The NBA regular season is officially back in full swing on Wednesday night, with a total of 12 matchups on the docket scheduled for today, featuring an excellent doubleheader on ESPN, as Cavaliers vs. Knicks takes center stage at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by Spurs vs Mavericks at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified 8 NBA picks for tonight's matchups.
Continue below for our NBA picks, odds, props, and predictions for Wednesday, October 22.
NBA Picks, Odds, Props, Predictions: Wednesday, October 22
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 8:00 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8:00 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
  | 10 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. | ||
Cavaliers vs. Knicks
By Joe Dellera
The Knicks start off the season against the Cavaliers and will be without both Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson. They also have a new coach in Mike Brown, as this team tries to find a new identity.
Karl-Anthony Towns' role in the offense is a bit in flux, but that’s also because he’s going to be used different under Brown than he was under Thibs.
I expect a few more possessions with him as a hub offensively, which should help the dimes as well, giving him more opportunities to score off the dribble.
Without Mitch and Hart, KAT should dominate on the glass for New York, even with the Cavs double-big lineup.
While there may be reduced minutes under Brown, I don’t expect it to take him below 32 minutes per game. I’ll back KAT in tonight's opener.
Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 35.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-105)
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76ers vs. Celtics
White is set for a monster season with the current version of the Celtics.
Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis (even Luke Kornet!) are out the door, and Jayson Tatum is injured, and the replacements are a series of role players and inexperience.
That is going to put heavy offensive burden on White, and we saw what that role looked like in the preseason.
In just 28 minutes per game over three games, he averaged 23.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
He should play more like 36 minutes per game and destroy this number, plus Jaylen Brown is questionable for this game.
Pick: Derrick White Over 31.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-110)
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Nets vs. Hornets
By Joe Dellera
The Hornets face off against the Nets in the Opener and one player I’m targeting to see an uptick this season is Brandon Miller.
You all know I like a variety of Brandon Miller related angles this season, and I expect him to be fully healthy and ready to rock.
This is one of the softest matchups possible to start the season for the Hornets.
Miller is an excellent spot-up shooter who can score at every level.
Against this young and inexperienced Nets' team, I expect Miller to get plenty of opportunities.
The Hornets have the ability to speed up teams with LaMelo at the helm, and this should be a high scoring affair for Charlotte.
Pick: Brandon Miller Over 18.5 Points (-115)
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Wizards vs. Bucks
By Nick Galaida
After getting traded to the Wizards last season, Middleton averaged only 10.7 points in 22.1 minutes per game on 41.3% shooting from the field.
It goes without saying that neither Middleton nor the Wizards had much interest in leveraging his talents on the court down the stretch last season.
Middleton was likely emotionally deflated after getting traded away from Milwaukee; an organization he had played for since 2013.
Washington was prioritizing their chances in the draft lottery, not winning games, down the stretch.
Fast forward to opening night this season, and it's likely to be a slightly different story. Middleton is still a 34-year-old who has suffered some notable injuries in recent years.
The good news is that this is likely going to be the healthiest version of Middleton we see all season.
In each of his two preseason games, Middleton played 24 minutes, which should translate to closer to 30 minutes in the regular season.
If that is the case, this number is simply too low for a player who is capable of filling up the stat sheet in numerous ways.
It wouldn't be shocking to see Middleton clear this number with points alone, but he's also a solid rebounder and more than willing to facilitate too.
Pick: Khris Middleton Over 21.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-110)
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Raptors vs. Hawks
By Joe Dellera
The Hawks are a bit revamped this season, and I expect Okongwu to see the bulk of the minutes at the center position despite the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis.
We should see Okongwu and KP overlap, which I expect to get Okongwu to 30-ish minutes per night instead of 24.
Last season, Okongwu averaged 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds on 27.9 minutes per game. But as a starter, he averaged 15 and 10 in 31 minutes.
It’s obviously a different season and a different rotation; however, this matchup is still a solid one for Okongwu.
KP is not a prolific rebounder, and even with Jalen Johnson returning, Okongwu can control the paint.
This game has a total of 235.5, and there should be plenty of pace and opportunities to succeed on the interior.
Pick: Onyeka Okongwu Over 19.5 Points + Rebounds (-120)
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Pelicans vs. Grizzlies
By Allan Lem
I don't mind under 6.5 rebounds at -120 if you prefer that, but I'll target under 8.5 rebounds + assists at -110 and risk adding the variable of assists.
Our projections have JJJ projected for 7 RA at the time of this writing, which I'm aligned with.
In his career, he's averaged 7 RA per game, and last season, he averaged 7.6 RA per game.
Desmond Bane is gone for the Grizzlies, but Ja Morant should be healthy to help soak up ball-handling duties, while the addition of Jock Landale and the emergence of Santi Aldama as a steady rotation piece should help soak up some rebounds.
I'm hoping Bane's departure means JJJ is forced to take on more of the offensive duties and be a shoot-first player even more so.
It's worth noting JJJ had offseason toe surgery and played just 22 and 26 minutes in his two preseason games.
We have JJJ projected for a fair 32 minutes. So, it's possible we don't see him fully stretched-out just yet, which could help us.
Pick: Jaren Jackson Under 8.5 Rebounds + Assists (-110)
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Spurs vs. Mavericks
By Bet Labs
This system identifies value on the Under in division games where the total drops despite the public leaning toward the Over (40% or less of bets).
The reverse movement of the line suggests sharp action is backing the Under.
Division familiarity often leads to tighter, lower-scoring games, enhancing the edge.
Pick: Under 224.5 (-110)
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Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers
With Scoot Henderson injured, the Blazers have no real point guard other than Jrue, which means his role is going to be a lot bigger than you might expect, given his role with the Celtics in recent seasons.
He operated in a high-usage role as the starting point guard in the preseason, including going for 20/7/7 across 32 minutes in their final tune-up game.
Pick: Jrue Holiday Over 21.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-125)
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