Every night of the 2025-26 NBA season gives us a fresh set of games and numbers to pick apart. This daily column digs into the best sides and totals on the board, using in-depth basketball analysis, betting trends, and our VSiN NBA betting splits to spot value. We’ll also be tackling these slates relentlessly on our live VSiN programming, which is why basketball fans should really consider a VSiN Pro subscription. Below you’ll find some NBA picks and predictions for October 22.
Detroit Pistons at Chicago Bulls – 8:00 pm ET
This total is up at 236.5 at several shops, so you can beat the number I added to the VSiN picks page Tuesday night. I understand why people might be expecting a high-scoring game here. Chicago was second in the NBA in pace of play (103.7) in 2024-25. The team was also third in three-point makes per game (15.4). Billy Donovan has really embraced a modern style of basketball since the Bulls got rid of DeMar DeRozan, and there’s no doubt his group will be trying to play fast and get up a ton of shots here. However, with Coby White out another two weeks, Chicago is missing its biggest source of firepower. White averaged 20.4 points per game and shot 37.0% on 7.9 three-point attempts per game. Losing that kind of shot-maker will make things tougher on a Bulls starting five that is already a little light on shooting.
The Pistons also happen to be coming off a season in which they finished 11th in the NBA in adjusted defensive rating (112.7), and there’s really no reason they can’t finish higher than that in 2025-26. Detroit also plays a little slower than Chicago, and there’s no reason for J.B. Bickerstaff’s team to give in and accept playing an uptempo game. The Pistons would be better off turning this into a grind-it-out game.
The Under was also 17-12 in the games the Pistons played with totals of 230 or higher last season. On top of that, it was 7-4 in the 11 home games the Bulls played with lines of +3 to -3. So when Chicago was expected to play closer games, those games didn’t really turn into track meets.
Bet: Under 234 (-110)
San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks – 9:30 pm ET
Under Jason Kidd, the Mavericks are 91-41 straight-up as home favorites. They’re also 31-27-2 against the spread in home games with lines of +3 to -3 in that time. Meanwhile, the Spurs haven’t been a good road team over the last couple of years, and they were just 13-27 SU and 17-23 ATS playing away from home last season. That said, it’ll be interesting to see how this San Antonio team responds to an insane road atmosphere in Dallas.
The Spurs will be playing without De’Aaron Fox in this one, meaning they won’t have their veteran table-setter to get everybody calmed down and organized. And while Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are crazy talented, having a very good decision-making guard will be crucial against a team like the Mavericks. Dallas’ length and athleticism on the defensive end is going to be overwhelming for opponents this season.
The Mavericks also seem better equipped than any team in the league to slow down Victor Wembanyama. The Frenchman is obviously going to do some special things this season, but Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis probably give you a better shot of stopping him than any other duo in basketball. And if San Antonio doesn’t have multiple perimeter players stepping up to help him, it’s hard to see the Spurs scoring efficiently enough to keep this one within one possession.
Also, while Dallas will be without Kyrie Irving until 2026, this should be a team that does well against opponents that aren’t very good from behind the three-point line. Well, the Spurs look like a team that will struggle from deep, so they won’t be able to out-gun a Mavericks team that is short on shooting.
Bet: Mavericks -2.5 (-105)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers – 10:00 pm ET
While I got a bad number with the Pistons-Bulls total, I got a good one playing this one on Tuesday. I’m laying 3.5 with Minnesota in a road game against Portland, hoping Anthony Edwards sheds his questionable tag and plays. If he does, this is a game in which the Wolves should be able to cover a short number against the Blazers.
Portland was a bottom-10 team in adjusted offensive rating (110.9) last season. That makes it hard to imagine the group having a productive night against a Minnesota team that was fifth in adjusted defensive rating (110.5). The Blazers will also be without Scoot Henderson for a couple of months, and that’s a player that can put significant pressure on the rim and make the Wolves miss Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija are both very good players, but the Wolves will feel comfortable throwing Edwards and Jaden McDaniels on them.
Minnesota should also be able to do enough offensively here. The Timberwolves snuck into the top-10 in adjusted offensive rating (115.7) after a miserable start to the season last year, and things should look even better in Year 2 with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
Last season, Minnesota also happened to go 10-8 ATS as a road favorite of 6 or less. Meanwhile, under Chauncey Billups, Portland is just 23-26-2 ATS as a home underdog of 6 or less.
Bet: Timberwolves -3.5 (-102)
