The NBA is back on Wednesday, with three big games to open the 2026/27 season. Detroit host Boston before the defending champion Knicks welcome Philadelphia, while Oklahoma City head to San Antonio for a Western Conference Finals rematch. We've taken a closer look at all three matchups and picked out our best bets below.
Also don't forget to check out our huge NBA 2026/27 Season Preview and Futures Plays.
NBA Betting Tips: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Today's NBA Best Bets
| Game |
Selection |
Odds |
| BOS @ DET |
Detroit Pistons Win |
$1.99 (1 unit) |
| PHI @ NYK |
New York Knicks -4.5 |
$1.90 (1 unit) |
| OKC @ SAS |
San Antonio Spurs -2.5 |
$1.96 (1 unit) |
Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons
Wednesday, October 21 | 6:00am AEDT
Detroit get the opening game on their home floor after finishing last season with an Eastern Conference best 60-22 record. The Pistons also won three of their four meetings with Boston, including both in Detroit, although those results came before Jayson Tatum returned from his Achilles injury. They provide some encouragement for the home side, but this is a different Celtics team.
Boston have traded Jaylen Brown for Paul George and added Mitchell Robinson, while Detroit have brought in John Collins and Isaiah Joe. The Celtics went unbeaten through four preseason games, so there is little reason to assume they will struggle immediately after those changes. Detroit's advantage is having Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren together again, with their established partnership giving the Pistons something dependable to build their offence around.
The concern for Detroit is whether they can keep up if Boston start connecting from outside. We favour the Pistons' chances of making this a more physical contest, with Cunningham attacking off screens and Duren putting pressure on the basket. It won't necessarily be comfortable, but Detroit won 32 of their 41 home games last season. With the market giving them only roughly an even chance, we're happy to back the home win.
Our NBA Tip
Detroit Pistons to Win
$1.99 (1 Unit)
Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks
Wednesday, October 21 | 10:00am AEDT
New York begin their title defence with a fascinating test. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make their regular season debuts for Philadelphia, joining Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in a side that should have no shortage of scoring options. The Knicks, meanwhile, have kept the core of their championship team together. There is plenty to like about Philadelphia's potential, but New York have fewer questions to answer in the opening week.
The Sixers' injury report is the most relevant concern here. Their main stars are not listed, but Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade and Adem Bona are questionable. Dominick Barlow and Ariel Hukporti are out. Those are meaningful concerns for the second unit, particularly at centre, where Bona's availability matters with Hukporti sidelined. New York have no players listed on the same report.
That gives the Knicks a possible advantage when the starters rest. Philadelphia can stagger their stars to keep scoring talent on the floor, but that doesn't automatically solve the defensive and rebounding issues created by a thin frontcourt. We'd expect New York to keep involving Karl-Anthony Towns in the offence and make whichever centre is playing defend away from the basket.
Embiid is an obvious threat at the other end, especially with Mitchell Robinson having left New York. That is the strongest argument against laying the points. Nevertheless, the Knicks' healthier rotation and familiarity with one another give them the edge for us. Philadelphia may become a much tougher opponent as the season develops, but we prefer New York to cover this opener.
Our NBA Tip
New York Knicks -4.5
$1.90 (1 Unit)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs
Wednesday, October 21 | 12:30pm AEDT
Oklahoma City finished last season with 64 wins, two more than San Antonio, but the Spurs consistently troubled them. San Antonio won four of the five regular season meetings and then claimed the Western Conference Finals in seven games. The deciding victory came in Oklahoma City, so the Spurs have already shown they can beat this opponent in the toughest circumstances.
There is an important qualification to that playoff result. Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell had injury problems during the series, and both are available for the opener. Their return gives Oklahoma City more options when San Antonio make Shai Gilgeous-Alexander give up the ball. The Spurs are without Tobias Harris, but retain the main group from their Finals run, while Oklahoma City have moved on from Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe.
We're expecting a close game rather than a repeat of San Antonio's more comfortable wins last season. The Thunder's improved health makes the historical results less decisive, but the Spurs still offer a combination of perimeter size and Wembanyama's protection around the basket that can make Oklahoma City work for its points. On their own floor, with an established rotation and only three points needed to cover, San Antonio are our preference.
Our NBA Tip
San Antonio Spurs -2.5
$1.96 (1 Unit)
Odds quoted at time of writing and subject to change. 18+ Gamble Responsibly.
