Monday's NBA slate tips off with Thunder vs. Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET, and our NBA best bets include two sides, a game total, and a full card of player props.

Injuries are driving tonight's best spots. Oklahoma City is without four key rotation players, Orlando is playing without Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs on the second night of a back-to-back, and Joel Embiid is questionable in Philadelphia. We're targeting the places where the lines haven't fully caught up in our NBA picks today. New to Rebet Sportsbook? You can grab $100 in bonus bets when you sign up and put it to work on tonight's NBA predictions.

NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 11/2

Our NBA best bets for Monday are the Cavaliers -4.5 against Oklahoma City, the Wizards +2.5 in Orlando, and Nets vs. Knicks Under 219.5. On the prop side, we're featuring Ausar Thompson Over 3.5 assists and LeBron James Over 13.5 rebounds plus assists, with Domantas Sabonis listed below. Shop around before you bet.

 

 

 

Thunder vs. Cavaliers Prediction: Monday, 11/2

Pick: Cavaliers -4.5

This line feels wrong. Oklahoma City is playing its third straight road game and has been blown out in the first two, losing 120-96 in Dallas and 119-98 in Houston. The Thunder are also without Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso, four of the most important players in their rotation.

The numbers reflect it. According to ESPN's Hollinger team stats, Oklahoma City ranks 23rd in offensive efficiency at 105.3 points per 100 possessions, while Cleveland ranks seventh at 114.2. The Cavaliers are also 3-0 at home.

The shooting gap is just as wide. Oklahoma City posts a 49.4% effective field goal percentage, third-lowest in the league, while Cleveland sits at 55.3%. The Thunder also play at a slow 93.0 pace, which limits their ability to make up ground with volume, and Cleveland protects the ball well with a 12.8 turnover ratio. When a team can't shoot and can't create extra possessions, double-digit losses like Dallas and Houston become the norm. Even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting up big numbers, the supporting cast has had no answers without its top defenders and secondary creators.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can win any game on his own, but he's been carrying too much of the load on this road trip. At under five points, we'll back the healthier, more efficient team at home. Cavaliers -4.5 is our first of Monday's NBA best bets.

Wizards vs. Magic Prediction: Monday, 11/2

Pick: Wizards +2.5

Orlando is in a tough spot. The Magic are on the second night of a back-to-back, and they'll be without both Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, their top shot creator and their best perimeter defender.

Washington is trending the other way. Rookie AJ Dybantsa has impressed since returning from his ankle sprain, adding another scorer to a lineup with Anthony Davis, Trae Young and Alex Sarr. The Wizards also have the edge in both offensive efficiency (108.5 to 107.4) and defensive efficiency (106.6 to 113.2).

The turnover battle could decide it. Orlando gives the ball away on 15.3% of its possessions, one of the higher rates in the league, and that number tends to climb on tired legs in the second game of a back-to-back. Washington's 13.4 turnover ratio is far cleaner, and Trae Young's ability to punish live-ball mistakes in transition fits that matchup. Without Banchero and Suggs, Orlando also loses its two best shot creators off the dribble, which leaves more of the offense to role players against a Wizards defense allowing 106.6 points per 100 possessions.

With Orlando shorthanded and tired, we'll gladly take the points. Wizards +2.5 is our second side among today's NBA best bets.

 

 

 

Nets vs. Knicks Prediction: Monday, 11/2

Pick: Under 219.5

Neither offense has found its footing. New York ranks 24th in offensive efficiency at 105.1 points per 100 possessions, and Brooklyn is even worse at 103.1, tied for 27th.

The underlying shooting numbers explain why. New York's 49.5% effective field goal percentage ranks among the five worst in the NBA, and Brooklyn is barely better at 50.8% while turning the ball over on 16.2% of its possessions, third-worst in the league. The Nets also rank near the bottom with a 16.3 assist ratio, a sign of an offense living on tough one-on-one looks. Bad shooting plus empty possessions is the recipe for a low-scoring night.

Brooklyn is 0-5, and even with rookie Mikel Brown expected back after resting Sunday, the Nets have struggled to generate quality shots. The Knicks are heavy favorites, which raises the possibility of a fourth quarter played by reserves.

Two of the league's bottom-seven offenses facing off is exactly the setup we want for an Under. Under 219.5 rounds out our game picks.

Best NBA Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 11/2

Ausar Thompson Over 3.5 Assists (-165) | Alt Line: 5+ Assists (+131)

The books still haven't caught up to Thompson's new role. J.B. Bickerstaff said in the offseason that Detroit wanted him to be more of a playmaker, and he's delivered with 5.0 assists per game, clearing 3.5 in three of four games, including eight against Charlotte on Wednesday.

Charlotte is a good playmaking matchup despite its slow pace. The Hornets turn the ball over on 16.5% of their possessions, second-highest in the league, which creates transition chances for a wing who pushes the ball as well as Thompson does. With Jalen Duren out, Detroit's half-court offense also runs more through its wings, and Thompson has been the one initiating.

He gets the Hornets again tonight. The 3.5 line is the safer play, but at plus money, the alternate 5+ assists offers strong value for a player who's averaging exactly that.

LeBron James Over 13.5 Rebounds + Assists: James has cleared this number in four of five games, and Chicago allows the most rebounds per game in the NBA while playing the fastest pace in the league.

Philadelphia plays at a slower 95.8 pace, but Chicago's 109.8 pace should drag this game up-tempo, and the Bulls' 48.8% rebound rate sits in the bottom third of the league. James is also surrounded by shooters, which turns his drives into assist chances. If Embiid sits, James will likely run more of the half-court offense, raising both his touches and his time around the rim.

With Joel Embiid questionable, James could take on an even larger share of the rebounding and playmaking. The 11.5-point spread is the main risk.

More player props we like on Monday's slate:

  • Domantas Sabonis Over 19.5 Rebounds + Assists: Sabonis is averaging 15.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists and has cleared this line in five of six games. Kings vs. Mavericks carries a 232.5 total.

 

 

 

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