Our free NBA Picks are out for Saturday, October 23rd, 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!
Miami Heat @ Indiana Pacers – 7pm EDT
The Miami Heat travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers, and this will be the Heat’s second game of the season. The Heat won their first game, 137-95, against the Bucks. The Pacers have played two games so far this season, and they are yet to win a game, last time out they played against the Wizards, and they lost 134-135, in overtime.
Denis Kirilov
Miami Heat enters this game after a whooping 137-95 victory over the current NBA Champions, Milwaukee Bucks. Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo put on an amazing performance on Thursday with each of them scoring at least 20 points. The Pacers have already played two really intense games that came down the wire. Unfortunately for them, they lost on both occasions as Gordon Hayward and Spencer Dinwiddie came in clutch for their teams.
This upcoming fixture will give us answers to lots of questions that we all are having right now. Are the Heat that good? Can they be title contenders once again? Can the Pacers recover from such an unfortunate turn of events? Just imagine what the Miami Heat would look like when Kyle Lowry and Victor Oladipo come back from their injuries. With lots of key players sidelined for the Pacers as well, I think it will be mission impossible to compete with this strong Heat team. That’s why my pick goes for Miami covering the spread of 3.5 points. I would also suggest picking an even higher spread as I expect the difference in the end to be a double-digit number.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Miami Heat -4.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
The Miami Heat proved they’re all the way back with a blow out of the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. In a game that I thought would be close, the Heat exploded for a 40 point first quarter and never looked back, as Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro all scored 20+ points to show the Bucks they were ready to give them 2020 playoff hell all over again.
You asked for the logo back.
You voted for the logo back.
You got the logo back.This is #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/yDyrRrmvGu
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) October 22, 2021
Indiana, on the other hand, has just been frustrating. Two games in a row they’ve lost by one point. In their season opener they blew a 21-point lead against a team they will likely battle for a final playoff spot with the Charlotte Hornets. They followed that with an OT loss against the Washington Wizards. Offensively they seem completely intact, but these defensive catastrophes could play costly by the time the season ends and they’re battling for a final playoff spot. Despite the game being in Indianapolis, I think the Heat are riding a high off of beating a Milwaukee Bucks team that swept them in the first round in last year’s playoffs. I fully expect them to come into “The Hoosier State” and prevail.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (-198)
Noah Dunlap
The Indiana Pacers have been a disappointing catastrophe so far this season. With consecutive one point losses, one after blowing a 21-point lead, the other by losing in OT, both in which the defense has looked disastrous, the question becomes whether they can right the ship. The offense has looked good enough to lead them to a playoff run, but the defense continues to look just as bad as they did in last year’s play-in game.
Miami is coming off of a blowout win against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. With Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro looking like they’re ready to continue the solid play we saw in the opener, take Miami to win this one. With a minor difference in the value between them covering the number and them on the moneyline, take them to cover the 3.5 and be confident about it.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat -4.5 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 8pm EDT
This is the first of two games the New Orleans Pelicans and the Minnesota Timberwolves will play against each other, back to back. The Pelicans have played two games so far this season and are yet to get their first win. Last time out, the Pelicans lost to the Bulls, 112-128. The Timberwolves have won their opening game, which was against the Rockets, 124-106.
Denis Kirilov
New Orleans will definitely struggle up until Zion Williamson makes his return from a foot injury. Moreover, Josh Hart worsens the situation for the Pelicans as he picked up a muscle injury in their opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. With both of them missing, they were demolished by the Bulls last time out, 128-112. The Pelicans will need to have something up their sleeves if they want to be competitive enough in the beginning of the season.
Minnesota, on the other hand, started off their campaign with an 18-point win against the Rockets at home. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards were the main contributors for their team with 30 points and 29 points respectively. D’Angelo Russell can also erupt with a massive performance at any point, so I don’t think there is a way to choose something other than a victory for the Timberwolves. Their team seems more complete with a greater depth, and on top of that, everyone is healthy and ready to play at 100%. Hence, I am choosing the Minnesota Timberwolves to cover the spread.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves -6.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Despite Brandon Ingram and newly-acquired Devonte Graham continuing to ball out for New Orleans, the Pelicans are clearly missing star-player Zion Williamson. They lost to Phladelphia by 20 and followed that by losing to the Chicago Bulls by 16. They’re going to have to get some wins on the board without Zion, and maybe a matchup against Minnesota is just what they need.
The Wolves blew out a lowly Rockets team and got great stats from their “Big 3” which included 30/10 from Karl Anthony-Towns, 29 from last year’s number one pick Anthony Edwards, and 22 from former all-star D’Angelo Russell. The Wolves seemed to be clicking on all cylinders, but then again, the W came against one of the three worst teams in basketball last season. A Zion-less NOLA won’t be much better, but they do have a little more firepower. I expect the Pelicans to at least finish this one by covering the spread.
Michael’s NBA Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +6.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
As Zion continues to sit out, I expect this Pelicans team to struggle. They’ve opened their ‘21 campaign with back-to-back double digit losses, and despite Brandon Ingram playing extremely well so far this season, I’m not sure I expect Saturday to feature a different gate for the Pels.
For Minnesota, they opened the season with an 18-point win over Houston, in a game that saw Karl Anthony-Towns show that he’s still talented enough to lead a franchise by himself, without adding in the contributions of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell. I expect this one to be a tight ball game that comes down to the wire, but look for Minnesota to sneak away with a close win.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves (-270)
Milwaukee Bucks @ San Antonio Spurs – 8:30pm EDT
The Milwaukee Bucks are on the road again when they take on the San Antonio Spurs. Last time out, the Bucks lost their game to the Heat, 95-137. The Spurs have a season record of 1-1, and last time out they lost 96-102 to the Nuggets.
Denis Kirilov
The beginning of the season for the current NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, can be described by just one word – a rollercoaster. They were clinical in their home opener against the Brooklyn Nets shutting down Kevin Durant and James Harden and defeating them by 23 points. However, in their next game, every NBA fan was surprised by how it eventually went. The Miami Heat put on a monstrous performance and dismantled the Bucks by 42 points. They sought revenge against them and they got what they were looking for.
The Spurs, on the other hand, fought hard against the Nuggets, but Keldon Johnson’s efforts weren’t enough as they lost the game 102-96. After the end of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker’s era, Gregg Popovich had to realign everything. He started building the team from scraps and this will eventually pay off at some point in the future. For now, it’s normal to see the Spurs fighting hard for their Playoffs spot. With Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis being questionable for the game, I would go with the Spurs. Although the odds for their win seems pretty attractive, I will play it safe and choose their handicap.
Denis’ NBA Pick: San Antonio Spurs +7.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
In game one against their newfound rival the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks seemed to play off of last season’s title run. They looked unbeatable, but their second opponent, the Miami Heat, had other plans. They blew out the Bucks in a redemption game of last season’s playoffs where the Bucks swept the Heat in the first round. The Bucks now travel to San Antonio where they must face a team that has plenty of riveting young players who just seem to be missing that one star to tie them all together.
Showed great fight tonight! Back home tomorrow against the defending champs.@FrostBank | #GoSpursGo | #PorVida pic.twitter.com/A4qbnkCV3r
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 23, 2021
The Spurs lost a close one to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, but they at least had promising performances from young stars like Keldon Johnson and Dejounte Murray. It’s hard to ever count a Greg Popovich team out, but they’ll either need to trade for a star player, hope to sign one next summer, or grow and truly develop a new crop into more than just good players. They need these youngsters to elevate to a level just below the likes of Duncan, Robinson, Gervin, and more. It may happen eventually, but for tomorrow, I don’t see that happening, but because Milwaukee’s moneyline is getting a bit too high, I say let’s go for that cover.
Michael’s NBA Pick: San Antonio Spurs +7.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
What do you possibly make of the Milwaukee Bucks at this point? They opened the year with a 20+ point win over KD, James Harden, and the Brooklyn Nets, and then proceeded to come out and lose by 42 to Miami. They’re clearly the more talented of these two squads, but do you trust them to actually show up for this one?
Greg Popovic and his Spurs have struggled over the last few years, as Tony Parker and Tim Duncan aren’t walking back through that door and they deal with trying to rebuild a roster that can compete once again. In the end, I don’t think they’re yet, and I believe the Bucks come out embarrassed after their performance against Miami. Take Milwaukee in a big, big way, easily covering the 7.5 they’ve been given.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -7.5 (-110)
Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers – 10pm EDT
The Phoenix Suns continue their road trip when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers. The Suns were great against the Lakers last time out, and they won that game, 115-105. This will be the Trail Blazers second game of the season, and they lost their opening game, 121-124, to the Kings.
Denis Kirilov
The game between the Phoenix Suns and the Portland Trail Blazers promises to be a treat for the fans. Both teams are spectacular on the offensive ends and when needed, they can defend the hoop as well. The Suns began with a loss against the Nuggets, but then crushed the Lakers by 10 points (105-115). Portland, on the other hand, had a tough start against the Sacramento Kings losing the game 121-124. Damian Lillard was the main reason for this loss as he was 33% from the field scoring just 20 points. CJ McCollum had a good night with 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, but his efforts came just short.
Both teams have pretty solid and fast attacking build-ups. Each single player can make the difference in this match, but with such high-scoring rosters the show is guaranteed. If Lillard and Booker have a decent game, they can both erupt with something close to 50 points. CJ McCollum, Josip Nurkic, Chris Paul and DeAndre Ayton can also contribute with at least 20 points. Choosing the winner of this game will be a difficult task, but although choosing the “over” line seems pretty obvious, I think it’s the right way to go. No key players will be sidelined for the match, so I expect the fans to be in for a treat with dynamic and more open play on both ends.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Over 232 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Portland looked like their usual selves in their first game against the Sacramento Kings. They got run off the court by a team that was led by Harrison Barnes’ 36 points. Portland looks to regroup, particularly Damien Lillard, who looked rusty with a 9-20 shooting night. I don’t expect Dame to do that again two games in a row, but he and the Blazers must make some defensive changes, especially under new coach Chauncey Billups. It has been their kryptonite and a major factor in preventing them from making deeper runs in the playoffs.
Meanwhile the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns feel like they have unfinished business. After coming up empty against the Denver Nuggets in game one, they came into the Staples Center and gave the Lakers a beating that resulted in a ten point win. This showed that Chris Paul and co might still be the kings of the west. Portland’s Moda Center can be a tough team for visiting teams to play at, but the Suns have fared well in hostile environments in the last year or so, and I expect this game to be no different.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns (+118)
Noah Dunlap
This is a game where it is hard to know which way it will go. Phoenix looked slightly lackadaisical in their opener before turning it on against the LA Lakers on Friday night. Meanwhile, I was hopeful that the Chauncey Billups hire for Portland would lead to them playing better defense, but based on their opener, that doesn’t seem to be the case. With there being no way to predict how the defenses will perform in this one, stick to the over, as both offenses have the firepower to turn this one into a shootout.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Over 232 (-110)
Memphis Grizzlies @ Los Angeles Clippers – 10:30pm EDT
The Memphis Grizzlies play on the road for the first time this season when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies won their opening game against the Cavaliers, 132-121. The Clippers on the other hand, lost their opening game to the Warriors, 113-115.
Denis Kirilov
The Los Angeles Clippers will need to step up their game, if they want to have a shot at the title this season. Kawhi Leonard is a player that can turn everything for the Clippers on 180 degrees, but he is once again injured in the beginning of the season. However, the team has players like Reggie Jackson, Terrance Mann, and Paul George who are experienced enough in order to get victories even without their leader.
The Memphis Grizzlies are looking to build on their positive performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ja Morant was once again the main guy for his team with 37 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in just 33 minutes of play. De’Anthony Melton and Desmond Bane are other good prospects for the Grizzlies as they have set their goals onto the Playoffs this year. In addition to Kawhi Leonard’s absence, Nicolas Batum will also miss the game against Memphis. For the Grizzlies, the only one who will be missing is Dillon Brooks. I truly believe that Ja Morant can surprise everybody and lead his team to victory.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies (+136)
Michael Lantz
The Clippers are currently without Kawhi Leonard and have suffered injuries to veterans Nicolas Batum and Serge Ibaka. That being said, the Clippers have heart, as seen in last year’s playoffs. This team struck fear in every opponent thanks to role players stepping up. They will need those guys to continue the high level play they offered last postseason. In their first game of the season they were decimated by Golden State’s Steph Curry, who was a deadshot from three and ultimately scored 45 points. Still after getting blown out early, the Clips found their way back into that game and took it down to the last minute.
📊 22 PTS / 10-16 FG / 3 STL@EBled2 applied the pressure on offense and defense. pic.twitter.com/q3AMHMPxMh
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 22, 2021
Meanwhile the Memphis Grizzlies are a young team on the rise. Young guard Ja Morant is ready to step up and show he’s one of the five best point guards in the NBA (like he claimed he was on TNT last season). This would be a wonderful time to show how special he is. The Clippers are good, but they seem to have become a more play from behind kind of team. If Memphis can get out to a steady lead early, that’s the key. Unfortunately for them, I see a Clippers team that’s eager to not start the season 0-2, especially at home. Because of that, I’ll give them the slight edge in this matchup.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Los Angeles Clippers (-162)
Noah Dunlap
The Los Angeles Clippers are once again trying to view themselves as title contenders this season. Without Kawhi Leonard, who remains out due to injury, that isn’t a realistic hope. Even with Paul George and Reggie Jackson to run things in Leonard’s absence, I expect Los Angeles to struggle early on.
Meanwhile, Memphis has Ja Morant, who is a walking highlight reel. Without Dillon Brooks playing for Memphis, however, I think they struggle with a slightly more talented Clippers roster, even if Ja has a big day. Look for PG13 to lead the way for Los Angeles, as the Clippers win a tight, lower-scoring affair than many may expect.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Los Angeles Clippers / Under 226.5 (+200)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
