Our free NBA Picks are out for Monday, November 1st, 2021! Make sure you check our NBA Picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free NBA Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
San Antonio Spurs @ Indiana Pacers – 7pm EDT
The San Antonio Spurs are coming off a big road win over the Bucks on Saturday night and will be hoping to take momentum from that into tonight’s clash against the struggling Indiana Pacers. While not many expected the Spurs to factor this season, the Pacers were supposed to be a playoff team but have started just 1-6 and needed overtime to get their only win.
Denis Kirilov
The San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers will face each other in a game between two teams who are not having the best start of the 2021/22 NBA season. The Pacers are with just a single win from their 7 opening games, while the Spurs managed to get 2 out of 6. Indiana can only blame themselves for half of these losses as they lost the momentum near the end of the matches as this didn’t allow them to close the games. The Pacers found a way to keep their composure during their victory against the Miami Heat which came after overtime.
The Spurs, on the other hand, are entering into this game after a surprising 93:102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, and Bryn Forbes came up big in this game, while Keldon Johnson, Thaddeus Young, and Jakob Poeltl contributed with numerous rebounds throughout the match. However, I think that the Pacers will find a way to come up clutch in the most important parts of the game. Although they are still without T.J. Warren, I truly believe that they will bounce back and start chasing the Playoffs spot.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Indiana Pacers (-162)
I know no one is paying attention to San Antonio, but Dejounte Murray has taken a leap, IMO. Becoming one of the best transition drivers in the NBA. Had 23 points, nine assists, five rebounds in Spurs’ win over MIL tonight. Couple good pull-ups from midrange, blow-bys of Giannis. pic.twitter.com/e8et1JJhh1
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) October 31, 2021
Michael Lantz
It’s seven games into Rick Carlisle’s second tenure as Indiana Pacers head coach and things have gotten off to a rough start. The team is 1-6, despite having all-star talent in Domantas Sabonis and plenty of scoring; including rookie Chris Duarte. They’ve suffered from injuries (T.J. Warren is still recovering from a navicular stress fracture from last season and Malcolm Brogdon has had hamstring issues), but regardless this is not the start a team that’s trying to move away from last year’s disappointing season needed.
On Monday night the Pacers host the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are coming off of a nice win against the Milwaukee Bucks. Sure, the Bucks were without a couple key players, but anytime you can beat the defending champs while Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing, it’s definitely a confidence booster. The Spurs have been in all of their losses this year, they just need someone to step up and take over as the number one guy on the team. Whether that’s Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson or someone else, this team feels close to being able to compete with a tough Western Conference. That being said, I think the Pacers use their home-court advantage to get a must-needed win, against a team that Rick Carlisle saw many times during his career as the Mavericks head coach.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Indiana Pacers (-162)
Noah Dunlap
Indiana has been one of the most disappointing teams in the league so far this season. After making it to the Eastern Conference play-in game last season, there were reasonably high hopes for this season. However, all of that seems to have faded away as they’ve started the year 1-6. They’ve played decently in many of those games, yet just can’t find a way to come out on the winning end.
For San Antonio, they’ve had a somewhat similar season, as they enter this one at 2-4 on the year, but have stayed competitive in every game so far this season. However, with the young roster the Spurs have been putting on the floor, and being on the road for this one, I think the Spurs come up short. Indiana looks at this as a chance to finally get another win, and they win a close one at home.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Indiana Pacers -3.5 (-110)
Portland Trail Blazers @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7pm EDT
Two teams that were speculated to be potential trade partners face off, as the Philadelphia 76ers host the Portland Trail Blazers. Philadelphia has won two straight, including a 28 point win over the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season, the Hawks. Meanwhile, Portland is on the quick backup after suffering a 12-point loss in Charlotte last night and will be wanting a much better result in this one.
Denis Kirilov
The Portland Trail Blazers are off to a mixed start to their current campaign in the NBA. They are either losing or winning by 10 points or more in their last 5 games. The Blazers dismantled teams of Devin Booker, Ja Morant, and Paul George. They lost to the Kings, the Clippers, and the Hornets which seems a bit odd as Memphis and Phoenix seem tougher opponents than Sacramento and Charlotte. However, the main problem for the Blazers is the shooting of their main guy on the roster, Damian Lillard. He is having troubles reaching 50% FG during his games as most of his performances are around 30% or below.
The Philadelphia 76ers have high hopes for the upcoming seasons as “The Process”, Joel Embiid, extended his contract in the summer. They might as well trade Ben Simmons for some other player or for some protected picks in future drafts. Tobias Harris and Seth Curry and also leaving it all on the court in the opening games. The team is off to a 4-2 start with the two losses coming against the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. However, I think that the Blazers have enough resources to fight until the end of this Monday fixture. That’s why I will trust Lillard, McCollum and Nurkic to cover their spread.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Portland Trail Blazers +6 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Right when the Portland Trail Blazers looked like they were back…they fell into old trends from earlier this season. After big wins against Western Conference contenders (the Memphis Grizzlies and L.A. Clippers), they came out with a strong first half against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday…only to come out flat in the second half and lose by 12. Once again Damian Lillard was a big reason the team let the game slide away. After a good game against the Clippers, Lillard slumped again going 520 from the field and 2-14 from three. He’s had slow starts before, but it’s becoming harder to defend his performances. It is starting to become a legit concern.
The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a massive win against the Atlanta Hawks—the team that knocked them out of last season’s playoffs. Tobias Harris has been awesome so far averaging 20 points and 9 rebounds per game. Sure, Philly would love to have Ben Simmons in games like their matchup against Portland—a team with high scoring guards—but that’s where Matisse Thybulle comes into play. His top notch defense along with the poor shooting from Lillard, should set up a nice 76ers win at home.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers -6 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
Portland has been impossible to predict this year. They’ve won games they shouldn’t have, and they’ve lost games that are inexcusable to lose. Damian Lillard has started the season slow, and while he continues to try to find his form, you’ve seen the likes of CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic struggle to shoulder the weight. Until Dame is able to find his normal All-Star level self, I’d be hesitant to take Portland in just about any matchup.
As for Philadelphia, they’ve played reasonably well so far this season, with a few minor slip ups. I think they’ve proven that they’re ready to move past the Ben Simmons drama, and with that in the rear view mirror, look for them to continue to improve. Joel Embiid has started the year a little slower than he would’ve liked, but with major production from Tobias Harris, his slow start has been mitigated just a bit. I expect Embiid to finally show up and have a monster day in this one, and being at home only eases my mind even more about taking the Sixers in this one.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers -6 (-110)
Washington Wizards @ Atlanta Hawks – 7:30pm EDT
The Washington Wizards have been one of the biggest surprise packets in the league so far this season and now take their three-game winning streak on the road. They will be facing the Atlanta Hawks who are just 3-3 so far this season and are coming off a disastrous performance, losing to Philadelphia by 28. Can they turn things around or will the Wizards keep this hot-streak going?
Denis Kirilov
The Wizards have started the season quite well as they are 5-1 until this moment. The team came up clutch in two overtime wins against the Celtics and the Pacers which further boosted their confidence. The Atlanta Hawks, on the other side, are still out of rhythm as Trae Young is struggling to keep consistency throughout the games. They are 50% from the beginning of their campaign and they will look to make up for the previous two losses they have conceded.
Both teams faced each other a couple of days ago and the game ended up in the favor of the Wizards by 11 points. Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Montrezl Harrell got the better of the Hawks as the 28 points scored by John Collins were just not enough. Cam Reddish, Trae Young, and Bogdan Bogdanovic have to step up their game, if they want to reach the Playoffs in the expected way. However, at the current situation I am more reluctant to trust the Wizards to cover their spread of 5.5 points.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Washington Wizards +5.5 (-110)
The Washington Wizards are off to a 5-1 for the third time since in 1976. pic.twitter.com/buf7BpdRIk
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) October 31, 2021
Michael Lantz
After a big first game win against the Dallas Mavericks, the Atlanta Hawks have had a tough time against contending teams. They lost by double digits to both the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers in back-to-back games. They get a chance to avenge their loss against the former of those two teams, as they take on the Wizards at home.
The Wizards are 4-1 and are looking more and more like a serious threat in the Eastern Conference. In their Saturday night win against the Boston Celtics they got Bradley Beal ‘s best performance of the young season with 36 points. They also got 20 points a piece from Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell and a 17 rebound game from Kyle Kuzma. This game will be important for Atlanta to get back on track; a home game against a tough, upstart opponent. I think this one will be close, but I think the best value comes at taking Washington +5.5. I also will add on Kyle Kuzma getting over 8.5 rebounds; his season low is 8 rebounds (including last time against Atlanta), but with a lack of big man depth, Kuz is getting more opportunities to crash the boards. Plus, Atlanta and Washington are two teams that like to take a lot of shots, they’re ranked fifth and sixth respectively, so Kuzma will have plenty of rebound chances on both sides of the ball.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Same Game Parlay – Washington +5.5 / Kyle Kuzma o8.5 Rebounds (+243)
Noah Dunlap
Washington just continues to impress. Starting the year 5-1, clearly the roster moves they made this offseason are paying off. Adding pieces like Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and keeping Bradley Beal has balanced their roster out and given Beal the ability to rely on a decent supporting cast. This has allowed the fast start, and I don’t see a reason that that slows down in any substantial manner moving forward.
For Atlanta, they’ve been mediocre this season, as they sit at 3-3. But they did lose the first meeting against Washington this year by 11, and while that one was on the road, I think we see a similar result in this one. Atlanta hangs around, but Montrezl Harrell slows down John Collins, and the Wizards squeak out a close one on the road, putting the value with Washington at +5.5.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Washington Wizards +5.5 (-110)
Chicago Bulls @ Boston Celtics – 7:30pm EDT
The Chicago Bulls are another team that has gotten off to a shockingly good start, losing just one of their six games and beating some quality teams. They will now test their form on the road against an underperforming yet talented side, the Boston Celtics, who have just two wins from their opening six games and are yet to taste success on their home floor this season.
Denis Kirilov
The Chicago Bulls have just experienced their best start to an NBA season for the last 10 years. They are 5-1 and their wins are as dominant as they can get. The Bulls defeated the Jazz by 8 points, the Pistons by 15 points, and the Pelicans by 16 points. The only game they lost was against the Knicks after DeMar DeRozan missed a pullup jump shot for the win in the dying seconds of the match. With players like DeRozan, LaVine, Vucevic, Ball, and Caruso they are experiencing their Renaissance period.
On the other hand, the Boston Celtics are finding it difficult to get victories from the start of the season. The Celtics went in the last quarter of the game against the Wizards having 0-for-20 from the 3-point line. They are way out of rhythm and the occasions when Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum will score more than 30 points will become less frequent, if they don’t do something about it. The difference between the two teams is way bigger than what a neutral NBA fan would think and that’s why I will go with the flow and choose the Bulls at (+108).
Denis’ NBA Pick: Chicago Bulls (+108)
Michael Lantz
After a tight loss at home to the New York Knicks on Thursday, the Chicago Bulls answered with a massive win over the Utah Jazz. The Jazz were without all-star Mike Conley, but Chicago was also adjusting after young defensive prize Patrick Williams went down for the rest of the season with a wrist injury earlier in the week. DeMar Derozen and Zach LaVine continued to look like an all-star combo scoring 32 and 26 points respectively. On Monday they host a Boston Celtics team that’s underwhelmed at 2-4.
Boston has, unsurprisingly, gotten high-quality performances from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Brown is averaging 26.5 points per game and Tatum is averaging nearly 27 points and 9 rebounds per game. That being said Tatum is barely shooting 40%, the team has struggled with their guard play and they don’t have a consistent big. Problems are being exposed early for a Boston team that’s expected to compete. Can they pick it up against a tough Bulls team at the TD Garden? I don’t think Boston wants the potential backlash if they fall to a 2-5 start, I think they pull off a close one at home.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Boston Celtics (-138)
Noah Dunlap
Chicago has started the year 5-1, with a lone loss to the New York Knicks. Yes, we’re going back to the early ‘90’s where the Bulls and Knicks are two of the best teams in the seats, as well as the league. The addition of Lonzo Ball and DeMar Derozan have shown to be massive moves for Chicago, and as long as they stay healthy I expect the Bulls to continue to their hot start.
For Boston, they’ve been hit or miss this season, and the shooting has been absolutely atrocious for much of the year. Despite Jalen Brown, and Jayson Tatum for the most part, playing well, the shooting has been sketchy to say the least, and that concerns me against a team like Chicago. I like Chicago to win a tight one, despite being on the road for this one.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Chicago Bulls +2.5 (-110)
Denver Nuggets @ Memphis Grizzlies – 8pm EDT
We round out the night with two Western Conference playoff teams, the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies. Nikola Jokic’s Denver side is expected to be at the top of the conference yet again, and have justified that with their 4-2 start, however the Grizzlies, led by Ja Morant, have beaten the likes of Golden State and the Clippers through their first six games, sitting at 3-3.
Denis Kirilov
The Denver Nuggets travel to Memphis to face a Grizzlies’ team that is looking really solid with their superstar, Ja Morant. Although the Grizzlies are 3-3 from the start of the season, they have displayed some great performance throughout these opening games. They defeated the Warriors and the Clippers in great fashion and fought well until the end against the Lakers. Their losses to the Blazers and to the Heat are mainly due to the fact that the opposing teams managed to shut down Ja Morant.
The Nuggets are coming into this game after two straight wins against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks. They crushed the Mavs by 31 points, because Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Jalen Brunson were awful in their attempts throughout the whole game. Although they have a healthy Nikola Jokic in their roster, I sense it will be much more difficult to stop Ja Morant’s approach to the basket. I think that the Nuggets are still way from their highest level as they will surely need Jamal Murray to come back in order to reach it. That being said, I recommend picking the Memphis Grizzlies as the final winner of this game.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies (-122)
Will Barton with a HUGE block to save the day for the Denver Nuggets. 😤😤
(🎥: @nuggets) pic.twitter.com/DpLe611f8q
— theScore (@theScore) October 31, 2021
Michael Lantz
At 3-3 the Memphis Grizzlies have had both highs and lows. After a big OT win against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday in the Bay Area, the Grizzlies came back to Memphis fully confident and ready to take on a Miami Heat team that at times looked like the NBA’s best. Unfortunately things didn’t unfold as they desired, as Miami won by 26. Still Memphis has looked thrilling at times, and they haven’t even had the opportunity to have Dillion Brooks play a minute yet. Brooks will instantly make them better when he returns, as a spark plug scorer they can depend on when Morant needs a breather. For now they must focus on becoming a consistent winner and that will start with a bounce back win against a resilient Denver Nuggets team.
The Nuggets are 4-2 and have continued to receive MVP performances from the reigning MVP himself Nikola Jokic. This 4-2 run comes as Jamal Murray continues to recover from an ACL injury and Michael Porter Jr. continues to underperform. If the Nuggets can stay in the running as the season continues and Murray can return and Porter can step it up, this team has so many different guys who can contribute on both sides of the ball as proven early on. This matchup should be quite fun, but I’m going to give it to Memphis, who I can’t see losing back to back matchups at home against top teams.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Same Game Parlay – Memphis Grizzlies Win / Under 216 (+234)
Noah Dunlap
Denver has looked pretty good so far this year, but that’s reliant upon them getting healthy. I understand that despite being banged up they beat Dallas by 31, and then came from behind against Minnesota to get the win, but eventually that’s sure to catch up to them.
Memphis, on the other hand, is another team impossible to figure out. The defense has been shaky all year long, but the offense, led by Ja Morant, is one of the most exciting in basketball. The problem is that I don’t trust Steven Adams to be able to guard league MVP Nikola Jokic down low in this one. The Grizz keep it close, but eventually Jokic wears them out in the paint, leading to a Nuggets victory. Just to be safe, take Denver at +2 in this one.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Denver Nuggets +2 (-108)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
