Top 3 NBA Picks for Tonight: Pritchard, Hachimura, Hart and Tatum 10/22
- We present to you our free NBA picks tonight for the first night of action in the NBA.
- The new-look Knicks head to Boston to take on the champs.
- Minnesota visits the Lakers in a matchup of West contenders.
- Take a gander at the NBA news pages before making your final selections
Four months and a few days after the Celtics won their 18th championship banner, they’ll raise it to the rafters at TD Garden in what is sure to be a special night. Moments later their pursuit of a repeat begins against one of the many teams looking to knock Boston off its throne.
We have loads of NBA coverage popping up, including this look at MVP contenders, and we’ll provide a few NBA picks each day in this space.
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3 NBA Picks for Opening Night
1. Paydirt on Payton? Payton Pritchard to Score Over 8.5 Points
A trendy pick to break out this season is Boston’s Payton Pritchard. Not that he wasn’t already a very solid member of a championship squad, but Pritchard continues to display a skill set that can do more if given the opportunity.
The fifth-year guard, who averaged 9.6 points per game last season while playing all 82, had a very good preseason. If that means anything to you, then know that he was tied for the NBA lead with 21 made 3-pointers and ranked second in assists with 30. Starting point guard Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, played just 48 total minutes as he gets ready for his 16th season.
Again, preseason doesn’t always hold a ton of weight, but it is one indication as to who’s ready for the real thing. Pritchard certainly fits that description and has the career trajectory to suggest some pretty solid numbers this season. He posted career highs in PPG and FG% (46.8) – as well as 3-pointers, assists and rebounds – last season.
Consider also that Pritchard averaged 11.5 PPG at home in 2023-24 and 12.6 PPG after the All-Star break, although some of that was beefed up by some big nights after the Celtics clinched the top seed. Either way, he finished strong and loves playing (and living) in Boston.
off day in boston pic.twitter.com/o2MR938k0S
— Payton Pritchard (@paytonpritch3) October 17, 2024
The NBA odds are putting Pritchard’s over/under at 8.5 points. He went over that figure exactly half the time last season (41 of 82 games), including 15 of the last 20 games, and is a solid opening night option against the Knicks.
You might also want to get in on a long-shot bet online on Sixth Man of the Year. You can do a lot worse than Pritchard at +6000.
Bet on Payton Pritchard to Score More Than 8.5 Points (-113)
2. Get on Board – Josh Hart and Jayson Tatum to Have 8+ Rebounds
Every so often these early affairs can be a bit ugly as teams shake off some rust. It only stands to reason. When the Knicks and Celtics opened the 2023-24 season a year ago Friday, they hit the overall under rather easily in a 108-104 Boston win.
That game featured 91 missed shots, presenting loads of rebounding opportunities. A good item to place on your NBA bet slip might be that particular category, as guys could be corralling misses in droves.
Two guys we like in that arena are Josh Hart and Jayson Tatum. Not only are they good rebounders, but they both took that portion of their game to high levels late last season. Hart, who averaged a career-high 8.3 rebounds in 2023-24, pushed that figure to 11.5 in the playoffs, although he was almost never coming off the floor.
The Knicks said goodbye to Isaiah Hartenstein (signed with Oklahoma City) and Mitchell Robinson is out as he recovers from foot surgery. Karl-Anthony Towns is in the fold, but he’s more perimeter-oriented than he was earlier in his career and doesn’t always put up massive rebounding numbers. Hart, all 6-4 of him, will be a key figure in the interior for New York.
Tatum, who had 11 boards in the season opener last year at New York, has averaged at least eight boards a game in each of the last three seasons and hauled in 9.7 in the playoffs. The Celtics are without Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, who played just once in the preseason. Expect Boston to utilize some smaller lineups and for Tatum to get into double digits on the boards.
Putting both on the ticket is a winning NBA parlay.
Bet on Josh Hart and Jayson Tatum to Both Have 8+ Rebounds (+152)
3. Ride Rui to Paydirt – Rui Hachimura Over 11.5 Points
Just like the game in Boston, there will be no shortage of star power when the Timberwolves visit the Lakers later in the evening. We’re glancing down the list a bit to find a gem of a pick.
Rui Hachimura blossomed once inserted into the Lakers’ starting lineup in February. He averaged 15.9 PPG while shooting 44.4% from the arc over his final 32 games – all starts. In three starts against the Timberwolves, Hachimura averaged 21.0 points while shooting 59%, consistently getting good looks when Minnesota keyed in on LeBron, AD, and D’Angelo.
Take the over on Hachimura at BetUS Sportsbook and enjoy some of his wide-open opportunities.
Bet on Rui Hachimura to Score Over 11.5 Points (-125)
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Question of the Day
Which team is a great sleeper pick for the NBA title?
They may not fit the bill as a “sleeper” for most people, but the Lakers are 10th on our odds sheet to win it all at +3300. There are a million and one “ifs” with this team, as with every other squad, but there is a great vibe around JJ Redick, two superstars, and some nice complementary pieces in Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Russell, Dalton Knecht, and – once healthy – Jarred Vanderbilt
