We interrupt your seven hours of commercial-free football to announce that the NBA is officially back. Almost a week into the season, there are already plenty of storylines emerging amidst exciting play on the court.
There is a five-game slate of action on Sunday, starting with the Philadelphia 76ers searching for their first win against the Pacers at 3:30 PM EST. The final matchup will take place between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, tipping off at 8:30 PM EST.
There are plenty of matchups to dive into as the 2024-25 NBA season begins to hit its stride. While you can check out each matchup on DraftKings Sportsbook, here are my five favorite player props on the October 27th slate.
Tyrese Haliburton Over 8.5 Assists (+120)
It has been a frustrating start to the season for Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. He was held to just 15 points, four assists, and five rebounds in the opening game against the Pistons. He then was held scoreless in the second game in a playoff rematch against the Knicks with his final stat line showing 0 points, one rebound, and five assists in 25 minutes of action.
Indiana is still settling into the season and won’t be back on the right foot until their star point guard starts playing well. Haliburton earned All-NBA honors last season averaging 20.1 points and leading the NBA in assists with 10.9 per game. He also averaged 10.4 assists and 9.6 assists in the two seasons prior.
Today’s matchup provides a great chance for both Haliburton and the Pacers to get back on track. They will be facing off with the 0-2 Philadelphia 76ers who continue to be without Joel Embiid and Paul George. The Pacers are 8.5-point favorites and for good reason based on the quality of play Philadelphia has shown thus far.
Expect the Pacers to get back to the up-tempo style of play they are best at and for Tyrese Haliburton to be at the center of this. He tallied nine or more assists in 50 of the 69 games he played last year and 39 of the 56 games he played the year prior. Look for Haliburton to find his stride again and for their most impressive offensive performance of the season thus far to occur.
Bobby Portis Over 20.5 Points & Rebounds (-120)
The Milwaukee Bucks are set to face off with the Brooklyn Nets today. Brooklyn has some significant concerns with their roster and is off to an 0-2 start. At the top of this list of concerns is matching the physicality of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
While the Greek Freak will be at the heart of Milwaukee’s production, expect Portis’ presence off the bench to be notable. No one on the Nets roster is capable of matching his level of size and physicality. Expect Ben Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Nic Claxton to receive the bulk of the opportunity, but for Portis to have an edge in different ways in each of these matchups.
Looking at his production on the season, Portis had 16 points and three rebounds on opening night. He then followed this up with a nine-point, 12-rebound performance against Chicago. He received 25+ minutes in each game and his physicality could be a complete difference-maker tonight. Don’t expect the Bucks to have any trouble with the Nets here. Portis could be at the heart of the statistical impact, so count on him to eclipse 20.5 combined points and rebounds.
Zion Williamson Over 35.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists (-125)
There have never been questions about the talent of Zion Williamson. The concerns regarding the Pelicans’ superstar have revolved around his availability as Williamson has played just 114 total games across his first four seasons in the NBA. This problem showed face to start this season as the Duke product missed opening night with an illness.
Williamson returned to the court on Friday and tallied 16 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. This occurred in just 29 minutes of action as New Orleans mentioned they were limiting his minutes. The Pelicans will now prepare for their second consecutive game against the Portland Trail Blazers. With a day off in between matchups and Williamson looking mostly like himself in the first game, he should see an uptick in opportunity.
Expect his unique combination of strength and explosiveness to continue to cause issues. Williamson is a more polished basketball player than most recognize, with his playmaking quietly one of his better abilities. Count on the Pelicans star to be at the center of this contest and for him to exceed 35.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists. While the minutes he receives will decide if it is possible, don’t be surprised if Williamson is in the running for the DraftKings King of the Court promo in tonight’s matchup if the game breaks right.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Most Points in Thunder vs Hawks (-110)
The Oklahoma City Thunder are set to face off with the Atlanta Hawks in today’s matchup. The Thunder are viewed as a Western Conference favorite and have played up to this standard thus far, entering with a 2-0 record and a combined 34-point margin of victory. Atlanta also holds a 2-0 record, but their narrow victories over the Nets and Hornets have not been quite as impressive.
While the addition of Dyson Daniels has improved Atlanta’s perimeter defense notably, this will always be a concern when Trae Young is on the floor. There may not be a better player to exploit this weakness than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City’s superstar has averaged 30.1 points or greater in each of the past two seasons. He is a master of body control and plays at a unique pace that constantly keeps defenders guessing.
While my initial thought was to look at Gilgeous-Alexander’s point prop of 29.5, I like the value for him to lead the game in scoring at -110 odds. Expect SGA to be at the heart of the Thunder’s production and for them to be tested a bit more than has been the case thus far. Count on him to have his best scoring performance of the season and lead the game in points.
Buddy Hield Over 11.5 Points (-120)
The newest “Splash Buddy” has made his impact felt in Golden State rather quickly. Hield has made 12 of his first 16 three-point attempts in the opening two games of the season, which marks the most three-pointers over two games for a player with a new team. Any time you can put your name in the record books for three-point shooting while sharing the floor with Steph Curry is pretty impressive. Hield also saw his Sixth Man of the Year odds shift from +1400 entering the year to +1200 on DraftKings Sportsbook after just two games.
The Warriors are set to face off with the Los Angeles Clippers in today’s matchup. Hield has been a seamless fit into the Warriors system so far. He ranks second on the team in shot attempts with 13 per game, with eight of these coming from beyond the arc. He scored 22 points on opening night and 27 points in his second game. While his 75% three-point percentage is unsustainable, the amount of volume he is set to continue to receive is a legitimate takeaway.
Expect the Warriors to continue to rely on Hield as a perimeter threat in their offense with designed opportunities. He is one of the better shooters in all of basketball and has been playing terrific to start the season. The 11.5-point line for scoring is too low based on these factors, so count on Hield to continue his hot start and record 12+ points for the third-consecutive game.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
