X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Free NBA Betting Picks - Today's Best Bets, Expert Predictions, Odds (10/23/23)

Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers

Josh Wiesel's top NBA betting picks and best bets for today's NBA games on 10/25/23. His free picks against the spread, teasers, parlays, and NBA player props

April 9th, 2023. If you were wondering why that date is significant, it's the last time we had a full slate of NBA games to dissect. It's been 197 days since the end of the 2022–23' NBA regular season and a lot has happened. Let me catch you up to speed quickly.

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets won the NBA title. Damian Lillard is now a Milwaukee Buck. As Bradley Beal finally departed from Washington after 11 seasons, Jordan Poole landed on the tarmac for a new beginning in the capital city. Zion Williamson, Ben Simmons, and Kyrie Irving all seem to like basketball again (watch this space). James Harden wants to be traded (what's new?). Doc Rivers is now in the booth and not on the sidelines. We've seen some glimpses of an alien in a San Antonio Spurs jersey. He formerly goes by the name Victor Wembanyama. The Boston Celtics picked up two new players you might've heard of. Oh, and Chris Paul now plays in the Bay (weird, I know).

In this article, I'll be providing my favorite picks against the spread, game totals, parlays, and teasers for the first full NBA slate of the season that tips off at 7:00 PM EST on Wednesday, October 25. I'll be giving a little preview for each team, and you can find my pick at the end of each section. It's good to be back!

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 30% off using code NEW. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

NBA Betting Picks: Game Totals

Boston Celtics (-3.5) @ New York Knicks (225.5 total)

I'm starting my season of picks off with one that may not be considered 'fun' but something I won't pass on.

Celtics:

I think the Boston Celtics will be awesome this season. New additions Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis join Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White to form what could be the best starting five in the NBA. The five have looked really good on the court together in preseason. In their last preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets, all five starters scored in double figures playing minutes in the low 20's. Boston comes into this season after losing Game 7 at home to the Miami Heat. The loss ended their quest to be the first team to come back from 3-0 down in an NBA playoff series.

Knicks:

On the other side, you have the New York Knicks. New York also had their season cut short by the Miami Heat, losing in six games in the second round of the playoffs. They return pretty much the same team as last season, with Donte DiVincenzo being a new addition and Obi Toppin being a key departure.

Game total:

My pick in this game has nothing to do with the spread; I'm targeting the total and rooting for some misses. Boston's new starting group has looked good in the preseason, but let's see how they fare offensively in the first game that counts. They are going to have to learn how to all incorporate each other, and it wouldn't be surprising to see it get off to a bit of a slow start.

This is also a testament to the Celtics defense, which once again should be among the league's best units. They are ferocious on the perimeter, and I'm expecting them to be at least in the top six in the fewest opponent threes per game and lowest three-point percentage. We will have to see how they protect the paint without Robert Williams.

The Knicks had a good regular-season offense last season. They were tied for third in offensive rating and 11th in points per game. In the playoffs, things fell apart, and New York averaged 100.1 points on a gross 29.2 percent shooting from deep in 11 games. Though I don't think it will get that bleak again (for my sanity as a Knicks fan, I hope not), I can see the Knicks struggling on offense in the opener. They were 20th in field goal percentage and 19th in three-point percentage last season.

Both of these teams also played at slow paces last season. New York was 26th, and Boston was 20th. When it came to opponent fastbreak points per game, the Knicks tied in fifth limiting opponents, while the Celtics tied in ninth.

At first glance, the over in this game at 223.5 looks very appealing.  Last season, these teams did hit the over in three of four games (fact check). According to teamrankings, the Knicks were 43-37-2 (53.8%) to the over, and the Celtics were 42-38-2 (52.5%).

Both of these teams can score, but I just love the under for all the reasons listed above.

The Pick: Under 225.5 (-110 FanDuel)

 

Los Angeles Clippers (-9) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (227.5 total)

Clippers:

It's pretty much the same old same old with the Los Angeles Clippers entering the new season. As always, it will center around the health of stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Kawhi was fantastic in the first two games of their first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. He would miss the rest of the series and watch his team lose in six games. Paul George played his last game of the season on March 21.

The absence of those two really allowed Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell to flourish. Those two return, along with the apparently untouchable Terance Mann and the always-solid Ivica Zubac. Bones Hyland (23) and Kenyon Martin Jr. (22) are intriguing young talents. Rounding out the rotation are the old reliables in Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, Mason Plumlee, and whatever Marcus Morris can provide. This team is deep on paper.

Blazers:

Say hello to new beginnings. After 11 seasons, Damian Lillard is no longer a Portland Trail Blazer. Out goes Dame, and in comes the second-overall pick in the 2023 draft, Scoot Henderson. The center position also looks different, as Deandre Ayton is now the lead man in the middle.

Explosive 20-year-old Shaedon Sharpe is a player to keep an eye on in his second season. Anfernee Simons averaged 21.1 points per game last season and is back in his starting shooting guard role. Jerami Grant signed a five-year, $160 million contract. Matisse Thybulle provides great defense. New additions Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams will try to find time on a quietly crowded team. Kris Murray, the 23rd pick in the 2023 draft, is a good prospect with an NBA-ready frame.

Over game:

It may not sound pretty trying to gameplan it out in your head, but I like the over in this game. The Clippers finished 17th in defensive rating last season. They allowed the 16th most field goals per game, were the 12th-best team in points allowed, and opponents shot the 12th-best percentage from three against them. Los Angeles ranked in the lower half in opponent fastbreak points and points in the paint. These are all areas Portland can take advantage of, and with Scoot at the helm, we could see an increase in pace with this group.

The Clippers have plenty of scorers in Kawhi, George, Westbrook, Powell, Mann, and Hyland. There are good defensive players on both of these rosters which is what makes this a weird over. You can find eight games with a lower over-under than this competition. I just like the fresh legs on both sides and the points to be scored in the night's latest tip-off.

The pick: Over 227.5 (-110 PointsBet)

 

Sports Betting Promo Offers

Featured Promo: Get any Betting Premium Pass for 30% off using code NEW. Win more with exclusive betting picks from proven winners across 9 sports! Find optimal bets with our Betting Picks Tool and Bet Weighting Tool and follow along in our VIP chat rooms! Go Premium, Win More!

 

NBA Betting Picks: ML and Spreads

Orlando Magic (-4) vs. Houston Rockets (222 total)

Both of these teams enter the 2022–23 season coming off top six worst records in the league. The Magic shook off a poor start to the season and finished 34-48, seven games above their over/under win total. Houston just stunk and was 12 games worse than Orlando at 22-60, two games under their over/under projections.

FanDuel has a little higher hopes for these two teams this season. The Orlando Magic sit at an O/U of 37.5 wins, while the Houston Rockets see their number at 31.5.

Magic:

Orlando is led by 2022–23 Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and 2021–22 All-Rookie First-Teamer Franz Wagner. Both played in the 2023 FIBA World Cup for their respective countries this summer. The 22-year-old Wagner really impressed, scoring 16, 22, and 19 points in the quarter, semi, and finals to help Germany win its first-ever FIBA World Cup title. Many expect these two to take another jump in their second and third years in the league.

Markelle Fultz is back on point guard duties, with sixth-overall pick Anthony Black waiting behind. We're entering year three of hoping guard Jalen Suggs can consistently stay on the court. The same goes for starting center Wendell Carter Jr., who has never played more than 62 games in a season. Joe Ingles is also there and should provide good veteran leadership and solid play for this young Magic team.

Rockets:

The Houston Rockets will look a little different this season. They signed Fred VanVleet to a big contract and followed that by poaching now-former disgruntled Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks. Reggie Bullock and Jeff Green were also solid additions to the squad.

Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Jalen Green, fourth overall pick Amen Thompson, and 20th pick Cam Whitmore are all under 21 years old. The young talent is eye-popping with this team.

Even players like Aaron Holiday and Jae'Sean Tate can come off the bench and give quality minutes. Ime Udoka (remember him?) is the 16th coach in Houston Rockets franchise history.

Backing the Rockets:

This may be one I regret by Wednesday night, but I like the Rockets with the points. You can think of the preseason however you want, but I found it notable that Houston went 4-1. Even for preseason, winning some games can build confidence for those younger guys who have lost a lot of games early in their careers.

Orlando was tied for 27th in most opponent three-pointers made per game last season. Houston was worse, allowing the most, but the Magic will probably be a bottom-ten three-point shooting team again. I think Houston will shoot it decently well from three this season, which should work in favor of this game.

Another area to watch is points in the paint. Houston scored 50+ points in the paint in four of five preseason games. They have good size and length and very quietly finished fourth in rebounds per game last season. The Rockets also finished first in second-chance points last season; the Magic were 15th in opponent second-chance points allowed per game.

This could be a sneaky fun Rockets team, and Ime Udoka should have his guys ready to go on opening night.

The Pick: Houston Rockets +4 (-110 DraftKings)

 

Chicago Bulls (-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (228 total)

Thunder:

The young Thunder start their season off in the windy city to take on the Bulls. Oklahoma City is one of the most hyped teams coming into the season, and for good reason. In 2021–22, OKC finished with a 24-58 record, getting rewarded with the second pick in the draft. Second-overall pick Chet Holmgren didn't even play last season and the Thunder improved by 16 games. With a 40-42 record, they finished 10th in the Western Conference. Going on the road, they beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the 9-10 play-in game. With a playoff spot on the line, they would get crushed by the Timberwolves in Minnesota, ending their season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took that elite leap. He earned his first All-Star appearance, got a spot on the All-NBA First Team, and finished fifth in MVP voting. Along with SGA is combo guard Josh Giddey, do-it-all forward Jalen Williams, lockdown defender and perimeter threat Luguentz Dort, and now they add seven-foot-one center Chet Holmgren to the mix. The exciting Thunder starting five are all 25 years of age or younger.

Oklahoma City's youth doesn't stop with the starters. They added 19-year-old guard Cason Wallace with the 10th pick in the draft. Tre Mann, Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams, and Ousmane Dieng are all 24 years or younger.

Bulls:

The Chicago Bulls also finished with a 40-42 record last season, which was good enough for 10th in the Eastern Conference. They would go on the road and beat the Toronto Raptors before losing in Miami to the Heat, ending their playoff hopes. Not all records are built the same, and the Thunder were an encouraging 40-42, while the Bulls were a disappointing 40-42.

Chicago's key players are older, with DeMar DeRozan (34), Nikola Vucevic (32), Alex Caruso (29), Zach LaVine (28), and Jevon Carter (28) all being 28 years or older. Youth isn't nonexistent on this team; Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Patrick Williams are all 23 or younger. It's an interesting mix of players who, once again, should just be a solid group.

Hold off on the hype:

Despite fawning over OKC, I like the Bulls in this one to start the season.

Last season, Chicago was fourth in fewest opponent points in the paint per game, second in limiting second-chance points, and seventh in both opponent points off turnovers and fastbreak points. This is an OKC team that loved to score in the paint last season, finishing third in that category. They also played with the third-highest pace compared to Chicago, who was 18th. Oklahoma City can force a lot of turnovers, but Chicago did a good job holding onto it last season, finishing eighth in the fewest turnovers per game. If the Bulls can hold onto the ball and dictate the pace, I really like them in the opener.

According to teamrankings, the Bulls were 13-9 as a home favorite last season.

The pick: Chicago Bulls ML (-118 FanDuel)

 

NBA Betting Picks: Parlays and Teasers

Favorite ML Parlay: MIA + ATL + CHI (+264 FD)

Favorite Teaser: POR +15 - WAS +13 - HOU +10 (+140 FD)



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Griffin Conine

To Have Shoulder Surgery On Tuesday
Luke Keaschall

Twins Prospect Luke Keaschall Suffers Broken Forearm
Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF