Opening Night — Expert Picks in the NBA Today (10/20)
Written by: Varun Sharma
Published: Tue Oct 20, 2026, 11:49 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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We did it. We made it to the start of the 2026/2026 NBA Season and I couldn't be more excited. We've got three games on the slate today and things tip off early.
The 'new look' Boston Celtics will open up the season with a matinée game against the last year's #1 seed, the Detroit Pistons. Following the Celtics/Pistons, we've got 'Banner Night' at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks will host their first banner night in nearly 55 years and who's their special guest? The brand new Philadelphia 76ers; the same team they beat in the 2nd round last year. The Sixers reloaded this summer; the Knicks celebrated. Can't wait for this one.
Last game of the night and it's another beauty. We've got the a rematch of last year's Western Conference Final, with the San Antonio Spurs hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Frost Bank Center.
Three games, all bangers. Let's not waste any more time, let's jump into my favorite props for Opening Night.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page.
Best Bets for October 20th
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Mitchell Robinson o14.5 o14.5 P/R (-120) | Lucky Rebel
Some might think it's too early to bet on the Celtics' backup center, but this line's simply too low. Mitchell Robinson was brought to Boston to be more than a backup center. He was brought he to give the team a secondary presence in the paint. He was brought here to hit the glass and more specifically; the offensive glass.
In the preseason, Robinson played just two games; playing just 15.5 minutes per game but still averaging 9 points and 6 rebounds per game in the two games. Robinson played just under 20 minutes per game for the Knicks last year and this year I'm projecting for him to finish around the 22-24 mpg mark.
The Celtics finished the preseason with the 3rd most offensive rebounds per game, the 2nd highest offensive rebounding rate and the most chance points per game. This is one of the biggest changes the Celtics have made in their offensive scheming and it's why Mitch fits in so perfectly.
In the preseason we saw the Celtics use the double-big lineup multiple times with both Neemias Queta and Mitch out there at the same time. The Celtics are going to take a ton of 3s this year and they are going to attack the offensive glass on every possession.
Cason Wallace o16.5 PRA (-117) | Lucky Rebel
Fresh off signing a shiny new contract, I just can't help myself. Cason Wallace just signed a 5-year $139 million extension to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder and while that doesn't kick in till next year; it's still a significant commitment from the team.
Wallace was averaging 24.4 minutes per game in his last 20 games last year, he started a career high 58 games and put up career high numbers across the board. Wallace averaged 9.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game as a starter last year.
He shot 36% from the perimeter and became a big part of this Thunder rotation at the end of the year. Oklahoma City rewarded him with a big contract and I think we see it start to pay off on day one.
Paul George o3.5 Assists (+140) | Lucky Rebel
Last year the Celtics averaged 42 3-point attempts per game; nearly 80% of those 3s were either 'open' or 'wide open'. So far in the preseason, the Celtics are averaging a league high 47 3s per game and Paul George averaged 7 attempts per game in his two preseason games.
George shot just 21% from beyond the arc in the preseason but like he said himself; it's going to take some time to adjust.
George is going to be a full time starter for the Celtics, playing around 30-32 mpg and as we saw in the postseason; he's going to move the ball. This entire Celtics' offense is predicated on ball movement and it's why we saw George average 4.0 assists per game in the preseason; despite playing just under 25 mpg.
The Pistons were 22nd last year in turnover rate and more turnovers usually means more opportunities in transition. George has shown his ability to turn defense into offense and tonight against the Pistons feels like the perfect spot to do it again.
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