The NBA grind continues tonight, and our Action Network staff has you covered from every angle. We've pooled our top analysis and broken down the board to bring you our favorite spreads, totals, and player props for today's slate.
Continue below for our NBA best bets, picks, and predictions for Monday, November 9.
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NBA Best Bets for Monday, November 9
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
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  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
  | 9 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. | ||
Wizards vs. Pistons
Anthony Davis Over 19.5 Points
By Joe Dellera
This is a tremendous situational spot for Anthony Davis against an undersized Detroit frontcourt that is currently operating without Jalen Duren.
Davis has been managing an ankle injury, but all signs point to him suiting up tonight, and if he is on the floor, he should be completely good to go.
We already have a clear blueprint for how big men perform against this specific Pistons rotation. Both Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid went off against Detroit when Duren was sidelined, feasting on the lack of physical resistance in the paint.
Without Duren to anchor the restricted area, the Pistons simply do not have the personnel to deter Davis from getting deep post position or drawing fouls around the rim.
I acknowledge there is always some inherent blowout risk in a matchup like this, but the broader situational factors help mitigate that concern.
The Pistons are trudging through the second night of a back-to-back, while the Wizards hold a significant rest advantage.
If Davis is officially cleared to play, we should see the point spread come down a bit, and projecting a more competitive game script should lead him to his standard allocation of minutes.
You can grab the over at 19.5 for -120 on FanDuel, but I am also comfortable playing this all the way up to 20.5 to grab the +105 plus-money value. Detroit has no answers for AD on the interior.
Pick: Anthony Davis Over 19.5 Points (-120)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Wizards vs Pistons betting preview!
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Grizzlies vs. Raptors
Scottie Barnes Over 1.5 Steals
I will preface this by acknowledging that Scottie Barnes is officially listed as questionable with an adductor and groin injury, and it was reported that he was somewhat limited in shoot-around yesterday. However, if he suits up and plays his regular minutes, he has been an absolute menace defensively.
Barnes has comfortably cleared this 1.5 steals number in seven consecutive games. The Raptors' defensive identity relies on turning opponents over; they currently force 20 turnovers per 100 possessions and average 11.5 steals per 100 possessions, ranking number one in the NBA in both of those defensive categories.
Barnes is the primary engine of that chaotic scheme. He is playing at an All-Defense level right now, effortlessly switching one-through-five, pressuring the ball handler, and jumping into passing lanes with anticipation. He is averaging a career-high 2.2 steals per game for a team that gets 11.8 as a collective unit.
While steals are inherently a high-variance statistic to bet on, the matchup tonight favors his aggressive style. Despite the Grizzlies playing well recently, they actually rank 20th in the league in turnover percentage, meaning they are very prone to coughing the ball up.
Barnes keeps killing this prop line, and against a team that struggles with ball security, I don't mind backing him to grab a couple of steals in this spot.
Pick: Scottie Barnes Over 1.5 Steals (-130)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Grizzlies vs Raptors betting preview!
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Lakers vs. Hawks
Luka Doncic Over 34.5 Points
By Joe Dellera
The Lakers are grinding through the second game of a back-to-back, but Luka Doncic sat out yesterday's contest for some routine maintenance. He is expected to play tonight, meaning he steps onto the floor with fresh legs while the rest of the rotation battles fatigue.
I understand the hesitation when looking at a number this high. A line set at 34.5 continues to feel outrageous for a standard points prop. But when you are dealing with a player who is currently averaging over 40 points per game, it begs the question of whether the betting market has even adjusted enough to capture his true nightly ceiling.
On paper, this matchup against the Hawks can present some difficult spots defensively, but the overall game environment negates those concerns. Atlanta plays at the second-fastest pace in the entire league, which inherently generates extra possessions, creates transition mismatches, and really opens things up for Doncic to operate in space.
With the Lakers on a back-to-back, they will heavily rely on Luka's on-ball creation to bypass their own tired legs.
Luka has comfortably cleared this 34.5 threshold in seven straight games, and he has dropped 40 or more points in six of those contests.
I'll back Doncic to score over 34.5 points tonight.
Pick: Luka Doncic Over 34.5 Points (-105)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Lakers vs Hawks betting preview!
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Pacers vs. Mavericks
This line initially opened at Mavericks -2.5, but the market rightfully steamed it up, and I am still perfectly fine laying the 3.5 at standard -110 juice.
A large part of this handicap is a direct fade on the Pacers, who are dealing with a brutal travel spot coming off a international game in Mexico City on Saturday. You simply have to fade those tough situational spots.
On the flip side, the Mavericks are entering on the second night of a back-to-back, but it is crucial to remember that not all back-to-backs are created equal. Dallas was at home for both games, and they completely wiped out the Nets by the end of the third quarter last night, allowing their starters to rest for the fourth quarter.
This Mavericks squad is 5-4 straight up, but they are significantly better than their record implies because they have faced the fourth-toughest schedule in the NBA to start the year. To put that in perspective, the three teams with a harder strength of schedule are a combined 6-20.
Dallas is successfully overcoming a very difficult stretch of the schedule, and they are playing way above expectation with guys like Kyrie Irving and Naji Marshall executing at a high level.
I'll lay the short number with the Mavs tonight.
Pick: Mavericks -3.5 (-105)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Pacers vs Mavericks betting preview!
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Nuggets vs. Rockets
Rockets -8.5
This is the ultimate situational fade spot. The Nuggets were part of the showcase game in Mexico City on Saturday, and now they are forced to operate on just one day of rest before jumping right back into the fire.
Whenever you deal with international travel—even if it is just a short flight down to Houston—it creates a disruption to the players' typical NBA routine. You add in the extra press responsibilities that come with those showcase games, and the fatigue begins to compound.
The Nuggets even had plane delay issues leaving Mexico City and had to completely cancel their Monday shootaround.
If you look at Denver's injury report, it is a laundry list of potential absences; Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, DeMar DeRozan, and Christian Braun are all nursing ailments and listed as questionable.
While I would normally be skeptical of a report packed with that many names, this unique travel circumstance makes me believe several of these guys are actually going to miss this game.
Fading teams upon their return from international travel is a long-term profitable angle, and when you combine that with a Rockets team that is already a stellar 7-3 against the spread this season, this becomes a fantastic spot.
Houston has the sheer athleticism to run the Nuggets out of the gym, and if Denver ends up resting their primary stars, the closing line value you get by betting this now will be insane.
Pick: Rockets -8.5 (-115)
Jamal Murray Over 2.5 Three-Pointers Made
Jamal Murray has actually gone under this number in his last two outings, shooting 2-for-6 against the Pacers and 2-for-5 against the Raptors, but I am not letting that recent small-sample variance deter me. Prior to those two games, Murray had cleared this 2.5 line in five consecutive contests.
If you toss out the weird season opener where he only attempted a single three-pointer, his volume has been fantastic. Murray is actively hunting the pull-up jumper, averaging between eight and nine three-point attempts per game with 63 total attempts on the year.
The Denver offense genuinely needs him to take those high-quality looks from beyond the arc to maintain their spacing and consistency.
I am well aware that the Rockets currently rank third in overall three-point defense, but there is an underlying metric that points to opportunity: they also allow the 10th-most three-point attempts per 100 possessions in the league.
The Rockets are giving up 39 outside shots per night, and while a few of those might be late-clock grenades, volume is volume.
If Murray is consistently getting eight looks from deep, converting three of them is a probable outcome for a shooter of his caliber.
Pick: Jamal Murray Over 2.5 Three-Pointers Made (-130)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Nuggets vs Rockets betting preview!
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Spurs vs. Suns
Over 227.5
My models and rating systems strongly suggest this number should actually be priced closer to 230 or even slightly higher, so getting it at 227.5 presents immediate value. A large part of this handicap revolves around how porous the Suns' defense has been this season. The betting market simply has not caught up to their defensive deficiencies.
The Suns significantly downgraded their perimeter defense by inserting Jalen Green into the starting lineup alongside Devin Booker, giving them multiple problem defenders on the floor who consistently surrender points in transition and struggle with containment.
This matchup is perfectly suited for a shootout. The Suns attack offensively from the perimeter, preferring to play a spread-out four-out or five-out system. They recently moved Oso Ighodaro into the starting lineup over Khaman Maluach, meaning they will routinely put four guys on the three-point line while one sets high screens.
This scheme is brilliantly designed to attack the Spurs because Phoenix doesn't want to drive inside and be deterred by Victor Wembanyama's elite rim protection. Instead, they are going to stay on the perimeter and get their threes up in bunches, effectively neutralizing San Antonio's biggest defensive strength.
I am targeting Suns overs in general right now, and this specific schematic matchup gives me even more confidence that this will be a high-scoring track meet.
Pick: Over 227.5 (-105)
Dylan Harper Over 16.5 Points
Dylan Harper has been remarkably consistent, only shooting a single-digit amount of times in a game once this entire season. His baseline usage has been very steady, averaging around 14 field goal attempts per game.
The Spurs desperately need what Harper provides in terms of explosive driving and applying rim pressure. While he isn't shooting a ton from three-point range, he excels at getting to his spots and finishing through contact in the paint, currently shooting an efficient 50 percent from the field.
Harper is also cashing in on his free throw opportunities, shooting 89 percent from the charity stripe while getting there between three and four times a night — and he gets a fantastic matchup here against a Suns team that currently ranks as the fourth-worst defense in the league.
Phoenix's frontcourt simply does not know what it is doing defensively yet; Khaman Maluach is very raw, missing assignments, and looking exactly like the young project center he was drafted to be.
Harper is going to attack those downhill driving lanes, take advantage of the defensive lapses, and consistently get himself to the free-throw line — and if he manages to hit a shot from distance, that is just an added bonus.
With his consistent volume of 13 to 15 shots a night and Phoenix's inability to rotate defensively, I'll back Harper to score over 16.5 points tonight.
Pick: Dylan Harper Over 16.5 Points (-105)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Spurs vs Suns betting preview!
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