NBA Weekly Preview: Predictions, Schedule & Betting Odds

The NBA season is shifting into gear as we start the third week of the regular season NBA schedule. Although many of the preseason NBA predictions have yet to change, we have seen a major swing when it comes to NBA betting. Oklahoma City was one of the preseason favorites, but the Thunder’s status as contenders has been thrown into disarray after major injuries to Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and Chet Holmgren. That has led to bettors jumping ship when it comes to the Thunder, and they will not be one of our best NBA bets today even though their Monday night showdown against the Cleveland Cavaliers is still one of the featured matchups of the week.

NBA Schedule This Week

Oklahoma City and Cleveland is one of the featured games on the NBA schedule this week. The other featured games that we have NBA predictions for on Monday night are the Houston Rockets taking on the Boston Celtics, and the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Miami Heat.

Top NBA Games This Week

The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, November 2, at 7 p.m. ET in one of the featured games this week. One of the most important games when you look at the NBA standings will be the Houston Rockets taking on the Boston Celtics on Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET as both teams have just one loss. There is also a lot of buzz surrounding the late game on Monday night as the Los Angeles Lakers will face a Miami Heat squad that might have finally found its footing.

Biggest Matchups to Watch

There are no games scheduled for Tuesday since it’s Election Day, giving us a reset in our NBA betting. Nearly every NBA team will be in action on Wednesday night though, and the ESPN doubleheader has two excellent games. The Detroit Pistons will host the surging Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. ET, and the San Antonio Spurs will face the Dallas Mavericks in a Lone Star State showdown at 9:30 p.m. ET.

This week will be a huge litmus test for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland faces Oklahoma City in a home-and-home on Monday and Wednesday, and the Cavaliers follow that up with back-to-back home games against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night and the New York Knicks on Saturday night.

NBA Standings and Weekly Playoff Picture

You would have received a lot of strange looks if you told anyone that the Memphis Grizzlies would be the only unbeaten team in the NBA standings through the first two weeks of the NBA season. Memphis is not the only surprise team though.

Eastern Conference Standings

Most NBA predictions had the Miami Heat and New York Knicks as Eastern Conference contenders, but both the Heat and Knicks are sitting at 2-4 after Sunday night’s games. There isn’t as much cause for concern with Miami since the Heat were expected to have some growing pains. However, seeing the New York Knicks standing at 2-4 is cause for a little trepidation. The Knicks put a lot of minutes on their core players during last season’s title run, and a slow start has led to a recalibration of this team’s ability to repeat as champions.

Western Conference Standings

The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder were co-favorites per the NBA predictions to win the Western Conference in the preseason. Both teams are currently sitting at 4-2 and looking up at two surprising teams who have played well early in the NBA schedule. Memphis is 6-0 with two wins over Utah and Sacramento each, while Portland is 4-1 and the Trail Blazers’ only loss this season has come against the Grizzlies.

NBA Predictions for This Week

We have a few best NBA bets today on Monday, November 2, and we will look ahead to some of the other best games on the NBA schedule this week although no NBA betting lines for those games are currently available.

Predictions for the Biggest NBA Games

Cleveland Cavaliers 119, Oklahoma City Thunder 109

One of my favorite NBA predictions this week is for Cleveland to beat Oklahoma City and cover the number. The Thunder have simply lost too much in too short of a time, and that must wear on the psychology of the team. Oklahoma City has over 75% of its cap space tied up in its Big Three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams. Holmgren is out 8-10 weeks, and Williams might be out for the whole season, stretching the Thunder extremely thin. Oklahoma City won’t overwork SGA this early in the season, so Cleveland is a solid bet as the Cavaliers are unbeaten at home this year.

Houston Rockets 121, Boston Celtics 112

This is a very difficult spot for Boston. Houston played at home on Halloween, and the Rockets were able to rest yesterday before this matchup on Monday night. Meanwhile, Boston played on the road against the Orlando Magic and the Celtics toughed out a 108-97 road win to move to 5-1. It’s hard enough to play on back-to-back days, but when you factor in an 850-mile plane ride and a time zone change, that makes the challenge even tougher. Houston is unbeaten at home this season with all three home wins coming by at least 10 points so I will back the Rockets here.

Miami Heat 127, Los Angeles Lakers 120

My favorite upset pick for NBA predictions this week is for the Miami Heat to knock off the Los Angeles Lakers. Miami is a short underdog in this game since the Heat are traveling across the cross country, but the Heat have a major rest advantage over the Lakers. While the Lakers played on Sunday night, the Heat have not played since Friday night and have had two days to rest and recuperate. This comes at a great time for Miami, as the Heat appear to have put some of their early season struggles behind them after consecutive wins over Atlanta and Indiana.

Potential Upsets to Watch

Miami is a two-point underdog against the Los Angeles Lakers per the NBA betting odds at BetCris Arizona. The Heat have a more talented team than the Lakers, and their big men can dominate against Los Angeles on Monday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing spectacularly, averaging 28.2 PPG and 12.3 RPG through six games, and Bam Adebayo has emerged as Miami’s second-best offensive option with 16.3 PPG and 7.8 RPG.

Don’t be surprised if the Dallas Mavericks upend the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night either. Cooper Flagg has been incredible through the Mavericks’ opening stretch of games, averaging 26.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 6.6 APG. His play has propelled the Mavericks to four straight victories, and Dallas proved it is much improved with wins over Miami, Oklahoma City, and Houston during this run.

Best NBA Bets Today and This Week

I have a handful of best NBA bets today highlighted by Cleveland and Miami. The Cavaliers and Heat are both in opportunistic situations heading into their games against Western Conference foes.

Spread and Moneyline Best Bets

Cleveland Cavaliers -4 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (BetCris Arizona)

It’s going to take some time for Oklahoma City to figure out how to proceed over the next couple months. The Thunder are without superstars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace is out for at least a few months, and Alex Caruso will miss some time with a sprained ankle. Oklahoma City lost by 20+ points to Dallas and Houston in its last two games as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can only do so much, and both the NBA betting odds and the analytics have not caught up with just how much the Thunder have lost over the last week.

Houston Rockets -4.5 vs. Boston Celtics (BetCris Arizona)

Back-to-back games are never easy, and it’s even more difficult when a team has to play back-to-back road games in different time zones. The goal in these situations is to split, and Boston already went on the road to beat Orlando on Sunday afternoon. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Celtics rested some players in this spot, so I will take the Rockets as one of the best NBA betting tips is to go against teams playing the second game of a back-to-back.

Miami Heat ML +114 at Los Angeles Lakers (BetCris Arizona)

In general, preseason NBA predictions tend to overrate the most popular teams. The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most popular teams in the NBA, and we have seen a flurry of futures bets on this franchise after a 5-2 start to the season. However, the Lakers have largely fed on cupcakes as three of those wins have come against either the Utah Jazz or the Los Angeles Clippers. Miami is a much more talented team, and the Heat have a major rest advantage, so I will back the visitors to win on the road.

Totals and Over/Under Bets

OVER 237.5 Points in Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers (BetCris Arizona)

The Heat and the Lakers are two of the top offensive teams in the league. Miami has been a matchup nightmare for opponents due to the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, and the Heat have really come alive over the last week. They averaged 137 points in their wins over Atlanta and Indiana, signaling just how much this offense has improved. The Lakers play at their opponents’ pace, and their recent games against Utah, Portland, and Toronto over the last nine games all had at least 255 total points. This is the second-highest total on the board for Monday night, and I expect this game to fly over the number.

NBA Picks and Parlays This Week

It can be very profitable to put your NBA predictions into a parlay to maximize your potential profit, and these are the NBA picks and parlays we will be looking at today.

NBA Picks for the Week

The best NBA bets today are Cleveland to cover the spread, Houston to cover the spread, Miami moneyline, and the Over in the late game between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. I have already given my reasoning behind these bets, and you will note over the course of the season that one of my favorite NBA betting strategies is to go against teams playing the second leg of a back-to-back.

NBA Parlay Ideas

Along those lines, my NBA parlay of the week will be a three-team parlay with Cleveland, Houston, and Miami moneyline as the three legs. If I put Cleveland -4, Houston -4.5, and Miami ML into a parlay, it is priced at +694 according to American odds. Keep in mind that if Cleveland wins by exactly four points, this will revert to a two-team parlay with Houston and Miami being the two legs.

NBA Betting Tips for This Week

Teams are likely to be more cautious with the usage rate of their best players after we have seen so many injuries through the first two weeks of the season. 

Injuries and Player Availability

It’s been a brutal start to the season for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Three of their best players are out for at least the next two months, and rotation player Alex Caruso is dealing with a sprained ankle.

Oklahoma City is far from the only team affected though as Anthony Edwards recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, Tyrese Haliburton will miss at least another week with a hamstring injury, Kawhi Leonard could miss up to a month with a knee injury, and the Orlando Magic will be without Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs for the next couple weeks.

Back-to-Back Games and Rest Advantages

One of the best NBA betting tips is to back teams with a rest advantage and to go against teams playing the second leg in a back-to-back slate. The NBA schedule can be very unforgiving with the lack of rest, and that’s why most of my NBA predictions highlight teams that have a definitive rest advantage over their opponents.

Team Trends and NBA Standings to Watch

The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in the NBA right now with a 6-0 record. We haven’t seen the NBA betting odds move much in favor of the Grizzlies just yet, but they could be 8-0 heading into a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.

Teams Moving Up the NBA Standings

Golden State has been on fire after a rough start to the season. The Golden State Warriors standing was 0-3 last weekend, but the Warriors have won four straight games thanks to some great performances by veteran Steph Curry and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Curry is knocking down 44% of his threes already this season, while Lendeborg has made an immediate impact and is averaging 22.3 PPG and 7.3 RPG to help the Warriors move up in NBA predictions futures.

Teams Trending in the Wrong Direction

The Sacramento Kings sit all alone at the bottom of the NBA standings. Sacramento is the only team that has yet to win a game this season, and the Kings are getting outscored by 19 PPG. They have conceded at least 121 points in every game, as this defense has done a dreadful job of stopping opponents. On the bright side, No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff Jr. is averaging 26.3 PPG and 6.3 APG and has been an immediate contributor.

Key Player Matchups This Week

There are some fantastic player matchups on Monday night alone this week. However, the most anticipated player matchup of the week is undoubtedly Cooper Flagg versus Victor Wembanyama. 

Star Players to Watch

Cooper Flagg has been superb this season. The 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year is taking the reins of the Dallas Mavericks’ offense, and he is making 55.7% of his field goals while averaging 26.8 PPG. Flagg still has some work to do as a three-point shooter, but the sky is the limit if he can develop that part of his game.

Meanwhile, 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama is one of the NBA betting favorites to be named MVP. Wembanyama exploded for 43 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night, and he also registered six blocks in that game. That has spurred San Antonio on a four-game winning streak following a disappointing 0-2 start.

Player Prop Betting Angles

One of my best NBA bets today is Miami, and I believe that both Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo will put up big numbers. Los Angeles does not have much in the way of interior defense, so I expect both Adebayo and Antetokounmpo to post double-doubles on Monday night.

What Channel Is the NBA Game on Tonight?

The NBA schedule is loaded this week even though there are no games on Tuesday night. 

NBA TV Schedule This Week

Monday, November 2, 2026
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Detroit Pistons vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Thursday, November 5, 2026
Golden State Warriors vs. Miami Heat, 10 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Friday, November 6, 2026
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

Saturday, November 7, 2026
Indiana Pacers vs. Denver Nuggets, 5 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Sunday, November 8, 2026
Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 6 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

How to Watch NBA Games This Week

Fans can watch every game on the NBA schedule with NBA League Pass. Most cable packages will have NBCSN and ESPN, but sometimes a higher tier package is needed for NBA TV. Prime Video is only available as a streaming service for Amazon Prime members. Check your local listings for the carrying stations if you have a team in your area.

NBA 2K27 and This Week’s Matchups

NBA 2K27 is the top basketball video game on the market, and there are constant updates to player ratings and team ratings throughout the regular season NBA schedule. Some enterprising fans are using the player ratings in NBA 2K27 for their NBA predictions, but it’s important to note that their ratings do struggle when it comes to determining defensive impact.

Final NBA Weekly Predictions and Betting Outlook

My best NBA bets today are Cleveland -4, Houston -4.5, Miami moneyline, and the Over in the Heat-Lakers game. Later in the week, my NBA predictions will call for the Dallas Mavericks to upset the San Antonio Spurs behind a strong performance from Cooper Flagg.

Every team will get the day off on Tuesday for Election Day, so fatigue and rest days won’t be a major factor again until the weekend. One of the best NBA betting tips involves betting on teams with a rest advantage, so make sure to check the NBA schedule for which teams have the edge.