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The NBA schedule for Tuesday night has seven games on tap, meaning there are plenty of options for sports betting. The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons will visit Western Conference contenders the Denver Nuggets as part of the Tuesday slate. Other top games include Bucks vs. 76ers, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder expecting to dominate against the lowly New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pistons are seven-point road favorites against the injury-decimated Nuggets, and Philadelphia is a 10.5-point favorite at home against the struggling Bucks. With so many options on the Tuesday night NBA schedule, you'll  want to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say about the best bets you can make for Tuesday's games. The model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and entered Week 15 of the 2025-26 NBA season on a sizzling 37-16 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. 

Here's a look at the model's NBA best bets for Tuesday's games.

Best NBA picks for Tuesday, Jan. 27

Pistons -7 vs. Nuggets

Not only are the Nuggets without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, but they will be missing Aaron Gordon (hamstring), Cameron Johnson (knee) and Christian Braun (ankle) for Tuesday's game. The Nuggets are 9-5 without Jokic so far, but they have had major travel difficulties after Sunday's game in Memphis was postponed because of the winter storm. The Pistons have won four of their past five games, including a 43-point victory and their most recent one by 23 against Sacramento. They have won 22 games by at least seven points this season. Detroit is covering the spread in a whopping 69% of the model's simulations and winning by double digits, according to its projections.

Take the Pistons to cover the spread against the Nuggets at Caesars Sportsbook:

Nets vs. Suns Over 210.5

These teams aren't great offensively, with the Nets averaging 107.9 points per game (last in the NBA) and Phoenix averaging 114.2 (23rd). They are both pretty good on the defensive end, however, with the Suns in ranking fifth in points allowed (111.8) and Brooklyn 13th (115.1). That combination is why this line is set so low, but the Nets are 19-27 to the Over and the Suns are 19-27, and the SportsLine model expects this one to go Over easily. It has the teams combining for more than 220 points, and the Over is hitting in 68% of its simulations.

Take Nets vs. Suns Over 210.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook:

Thunder -14.5 vs. Pelicans

Oklahoma City has been dominant while the Pelicans have been mediocre at best. OKC is the best team in the league on both ends, scoring 120.8 points and allowing just 107.9. New Orleans allows 121.5 (28th) and scores 114.8 (21st). Oklahoma City has lost consecutive games and will be looking to get right against one of the NBA's worst teams. The Thunder are 20-4 at home (12-12 against the spread), and New Orleans is 5-17 (11-11 ATS) on the road. The model has the Thunder winning by more than 20 points and covering the spread in 66% of simulations.

Take the Thunder to cover the spread against the Pelicans at FanDuel: