It felt like just yesterday that the 2025-26 NBA season tipped off, but it was actually nearly a month ago. In the first month, we’ve already seen plenty of standout performances, gritted our teeth through exciting finishes, and welcomed breakout stars to the upper echelons of the sport.
Tonight’s eight-game slate includes a few fairly lopsided ones on paper — five of the eight games have point spreads of 10.5 points or more — but any team can beat any other, and even players on the losing end of a blowout can stuff the stat sheet individually.
For each of tonight’s eight contests, there are hundreds of prop bets available at DraftKings Sportsbook. Below, I’ll break down my three favorites:
Top NBA prop bet picks
Cade Cunningham Double-Double (-143)
Cunningham has been listed as questionable for tonight with the hip contusion that has held him out for the last two games, but if he does suit up without a major minutes restriction, he should have a good chance of recording a double-double, given that he’s had one in each of his last four games and in seven of his 11 overall. Scoring 10 or more points is a given — the last time he failed to do that was March 3, 2024 — and he’s dished out a career-high 9.9 assists per game this season. Plus, while his 5.4 rebounds per game represent the second-lowest total of his career, he did have 12 boards in his most recent contest, so it wouldn’t be entirely far-fetched, given that he’s averaged 10.2 rebound chances per game.
It’s just hard to overstate how bad the Indiana Pacers have been this season. They’ve allowed the fourth-most points and fourth-most rebounds per game this season, committing the most fouls, with the league’s worst offense and fifth-worst defense. Bennedict Mathurin’s possible return from a toe sprain could help, but he’s not exactly known for his defense. If anything, Mathurin’s scoring could keep the game close enough to keep Cunningham in the game, stuffing the stat sheet. To be fair, Indiana has allowed the eighth-fewest assists per game, but Cunningham’s two most-frequently assisted players, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, could both return tonight as well. Plus, the Pacers have been merely average at defending pick-and-rolls, and the Cunningham-Duren duo has been among the most prolific and efficient tandems in basketball.
Karl-Anthony Towns 50+ Points + Rebounds + Assists (+160)
Towns had 39 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists to help lead the New York Knicks to a 140-134 victory over the Miami Heat in an Emirates NBA Cup victory on Friday night, and there’s no reason not to expect him to do it again against the same opponent three nights later. New York acquired Towns last summer precisely for games like these, with both Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby out. The Knicks have a deeper squad than they did last season, with Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele available off the bench, but Towns is still the go-to guy, especially with Mikal Bridges’ increased defensive responsibility.
The Heat have been very gettable defensively, allowing 130 or more points in each of their last four games against some great offenses in the Portland Trail Blazers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York. Part of that is a byproduct of their playing at by far the league’s fastest pace, so they’ve conceded the fifth-most points, second-most rebounds, and sixth-most assists per game despite decent per-minute stats. Miami has also allowed the eighth-highest conversion rate on restricted-area tries, and this season, Towns has been the league’s third-most prolific shooter at the rim. His lackluster efficiency from all over the floor this season can be tied more to luck than anything else.
Paul George U1.5 Three-Pointers Made (+143)
George could make his season debut tonight after offseason knee surgery, as he’s been listed as questionable after missing the Philadelphia 76ers’ first 12 games. The former LA Clipper had a rough season in 2024-25, averaging just 16.2 points per game and hitting threes at the third-lowest rate of his career. Though 1.5 threes is a low bar — he still made two or more threes in 25 of his 41 games — he’ll probably be on a heavy minutes restriction tonight. He already posted his lowest usage rate in more than a decade 2024-25, and Philadelphia clearly believes in VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes.
To be fair, the Clippers have allowed the third-most made triples per game this season on the fifth-best percentage. In part, though, that’s a matter of luck: LA has given up a below-average number of wide-open three-point attempts, but opponents have connected on such shots at the third-highest rate. The Clippers have also allowed a below-average number of catch-and-shoot threes, which are more likely to be part of George’s role tonight as the 76ers seek to ease him back into the rotation.
