Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks return to Madison Square Garden for their preseason finale, and with the Toronto Raptors in town, I'm backing New York to get the job done.
Sure, the Raptors just demolished the Knicks by 50 points in their previous preseason meeting, but New York rested its starters on the second night of a back-to-back. Let's be honest: That's hardly a recipe for a competitive performance.
I expect Thursday's rematch to look completely different, which is why I'm backing the Knicks.
Here are my NBA preseason moneyline picks and NBA picks for Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.
NBA preseason moneyline picks for Oct. 15
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Raptors
ThunderPrices courtesy of Polymarket.
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Expert NBA preseason moneyline predictions for Oct. 15
Raptors vs Knicks: 
Knicks
The Toronto Raptors demolished the Knicks by 50 points in Tuesday's preseason meeting, but the motivation and lineups could look completely different in the rematch.
The New York Knicks rested all its starters in Toronto, but with Thursday marking its final preseason game, I expect the Knicks' regulars to see meaningful minutes in one last tune-up before the regular season.
Toronto could take the opposite approach and rest some of its key players, potentially including Kawhi Leonard, who made his preseason debut Tuesday.
If those lineup projections hold, I expect the Knicks' market probability to climb well above 57% once the starting lineups are confirmed. That's why I'm backing New York now.
Thunder vs Rockets: 
Rockets
I think a 46% win probability is fair for the Houston Rockets if both teams give their starters similar minutes.
However, that's not what I anticipate. The Oklahoma City Thunder played its starters in Tuesday's home game against the Indiana Pacers, and I wouldn't be surprised if several key players sit out this matchup.
Meanwhile, this is Houston's third and final preseason game, and the Rockets will be playing at home. I expect their starters to suit up and treat this as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.
If those expectations hold, I see Houston moving into favorite status closer to tipoff. That's why I'm buying in at 46%.
Odds and probabilities are subject to change. Verify current Polymarket prices before publishing. Preseason outcomes can be particularly sensitive to player availability and minutes restrictions.
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