The NBA is officially back and fans have a lot to look forward to this season with no clear favorite set to win the championship. Both of the 2022 conference champions took care of business last night at home in their season opener. The Celtics kicked off the night with a nine-point victory over the Sixers and the Warriors closed out the night with a show in front of their home crowd on ring ceremony night with a double-digit win over LeBron James and the Lakers. Wednesday is full of action with 12 games taking place across the league. Let’s dive into the best NBA bets for Wednesday, October 19.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game Tips & Betting Predictions
Wizards vs. Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton is poised to have a stand-out year on a Pacers team that will likely be in the sweepstakes for Victor Wembanyama with a preseason win total line set at a league-low 23.5 wins. Haliburton averaged 17.5 points per game as a Pacer and expects to make a big jump this season into an All-Star caliber player. Malcolm Brogdon is no longer on the Pacers, which opens up even more opportunities.
Haliburton has missed the final two preseason games due to back soreness, but reports indicate that he will be good to go for a full workload on Wednesday. His points prop line sticks out as a good value with the current line set at 15.5 points. He went over this number in six of his final seven regular season games to end last season. In his two games against the Wizards last year, he finished with 15 points and 21 points.
The Wizards’ backcourt made up of Monte Morris and Bradley Beal is a solid scoring duo, but neither is known for their defensive skill set. If Haliburton can shoot anywhere near his averages as a Pacer last season, 50.6% from the field and 41.6% from deep, he should have no issues finishing this game with 18-20 points. Take the over on his points and watch for him to shine in his third year.
Best NBA Bet for Today’s Game: Tyrese Haliburton OVER 15.5 points
Magic vs. Pistons Prediction
The Orlando Magic kick off their season against the Pistons in Detroit on Wednesday inside Little Caesars Arena. The Magic secured the No. 1 draft pick overall this summer, selecting Paolo Banchero. Outside of the draft, the Magic did not make any major moves to improve their roster. They will rely on their young core to build chemistry and develop as a unit with a full season under their belt. With that being said, Franz Wagner should see improved numbers off his rookie campaign, where he finished with 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest last season. The 14.5 points prop bet set for Wagner for Wednesday’s matchup is 0.7 fewer points than his season scoring average last year (15.2).
In four matchups against the Pistons last season, Wagner averaged 19.5 points per game, scoring 15 or more in three of the four games. Expect him to operate as one of the team’s go-to scorers on offense this season. The shooting volume should be there, but it will be a matter of Wagner’s offensive efficiency in order to hit the over on his points prop. Fortunately for Orlando, they get an easier opponent in their first matchup against Detroit, who ranked in the bottom eight teams for defense efficiency in 2021.
Despite different competition levels, Wagner played well this summer for Germany, averaging 15.2 points in FIBA Europe Cup across nine games. This roster is more talented than last season, but probably still a year or two away from contention. It seems like the majority are on the Pistons to win and cover in tonight’s matchup, but that will not stop Wagner from putting up shots. I have him projected at 16 points in tonight’s matchup. Take Wagner’s over points and watch for him to help improve the Magic’s offense this season.
Best NBA Bet for Today’s Game: Franz Wagner OVER 14.5 points
