-8 record in their last 10 games. Their 12-21 against-the-spread record is the second-worst in the NBA.
The Celtics, now ranked No. 4 in both offensive and net rating, are expected to easily cover the spread against a Kings team struggling on both ends of the court. Sacramento’s struggles against teams with winning records (5-16) further solidify Boston’s advantage.
Los Angeles Clippers Seek Sixth Straight Win
The Los Angeles Clippers are significant -575 favorites at home against the Utah Jazz, aiming to extend their winning streak to six games. Utah faces a loaded injury report, with Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen both listed as questionable. With the Jazz potentially prioritizing a top-8 protected draft pick, Dewey suggests this could be a “stealth tank game” if key players sit.
Utah’s road record stands at 4-9 straight up and 5-8 against the spread, with an average scoring margin of -11.8 points. While the Clippers’ overall season numbers are underwhelming, they have climbed to seventh in the NBA in net rating over their last 10 games (+5.4). The analyst is confident in a Clippers victory, particularly with Kawhi Leonard playing at a high level against the No. 29 ranked defense in the league.
Player Prop Bets: Opportunities to Capitalize on Individual Performances
Beyond the moneyline parlay, Dewey has identified two promising player prop bets for Thursday’s games.
Quentin Grimes to Exceed 9.5 Points
Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes is presented as an undervalued option with his points prop set at 9.5 (-108). Despite a recent quiet performance against Dallas, Grimes is averaging 14.7 points on 11.0 shots per game this season. He has cleared 9.5 points in 23 of his 29 appearances, and averages 13.8 points in the 13 games he’s played alongside Joel Embiid. Dewey believes Grimes’ role off the bench for the 76ers warrants consideration.
Kawhi Leonard to Make Over 2.5 Three-Pointers
A strong play is being made on Kawhi Leonard to make over 2.5 three-pointers (-103) against the Utah Jazz. Leonard has been in exceptional form, averaging 29.8 points in December while shooting 49.0% from the field and 36.0% from three-point range. He’s shooting 38.6% from deep this season, and Utah allows the most three-pointers made per game (15.3) and is 27th in opponent three-point percentage. Leonard has made four or more three-pointers in four of his last five games, and attempted over seven three-pointers per game in December, up from his season average of 6.6. This matchup presents a favorable opportunity for Leonard to continue his hot scoring streak.
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