Opening Week in the NBA carries on as Night 2 brings a full slate of intriguing matchups. From No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama taking the court against Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in a Texas showdown, the Heat opening their season on the road in the Motor City, to the Rockets starting fresh versus an eager Magic team.
Our staff dishes on some of the action as they point out some sleepers that you made need to wake up on. Find their NBA Best Bets for today's slate below.
NBA Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NBA betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Rockets vs. Magic
By Jim Turvey
It might not be the sexiest game on the board, but for weird NBA Twitter folks, Houston Rockets vs. Orlando Magic is going to be a really fun Opening Night watch. Two teams trying to make the leap into the playoff contender tier in opposite conferences and with somewhat opposite approaches.
Orlando is looking to build from within, hoping to use internal growth as the step ladder to the postseason, while the Rockets went out and grabbed several of the biggest names in free agency this summer. It is in part due to those new signings, as well as that internal growth, that I like this bet.
Houston now has Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks looking to get up shots alongside Jalen Green, who will likely take some time to adjust to his new backcourt mates.
On the flip side of that coin, he also is going to have to deal with Jalen Suggs, who has a questionable sophomore season on the offensive side of things, but has already become an elite defender, particularly on-ball, through his first two seasons.
Another season of growth for him, as well as the chance to go up against one of the four guys taken ahead of him in the 2021 NBA Draft makes this a perfect spot to fade Jalen Green's points total. I'd play this to under 21.5 -115.
Pick: Jalen Green Under 22.5 Points (-106)
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Pistons vs. Heat
As someone who expects a lot from Cade Cunningham this season, I was surprised to see him open this campaign at a 19.5 over or under for points. The Miami Heat should be strong defensively once again, but their perimeter defense will be one to watch when Bam Adebayo isn't on a switch. Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry is not ideal.
Some thought we'd see Herro and Josh Richardson, and we should at some point, but even so — especially without Haywood Highsmith in spots — Cunningham should have looks, and if nothing else, will hoist the attempts you need for the over. It's potentially an inefficient 20, but i still think it's a 20, even in the even Miami wins.
Pick: Cade Cunningham Over 19.5 Points (+100)
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Mavericks vs. Spurs
By Joe Dellera
Wemby just averaged 2.75 turnovers in 21 mpg during the preseason which is approximately 4.55 turnovers per 36 minutes. Those never translate perfectly but the idea here is while he has looked exceptional defensively due to his length, that same length may make him more prone to turnovers.
In his last professional season in France he recorded 2+ turnovers in 27/34 games while averaging 2.65 per game. One comparison point is Kevin Durant.In Durant's rookie season he averaged 2.9 turnovers but in his first month he averaged 3.5 per game as he adjusted to the league. In preseason, Wembanyama struggled a bit with double teams, and given his length, I expect him to have difficulty handling those situations where he could have his pockets picked.
Pick: Victor Wembanyama Over 1.5 Turnovers (-130)
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