The start of the 2024-25 NBA season is officially here. We have been waiting for this moment for quite some time, but we haven’t just been sitting on our butts. A couple of weeks ago, we dropped the 2024-25 VSiN NBA Betting Guide, complete with previews of all 30 teams, general NBA betting strategies and some of our favorite season-long futures. Make sure you check that out for some fantastic work from Jonathan Von Tobel, who writes up his best bets daily, and Kelley Bydlon, who constantly dishes out NBA picks as co-host of A Numbers Game. However, now that the real games are starting, you can expect a lot of NBA content from me. I’ll be giving out NBA best bets and player props as often as possible, and I’ll also occasionally write up features on big news that shakes up the league. With that in mind, let’s get into some NBA best bets and NBA player props for Friday, October 25th.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on October 25th
NBA Best Bets Today – October 25th
Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks – 8:00 pm ET
Chicago’s first game of the year wasn’t as ugly as it looked. The Bulls were right there with the Pelicans for three quarters, but they lost the third quarter by 11. That ultimately did them in. And they really shot poorly in the game. According to Cleaning the Glass, Chicago shot 27.3% from 3 on non-heaves, and the team made just 40.0% of its mid-range shots. Against a worse defensive team, I’d expect the Bulls to see a nice bump in their percentages.
I like that Chicago has a legitimate stretch five. Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez is one of the best defensive centers in the league, and pulling him away from the basket is a great way to attack this Bucks defense. So, if Nikola Vucevic is knocking down jumpers, the Bulls should have some opportunities to go to the basket. And there are a bunch of players on this team that can use the space. Milwaukee also doesn’t have the perimeter defenders required to defend guys like Coby White and Zach LaVine.
Of course, the Bulls also have to defend the Bucks. And doing that without Lonzo Ball, who is missing this game to rest his knee, won’t be easy. Ball is one of the only willing defenders for this Chicago team. But the Bulls can do a lot of good by just cleaning some things up from last game. Chicago had 21 turnovers against New Orleans, and the Pelicans scored 30 points off those turnovers — and 29 total points on fast breaks. The Bulls needs to be better about getting back in transition, and that’s the type of thing that can usually be fixed with a spirited film session.
It’s also hard not to like that Chicago is 27-15 against the spread as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points under Billy Donovan. Meanwhile, Milwaukee is just 7-9 ATS as a home favorite under Doc Rivers. The team is also 1-4 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points. This is a sweet spot for the Bulls and a blind spot for the Bucks.
Bet: Bulls +10 (-118 – 1.5 units)
NBA Player Props Today – October 25th
Charlotte Hornets at Atlanta Hawks – 7:30 pm ET
Onyeka Okongwu was a monster in Atlanta’s win over Brooklyn the other night. In 28 minutes, the 23-year-old had 28 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. He was also 11 for 12 from the field. And while I don’t necessarily think Okongwu will go for 20 or more against the Hornets, I do think his point total is a little too low. Clint Capela is the starting center for the Hawks right now, but the 30-year-old is rapidly approaching “washed” territory. Quin Snyder clearly saw that Okongwu was a better fit with the first unit in the opening game, and it’s only a matter of time before he permanently makes that switch. But until he does, I wouldn’t be surprised if Capela struggles to reach the 30-minute mark, while Okongwu plays at least 25 minutes each night.
If Okongwu does play a decent amount here, I just can’t imagine him not reaching the 12-point mark. Part of the reason I’m so high on the Hornets this season is because of Mark Williams, who is currently out with a foot injury. Williams is an awesome rim protector. His backup, Nick Richards, is the furthest thing from that. So, Okongwu really shouldn’t have much of a problem scoring around the basket here. The guards just need to feed him. Opponents shot 67.8% at the rim against Charlotte last season. That was one of the worst marks in basketball.
Bet: Okongwu Over 11.5 Points (-120)
Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:30 pm ET
Evan Mobley was remarkable in Cleveland’s blowout win over Toronto on Wednesday. The big man had 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in 27 minutes of action. One of head coach Kenny Atkinson’s main goals this season is to unlock Mobley’s offensive potential. He wants the big man to stretch his game out to the 3-point line, and he also wants him to be more aggressive as a scorer. Well, we saw a glimpse of that in the first game of the season, and there’s no reason not to trust Mobley to score at least 16 here.
The Pistons should be improved defensively this season, as they actually have former Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff running the show now. Bickerstaff is a great defensive coach. However, I’m not sure anybody on this team can slow Mobley down. The former USC center is a little too quick for Jalen Duren, and he’s too tall for Tobias Harris. We actually just saw Indiana’s bigs feast against Detroit, with Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam combining for 39 points on 15 of 29 shooting. Even James Wiseman had six points in five minutes before tearing his Achilles. That said, let’s go to Mobley in this spot. It’s Cleveland’s home opener and he’ll want to show the fans that he’s worth the big raise he got in the offseason.
Bet: Mobley Over 15.5 Points (-120 – 1.5 units)
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers – 10:00 pm ET
Tyus Jones played well in his first game with the Suns, finishing with 11 points, eight assists and zero turnovers in 35 minutes. While Phoenix heavily features Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the ball, Jones is going to have the ball in his hands a lot. And he proved that he can be a difference-maker for this team in the opener, making great decisions in the overtime win over the Clippers. That said, I think the Over on Jones’ assist props could be profitable early in the year — especially when they’re being listed at plus-money odds.
Not only did Jones clear tonight’s number in the opener, but he also had 11 potential assists. So, some food was left on the table. I also think that the entire Suns game plan was disrupted by the Clippers being an exceptional team when it comes to perimeter defense. That forced Phoenix to just get the ball up the floor and put the ball in Durant’s hands quickly. I’d expect tonight to look very different, with Jones getting more opportunities to do what he does best.
Jones also saw the Lakers twice in the preseason and averaged 5.5 assists per game in 22.0 minutes per game. With 30 or more minutes of playing time, he should get to seven.
Bet: Jones Over 6.5 Assists (+105)
Added Plays
Rockets ML (-149) vs. Grizzlies
5-POINT TEASER: Knicks ML vs. Pacers & Jazz +8.5 vs. Warriors (+100 – 1.5 units)
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2024-25 NBA Record: 3-8 (-5.30 units)
