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 predictions and picks for Tuesday, October 27.
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NBA Predictions for Tuesday, October 27
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 11 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. | ||
Nets vs. Celtics
Celtics -11.5
I know this is the second night of a back-to-back for Boston, but you simply cannot blindly grade all back-to-backs the exact same way.
First and foremost, this is a home-and-home set, meaning there is no travel involved for the Celtics, which drastically reduces the physical impact.
Secondly, the first leg of this back-to-back on Monday night was effectively over before they even entered the fourth quarter. Not a single starter for the Celtics played more than 27 minutes in yesterday's 134-99 blowout win over Chicago. So, physical rest and fatigue should not be much of a factor, especially this early in the regular season.
The line opened at 13.5, closed, and inexplicably reopened at 11.5. Even if Paul George ends up sitting out for rest purposes, he is only worth about a point and a half to the spread at most, meaning 12.5 is the absolute floor for what this number should be.
Boston just showed you exactly what they are capable of doing against inferior competition, and with guys like Sam Hauser perfectly capable of stepping into the starting lineup and shooting the lights out, I fully expect the Celtics to double back and blow the Nets out all over again.
Pick: Celtics -11.5 (-110)
Payton Pritchard Over 16.5 Points
By Joe Dellera
I think Paul George may sit this game out for Boston, which would naturally add a significant bump to Payton Pritchard's overall usage in the offense.
Beyond the potential lineup adjustments, this is a specific spot where Pritchard has consistently been excellent for Boston playing in these back-to-back situations.
The tactical matchup is fantastic for Pritchard. Brooklyn is currently getting torched on above-the-break three-pointers, which is exactly the area of the floor where Pritchard makes his living.
There is a lot of room for upside here regarding his total volume and minutes. If Boston wants to proactively manage workloads, the players I would expect to get their minutes trimmed first are Jayson Tatum and Paul George.
Between the favorable matchup against the Nets, the potential for increased usage, and his proven track record in back-to-back situations, I love the over on Pritchard's points tonight.
Pick: Payton Pritchard Over 16.5 Points (-112)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Nets vs. Celtics betting preview!
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Pistons vs. Knicks
Knicks -3.5
This is a classic sell-high, buy-low opportunity in the betting market. Right now, the Pistons are undefeated straight up and against the spread to start the year, while the Knicks are winless straight up and against the spread.
But when you look closer, the Pistons just aren't healthy enough to trust when depth becomes an issue, which is usually one of their superpowers. Jalen Duren is already out multiple weeks, and both Isaiah Joe and Ausar Thompson are questionable.
My Spidey Sense has been tingling regarding how teams are handling these front ends of back-to-backs early this year. In the past, teams might stagger rest, but now with advanced load management and biohacking, it feels like players are being held out much more frequently on the front end so they can play the back end in front of their home fans—especially when that second game is on national television.
I expect Detroit to play it safe tonight with their questionable guys. Even if you want to point to last season’s four-game sample size where Detroit swept New York, Duren wasn't even healthy for those games.
The Knicks are due for a bounce-back at Madison Square Garden, and I think we are currently getting them at a depressed rating. Lay the 3.5 points.
Pick: Knicks -3.5 (-110)
Over 218
We are seeing a pretty universal consensus number here, with a few 218.5s floating around the market as well.
This cap is heavily dictated by the specific personnel that will actually be on the floor. With Jalen Duren missing for Detroit, this is naturally going to devolve into a much more spaced-out, perimeter-oriented shooting game.
The Pistons are already down one, potentially two premier rim protectors with Duren out and Ausar Thompson questionable, while the Knicks are still navigating the absence of Mitchell Robinson on the interior.
Because of that lack of resistance at the rim, I expect highly integrated offenses from both sides. We are going to see a big uptick in usage for pure shooters like Duncan Robinson, Kevin Huerter, and potentially Isaiah Joe if he suits up.
Both of these teams actually prefer to play with elevated pace when they match up against one another.
If Karl-Anthony Towns can manage to stay out of early foul trouble—which is crucial since he has looked much more comfortable offensively over his last few games—the Knicks should be able to contribute heavily to this total.
Detroit has been shooting the lights out from three-point range to start the year, and in a pace-up environment lacking elite rim protection, this is a clear buy on the over.
Pick: Over 218 (-115)
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Kings vs. Spurs
Spurs -17.5
I know a lot of folks are going to look at the betting board, see a spread of 17.5 points, and immediately get scared off. You hear it constantly: "That's just too many points."
But, the number is the number, and my personal power ratings project this spread at Spurs -18.8. You cannot be afraid of big numbers if the math dictates it.
We are getting a highly motivated, fiery Victor Wembanyama tonight. In their last game against Dallas, Mitch Johnson actually benched Wemby in the second quarter because he wasn't happy with the way the team was playing. That shows a tremendous amount of gumption from Johnson to not handle his superstar with kid gloves, and it immediately woke the team up as they went on to win by 16 points.
If Johnson is willing to put Wembanyama on the pine during a game to prove a point, I can almost guarantee he pushed him hard at practice this week.
I expect San Antonio to come out completely dialed in, and I see this number continuing to climb until it closes around 18.5. I think the Spurs run the Kings out of the gym here.
Pick: Spurs -17.5 (-115)
Spurs Team Total Under 124.5
From a pure market-based perspective, we are starting to see the massive 230.5 full-game total actively being shaded toward the under.
Because we are dealing with a very lengthy point spread hovering around 17.5 or 18 points, as that game total inevitably comes down, we are going to see points whittled off the Spurs' team total much faster than the Kings' team total.
Beyond the math of the derivative market, I simply do not totally trust this San Antonio offense right now. The shooting hasn't totally been there, the rotation is not firmly set yet, and they are currently navigating a bit of an adjustment period while implementing a new offensive system with lead assistant coach Billy Donovan.
You are already seeing some of the sharpest books price this team total at 123.5 with heavy juice toward the under, meaning grabbing the 124.5 at a standard -104 or -106 price is an +EV bet.
When you can get a number that beats the no-house-cut fair price of the sharp market consensus, you take it. I love the directionality of the total dropping combined with a sluggish Spurs offense figuring out a new system.
Pick: Spurs Team Total Under 124.5 (-110)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Kings vs Spurs betting preview!
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Trail Blazers vs. Lakers
Lakers -2.5
I personally price this game at Lakers -3.9, so we are getting a clear edge against the current number.
I am very high on this Lakers team to start the year; they have really impressed me, and I honestly believe they have the upside to be a 50-plus win team coming off a 3-seed finish last season.
While I actually give the Trail Blazers a pretty decent power rating and acknowledge they have a bevy of great perimeter defenders like Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija to throw at Luka Doncic, Luka is one of the few players in the league who knows exactly how to break that pressure.
More importantly, when you look at the matchups across the floor, Portland is starting a backcourt of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant. That specific defensive pairing means Austin Reaves is going to be able to do a ton of damage in the scoring department tonight.
I also see a distinct coaching mismatch here. I really like JJ Redick as a head coach within the Western Conference—so much so that I think his 20-to-1 Coach of the Year ticket holds incredible value right now.
The Lakers are underrated, the matchup sets up perfectly for their secondary scorers, and they have the tactical edge on the sideline. Take the Lakers to cover the short number.
Pick: Lakers -2.5 (-115)
Jrue Holiday Over 9.5 Points
The Trail Blazers completely reshuffled their deck this past offseason by bringing Damian Lillard back into the fold and adding Ja Morant to form a star-studded, ball-dominant backcourt.
With those two steering the ship, Holiday's overall scoring production and usage are naturally going to see a bit of a downtick. However, the betting market has completely over-adjusted to this new reality.
Through his first two games this season, Holiday is still managing to average 10.0 points in 23.5 minutes of action per night. He is fresh off a solid performance against the Kings where he dropped 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting in 26 minutes on the floor.
Holiday is a proven, reliable scorer who averaged 16.3 points in over 29.4 minutes a night for this exact franchise just last season. Now, he gets to face a Lakers team that is off to a 3-0 start under head coach JJ Redick but is far from a defensive juggernaut.
Los Angeles is currently sitting 19th in Defensive Rating at 113.7 and surrendering 115.0 points per game to their opponents. With the Lakers' defense inevitably selling out to stop Lillard and Morant, Holiday should find plenty of clean looks in the gaps.
Our Action Network PRO Projections love this spot, projecting Holiday for 11.97 points tonight, which gives us a nice 19% edge on this current line.
The volume is still there, the matchup is favorable, and the math supports the play. This number is simply too low. We'll take Holiday Over 9.5 points tonight.
Pick: Jrue Holiday Over 9.5 Points (-120)
If you want more picks for this game, read our full Trail Blazers vs Lakers betting preview!
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