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The NBA returns today, but in a different way than many of us are used to. The Celtics and Pistons will tip off at 3 p.m. ET, marking the earliest season-opening game in NBA history. The matchup also features the Eastern Conference's two best teams from the regular season and two of the conference's leading men, Cade Cunningham and Jayson Tatum.
While the Pistons and Celtics were the best in the East in the regular season, the Knicks marched through the conference in the playoffs en route to their first championship in over 50 years. However, the 76ers will be looking to make their celebration short-lived, both on ring night and in the playoffs.
The 76ers loaded up, acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Celtics and signing LeBron James. They will look to lead the 76ers to a win in Madison Square Garden tonight.
For each game, we've built a solid base parlay to get us started, followed by a spicier, compounding angle using alternate lines for a deeper long-shot payout. Let's get into my NBA parlay picks and SGP predictions for Tuesday, October 20.
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NBA Parlay Picks for Celtics vs Pistons
The Angle: Cunningham & Tatum Battle in Detroit on Opening Day
Cade Cunningham 25+ Points
Cade Cunningham has averaged exactly 25 points per game over his last 134 regular season games.
While he has earned All-NBA honors in each of the last two years, Cunningham elevated his game even more in last year's playoffs.
Cunningham helped the Pistons overcome a 3-1 deficit against the Magic and forced a Game 7 against Cleveland before bowing out in the second round.
When the Pistons were eliminated, Cunningham was averaging 28.1 points and was the leading playoff scorer before being passed by Jalen Brunson.
What is particularly noticeable about his playoff run is that he shot 40% from three. While Cunningham is a capable shooter, he can be inconsistent with his long ball, shooting 34.9% on 5.9 3-point attempts per game over the last two seasons. However, his playoff jumper may be here to stay as he shot 50% on 12 3-point attempts in the preseason.
Now, obviously the preseason will not match the regular season in terms of quality of play or effort, but Cunningham may be in for a big season opener regardless.
Over his last 10 games against the Celtics, Cunningham is averaging 24.8 points.
Cade has scored 25 points in three of his last four games, including games of 42 and 32 points against them last season.
With a nationally televised game on his home floor to begin the season, I am expecting a big afternoon from Cunningham.
Pick: Cade Cunningham 25+ Points
Jayson Tatum Over 14.5 Rebounds & Assists
Less than a year after rupturing his right Achilles tendon, Tatum returned to the lineup for the Celtics.
While it was expected that he would be playing himself back into game shape, Tatum still averaged 21.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in the regular season and 23.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in the first-round loss to the 76ers.
Tatum has been a prolific scorer for years, but he has taken on more rebounding and playmaking responsibilities as the Celtics have remade their roster over the last few years.
While last season was cut short for him, Tatum has averaged at least eight rebounds per game in each of the last five years. His assists have also been on the rise as well, including a career-high six assists per game in the 2024-25 season.
Between the 22 games Tatum played last season, he cleared 15 rebounds and assists in 12 of them.
With Brown in Philadelphia, Tatum may have even more on his plate. In his last six games played without Brown, Tatum has over a 35% usage rate. He has recorded eight rebounds in five of those games and eight assists in four of them.
While Paul George will take some of his Brown's role, he is out of his prime and figures to play more of a secondary role on this team.
That means Tatum figures to do it all for the Celtics this season. I like him to record 15 RA today, but there is also value in playing him for eight rebounds and eight assists separately.
Pick: Jayson Tatum Over 14.5 Rebounds & Assists
Ausar Thompson Over 3.5 Assists
Ausar Thompson figures to be the primary defender on Tatum today.
While Thompson has established himself as one of the game's top perimeter defenders, his offensive game may be what determines the Pistons' ceiling.
In the preseason, Thompson has shown off an improved midrange jumper, but also a tighter handle and more assertiveness offensively.
Thompson taking on a bigger offensive role will give Cunningham more possessions to rest offensively rather than being the sole facilitator for 35-40 minutes a night.
Thompson has averaged three assists per game in the preseason despite playing just 18 minutes per game. However, there have been signs of his playmaking uptick dating back to last season.
Including postseason, Thompson averaged 3.8 assists over his final 20 games. He recorded four assists in 12 of those games and six assists in five of them.
If Thompson is going to operate in a Draymond Green-type role for the Pistons, we may be buying low on 3.5 assists and his ladder offers potential as well.
Pick: Ausar Thompson Over 3.5 Assists
Same Game Parlay Building Blocks (+550)
Compounding Angle (+6891)
NBA Parlay Picks for 76ers vs Knicks
The Angle: 76ers Look to Send Message to Defending Champions
Jaylen Brown 20+ Points
Last season, Jaylen enjoyed the best season of his NBA career, as he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. He earned All-NBA honors for the second time in his career and called it the favorite season of his NBA career.
With the Celtics having won a championship a couple of years prior, that did not go over too well in Boston and the Celtics sent him to the rival 76ers.
Brown is now on a team that features James, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid.
It remains to be seen who the 76ers' leading scorer will be this season, but it will not be the first time Brown has played on a team with a loaded starting five, having played with Tatum, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday among others in recent years.
Despite that, Brown has still averaged 20 points per game in each of the seven seasons and 22 per game in each of the six seasons.
Brown has also enjoyed a ton of success against the Knicks, averaging 24.3 points in his last nine games against them. He has scored 20 points in eight of those games as well as 25 points in three of the last five.
Brown was the 76ers' leader in points and FGA in the preseason. That may be the case again tonight.
Pick: Jaylen Brown 20+ Points
LeBron James Over 7.5 Assists
Brown, Maxey, and Embiid all have points lines in the low 20s while LeBron sits at 15.5 points. However, James has by far the highest assist line on the team, a pretty clear indication that the books are expecting James to be the team's primary facilitator.
Given all that he has accomplished in his career, James is fine taking a step back and not needing to carry a team anymore.
For his career, James has averaged 7.4 assists per game and he averaged 7.2 assists last season.
While we don't have a lot to go on for him as a 76er, James averaged six assists in two preseason games, playing 21 minutes a night. Per 36 minutes, that equates to 10 assists, which would comfortably clear this line.
James has also averaged 8.4 assists in his last five games against the Knicks. He has cleared this line in three of those games, including games of 11 and 12 assists.
Pick: LeBron James Over 7.5 Assists
VJ Edgecombe Over 1.5 Three Pointers Made
Coming out of the 2025 NBA Draft, Edgecombe was regarded as an elite athlete, but his jumper may need some time. However, in his rookie season, he may have shot a little better than expected at 35.4% from three, a slight increase from his freshman season at Baylor.
Edgecombe averaged 16 points per game last season, which I expect will decrease, but he also will likely be tasked with making defenses beat them.
With how accomplished this 76ers starting five is, there is no shame in saying he is the worst player in the group at this stage of his career. That means he may be left open at times this season as defenses focus on the others. However, Edgecombe is capable of making them pay, particularly when he gets a corner 3-point attempt.
Edgecombe cleared this line at a 54% clip last season, as well as in four of eight games against the Knicks. He knocked down three triples in three of those games.
VJ averaged about six 3-point attempts per game last season, which he may exceed tonight if he is left open often. That volume will allow him to clear this line.
Pick: VJ Edgecombe Over 1.5 Three Pointers Made
