The 2026-27 NBA season tips off today with three marquee matchups, and our experts have their opening-night wagers ready.
From Boston's visit to Detroit to the defending-champion Knicks hosting Philadelphia to a Western Conference showdown in San Antonio, our NBA predictions highlight the top plays for Oct. 20.
Check out more expert analysis on our free NBA picks page.
NBA top picks at a glance Tuesday, Oct. 20
| Matchup & time | Top pick & analyst |
|---|---|
| Celtics vs. Pistons 3 p.m. ET |
Celtics moneyline Tom Oldfield |
| 76ers vs. Knicks 7 p.m. ET |
Knicks -4.5 Shawn Krest |
| Thunder vs. Spurs 9:30 p.m. ET |
Spurs -2.5 Geoff Clark |
Picks courtesy of Polymarket, one of our best prediction market apps.
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Celtics vs. Pistons pick: Celtics moneyline
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC
- Analyst: Tom Oldfield
Top pick: Celtics moneyline
The new-look Boston Celtics are banking on Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and future flexibility, but I expect the same old elite road form — led by a healthy Jayson Tatum.
Boston went 28-16 straight up away from home last season (27-17 against the spread), and the C's stingy defense—which allowed a league-low 107.2 points per game—could reach new heights with Robinson barricading the paint.
The Detroit Pistons opted for continuity, but the after-effects of the Jalen Duren saga are a wild card, and Detroit did little this offseason to relieve the playmaking burden on Cade Cunningham.
Oldfield also provides a combo in his Celtics vs. Pistons predictions.
76ers vs. Knicks pick: Knicks -4.5
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- TV: Peacock
- Analyst: Shawn Krest
Top pick: Knicks -4.5
I'd prefer the New York Knicks laying points, but I'll stick with them through 54%.
The Philadelphia 76ers added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown over the offseason while creating a superteam. That strategy earns headlines, but it hasn't been paying off in recent seasons. Since LeBron led the Lakers to a COVID-19 bubble title in 2020, every champion has featured a primarily homegrown core rather than leaning on sexy acquisitions.
The Sixers struggled with offense in the preseason, ranking 27th in the league while losing three of four. Brown and Joel Embiid both posted career-low usage rates, and that was with LeBron averaging single digits and going pass first.
For Krest's full analysis, check out our 76ers vs. Knicks predictions.
Thunder vs. Spurs pick: Spurs -2.5
- Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC
- Analyst: Geoff Clark
Top pick: Spurs -2.5
Ultimately, I'd invest in the San Antonio Spurs up to -3.5 at home over any team in the NBA.
San Antonio is my preseason pick in the NBA championship odds, led by the best basketball player I've ever seen, Victor Wembanyama, plus two All-NBA-caliber young guards in Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle.
The Spurs were 8-4 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder with a +7.6 spread differential last regular season and in the playoffs.
See what else Clark is on in his Thunder vs. Spurs predictions.
More NBA picks
Want to build a bigger card? These Covers pages offer additional betting angles for today's matchups:
Check the NBA injury report before finalizing today's picks. All of today’s matchups are also on the NBA scores and matchups page, and the full pick archive lives in free NBA picks.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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