Thursday's NBA slate is a two-game ESPN doubleheader, and our PrizePicks NBA picks pull one player from each matchup. Jared McCain comes off a 20-point opener for Oklahoma City as the Thunder host Denver, and Jaylen Brown suits up for Philadelphia's home opener against Cleveland.
Both are Higher plays, and both players already cleared these numbers in their first game of the season. Before you build your entry, check where each player lands in Fantasy Alarm's NBA DFS Projections.
PrizePicks NBA Picks Today: Thursday, 10/22; NBA DFS Projections
A two-game slate means a shorter PrizePicks board, so picking the right lines matters even more. Fantasy Alarm's NBA DFS Projections cover every player in Cavaliers-76ers and Nuggets-Thunder, so you can spot the lines priced below a player's realistic output in seconds.
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Jared McCain PrizePicks NBA Pick: Higher 9.5 Points
McCain's role is bigger this season, and he showed it right away. He scored 20 points in 22 minutes off the bench in Tuesday's 116-104 win at San Antonio, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 6-of-8 from three. His plus-20 was the best mark of anyone on the floor.
The opportunity is there for him to keep it going. Oklahoma City lost Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins this offseason, which opens up minutes and shots on the wing, and McCain is the obvious beneficiary. After Philadelphia traded him to the Thunder in February, he averaged 10.4 points in 18.0 minutes over 30 regular-season games. He also scored 10 or more points in five of seven games in the Western Conference Finals.
Denver is a matchup he's already handled. McCain scored 14, 13, and 15 points in his three games against the Nuggets after the trade, and Denver ranked 21st in defensive rating last season. The total sits at 235.5, and Oklahoma City is favored by more than seven points at home, so a comfortable lead would only mean more fourth-quarter minutes for the bench. Add McCain to your PrizePicks NBA picks at Higher 9.5 points.
Jaylen Brown PrizePicks NBA Pick: Higher 5.5 Rebounds
Brown has been a reliable rebounder for years, and his first game in a 76ers uniform looked familiar. He grabbed eight rebounds in 35 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Knicks, seven of them on the defensive end, to go with 19 points and six assists. He got there while sharing the glass with Joel Embiid and LeBron James, who pulled down 11 and nine rebounds.
His track record backs it up. Brown averaged 6.9 rebounds in 71 games for Boston last season and finished with six or more in 51 of them. He also grabbed 12 and nine rebounds in two of his three games against Cleveland, playing 38 minutes in both.
The matchup sets up well on the glass. Cleveland opens its season without Nae'Qwan Tomlin or Khalifa Diop, and Jarrett Allen is questionable with a knee issue. If Allen sits, Evan Mobley could slide to center, and the Cavaliers get smaller, which leaves more long rebounds for wings like Brown. Brown at Higher 5.5 rebounds completes our PrizePicks NBA picks.
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New to PrizePicks? You can play today's PrizePicks NBA picks with extra value on the board. Sign up with promo code ALARM, make a $5 play, and you'll get a $50 PrizePicks bonus.
Download the PrizePicks app or visit the site, create your account, and enter promo code ALARM when prompted. Make your first $5 play, whether that's McCain and Brown or your own stack from the two-game slate, and the bonus will be added to your account.
Then come back to Fantasy Alarm every day for new picks and our NBA DFS Projections all season long.