Staff Writer

Suns vs. Nuggets SGP predictions Oct. 25: Bet on Denver to roll, Jokic to score in +325 ticket

The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns close out Saturday’s NBA slate in the Mile High City.

The pregame narrative: Denver is a massive 13-point home favourite against what’s projected to be a bottom-feeding Phoenix squad. Nikola Jokic had an uncharacteristic outing in the Nuggets’ season opener, but he is a good pick to bounce back tonight.

Check out my Suns vs. Nuggets SGP predictions for Oct. 25, featuring Grayson Allen.

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Suns vs. Nuggets predictions

Parlay: Nuggets -9.5 | Jokic 25+ points | Allen 3+ threes (+325)

Nuggets -9.5 (-190): The Suns went all in on bringing an NBA championship to Phoenix by acquiring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal back in 2023.

It was quite the risk that didn’t work out. Durant and Beal are gone, and all Phoenix has to show for it is a pair of first-round playoff series wins.

Now, Devin Booker leads a ragtag group of journeyman, and the Suns are -1,250 to miss the playoffs.

-> Bet on NBA futures at NorthStar Bets

Denver is still in its championship window and should smash Phoenix tonight.

The Nuggets had the second-best offensive rating (120.4) and the ninth-best net rating (+5.4) at home last season. They won both home games against the Suns by a combined 25 points.

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NBA SGP legs

Jokic 25+ points (-230): It says something about Jokic’s skill level that I can call a 21-point triple-double a “bad game.” But when you’re a three-time MVP, expectations change.

Jokic went 8-for-23 from the floor and 2-for-13 from deep in that contest, which is a true anomaly given his career 55.9 FG%.

-> Bet on Nikola Jokic to fill the basket against Phoenix

He still was only four points off this total, though, and that’s a good sign.

Phoenix acquired defensive stalwart Mark Williams at centre, but Jokic scored 28 points against him in a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets last year.

Allen 3+ threes (-124): Allen is one of the league’s best 3-point shooters, boasting a career 41.4% percentage from deep.

He shot 46.1% from 3-point land in his last full season as a starter, draining 2.7 threes on 5.9 attempts per night. With Durant and Beal out of the picture, I expect a much higher volume from Allen.

He went 3-for-8 from deep in Phoenix’s season opener.

Suns vs. Nuggets predictions made at 12:40 p.m. ET 10/25/2025.

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Best NBA prop bets Oct. 25: Fade Trae Young, back Jamal Murray and Tyrese Maxey

I’m targeting a trio of big-name point guards in Saturday’s NBA prop bets.

The latest: Tyrese Maxey is the alpha dog on the Philadelphia 76ers, at least for the time being, and has a great matchup to fill the basket. Elsewhere, Trae Young has had a rough start to the season and is worth fading against the defensively stout Oklahoma City Thunder.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Oct. 25, featuring a pick on Denver’s Jamal Murray.

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NBA prop bets

Best bet: Maxey over 27.5 points (-120)

I think it’s fair to wonder if Joel Embiid’s run as an elite scorer is over.

He averaged just 23.8 PPG in 19 games last season, a 10-point dip from his previous two campaigns. Injuries have crippled The Process, who is already on a minutes restriction to start the season.

Embiid scored just four points in 20 minutes against the Boston Celtics in his opener.

All of that is to say, Maxey is the captain for now. The dynamic point guard is an elite bucket-getter and will be asked to do the majority of the damage until Embiid is fully healthy (if that will ever happen is another topic).

-> Bet on Tyrese Maxey to torch the Hornets

Maxey went off for 40 points on 13-of-24 shooting against the Celtics, playing a team-high 41 minutes in the victory.

He has another great opportunity to fill up the stat sheet against the hapless Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte gave up the seventh-most PPG to opposing point guards last season, according to Fantasy Pros.

Key stat: Maxey has averaged 29.4 PPG in his last five games against Charlotte, scoring 30+ points three times.

Best NBA picks

Young under 24.5 points (-118): I think it’s time to admit Young is just not an elite shooter.

He’s shot below 45% from the field in the last three seasons, and his 35.7% career 3-point percentage isn’t anything special.

-> Fade Young against the Thunder at NorthStar Bets

The Atlanta Hawks point guard has been a mess to start this season, shooting 12-for-32 from the field (37.5%) and 2-for-13 from deep (15.4%).

He’s scored 22 of his 47 points at the free throw line.

I can’t picture him getting right against the Thunder, who owned the league’s best defensive rating last season.

OKC also gave up the second-fewest PPG to opposing point guards.

Murray over 20.5 points (-118): I backed Kawhi Leonard to clear this exact number against the Phoenix Suns last night, and he came through with 27 points.

Why am I telling you this? Murray is also playing the Suns, and should be able to exploit a similar weakness in Phoenix’s mid-range defence.

Leonard ranked in the 95th percentile or greater in mid-range shot frequency in each of the previous six seasons, per Cleaning the Glass.

Murray is right there with him, ranking in the 80th percentile or greater in six straight seasons.

Phoenix ranked 22nd in mid-range defence last year and is currently 19th.

Murray dropped 25 points in his first game of the season, and only five of those came on non-two points (one 3, two free throws).

This seems like a great matchup for the Canadian to stay hot.

NBA prop picks made at 11:09 a.m. ET on 10/25/2025.

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Best NBA prop bets Oct. 25: Fade Trae Young, back Jamal Murray and Tyrese Maxey

I’m targeting a trio of big-name point guards in Saturday’s NBA prop bets.

The latest: Tyrese Maxey is the alpha dog on the Philadelphia 76ers, at least for the time being, and has a great matchup to fill the basket. Elsewhere, Trae Young has had a rough start to the season and is worth fading against the defensively stout Oklahoma City Thunder.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Oct. 25, featuring a pick on Denver’s Jamal Murray.

-> Join NorthStar Bets and start betting on the NBA today!

NBA prop bets

Best bet: Maxey over 26.5 points (-118)

I think it’s fair to wonder if Joel Embiid’s run as an elite scorer is over.

He averaged just 23.8 PPG in 19 games last season, a 10-point dip from his previous two campaigns. Injuries have crippled The Process, who is already on a minutes restriction to start the season.

Embiid scored just four points in 20 minutes against the Boston Celtics in his opener.

All of that is to say, Maxey is the captain for now. The dynamic point guard is an elite bucket-getter and will be asked to do the majority of the damage until Embiid is fully healthy (if that will ever happen is another topic).

-> Bet on Tyrese Maxey to torch the Hornets

Maxey went off for 40 points on 13-of-24 shooting against the Celtics, playing a team-high 41 minutes in the victory.

He has another great opportunity to fill up the stat sheet against the hapless Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte gave up the seventh-most PPG to opposing point guards last season, according to Fantasy Pros.

Key stat: Maxey has averaged 29.4 PPG in his last five games against Charlotte, scoring 30+ points three times.

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Best NBA picks

Young under 24.5 points (-113): I think it’s time to admit Young is just not an elite shooter.

He’s shot below 45% from the field in the last three seasons, and his 35.7% career 3-point percentage isn’t anything special.

-> Fade Young against the Thunder at NorthStar Bets

The Atlanta Hawks point guard has been a mess to start this season, shooting 12-for-32 from the field (37.5%) and 2-for-13 from deep (15.4%).

He’s scored 22 of his 47 points at the free throw line.

I can’t picture him getting right against the Thunder, who owned the league’s best defensive rating last season.

OKC also gave up the second-fewest PPG to opposing point guards.

Murray over 20.5 points (-121): I backed Kawhi Leonard to clear this exact number against the Phoenix Suns last night, and he came through with 27 points.

Why am I telling you this? Murray is also playing the Suns, and should be able to exploit a similar weakness in Phoenix’s mid-range defence.

Leonard ranked in the 95th percentile or greater in mid-range shot frequency in each of the previous six seasons, per Cleaning the Glass.

Murray is right there with him, ranking in the 80th percentile or greater in six straight seasons.

Phoenix ranked 22nd in mid-range defence last year and is currently 19th.

Murray dropped 25 points in his first game of the season, and only five of those came on non-two points (one 3, two free throws).

This seems like a great matchup for the Canadian to stay hot.

NBA prop picks made at 11:09 a.m. ET on 10/25/2025.

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Dodgers vs. Blue Jays Game 2 World Series picks: Bet on Toronto’s bats, make prop bets on Barger and Betts

The World Series continues in Toronto on Saturday as the Blue Jays look to build off a dominant Game 1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The pregame narrative: Toronto had 14 hits and three home runs in an 11-4 victory on Friday, and is now tasked with cracking Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has been stellar this postseason. The Jays are a slight home underdog with their own ace, Kevin Gausman, on the bump.

Check out my Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks for Game 2 of the World Series, featuring prop predictions on Mookie Betts and Addison Barger.

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Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks

Best bet: Blue Jays over 3.5 runs (+110)

Yoshinobu has allowed just four runs over 19.2 postseason innings, equating to a sparkling 1.83 ERA.

That came after an epic regular season, where the Japanese fireballer posted the fourth-best ERA (2.46) and sixth-best WHIP (0.99) in the majors.

But Toronto’s offence doesn’t discriminate, and I’m expecting another outburst from a group that has hammered nearly every pitcher it’s faced in the playoffs so far.

Check out how the Jays stack up offensively against every other playoff team.

1st in runs per game (6.83)
1st in batting average (.305)
1st in OPS (.900)
1st in home runs (23)

-> See all Game 2 player props at NorthStar Bets

Blake Snell was on a legendary run heading into Friday’s matchup, posting a 0.68 ERA with a 12.6 K/9 rate in his previous six starts.

The Jays hammered him for five earned runs off eight hits in 5.0 IP with just four strikeouts.

For as good as Yamamoto has been, Toronto’s bats have been better.

Key stat: Toronto is 9-3 against this line in the postseason.

-> Bet on the Blue Jays to win the World Series

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World Series best bets

Barger to record a hit (-130): Barger sent the Rogers Centre into frenzy with a towering grand slam in the sixth inning on Friday. It was the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history.

ADDISON BARGER
PINCH-HIT
GRAND SLAM#WORLDSERIES pic.twitter.com/REg58MNosp
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2025

More fireworks would be nice, but this bet simply asks the lefty bat to record a hit. That’s something he’s done in six straight starts.

Barger is batting .421 in that span with just two strikeouts.

Yamamoto has a pretty spotless record across the board, but I like Barger’s chances of staying hot at these odds.

-> Bet on Barger and Betts in the World Series !

Betts over 1.5 bases (+120): I expect Los Angeles’ offence to do some damage on Saturday, and Betts is a good name to deliver some pop.

The veteran is batting .289 in the postseason after coming alive with a .299/.343/557 slash line in September.

He’s also seen a ton of Gausman, going 16-for-51 against the righty with a double and three home runs. Betts’ .362 xBA and .564 xSLG indicate he’s actually gotten a little unlucky in those at-bats.

He also only has a 10.7% K rate against Gausman, which gives me confidence that the ball will get put in play.

Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks made at 9 a.m. ET on 10/24/2025.

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Dodgers vs. Blue Jays Game 2 World Series picks: Back Toronto’s bats, make prop bets on Barger and Betts

The World Series continues in Toronto on Saturday as the Blue Jays look to build off a dominant Game 1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The pregame narrative: Toronto had 14 hits and three home runs in an 11-4 victory on Friday, and is now tasked with cracking Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has been stellar this postseason. The Jays are a slight home underdog with their own ace, Kevin Gausman, on the bump.

Check out my Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks for Game 2 of the World Series, featuring prop predictions on Mookie Betts and Addison Barger.

-> Join NorthStar Bets and bet on the Blue Jays today!

Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks

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Best bet: Blue Jays over 3.5 runs (+106)

Yoshinobu has allowed just four runs over 19.2 postseason innings, equating to a sparkling 1.83 ERA.

That came after an epic regular season, where the Japanese fireballer posted the fourth-best ERA (2.46) and sixth-best WHIP (0.99) in the majors.

But Toronto’s offence doesn’t discriminate, and I’m expecting another outburst from a group that has hammered nearly every pitcher it’s faced in the playoffs so far.

Check out how the Jays stack up offensively against every other playoff team.

1st in runs per game (6.83)
1st in batting average (.305)
1st in OPS (.900)
1st in home runs (23)

-> See all Game 2 player props at NorthStar Bets

Blake Snell was on a legendary run heading into Friday’s matchup, posting a 0.68 ERA with a 12.6 K/9 rate in his previous six starts.

The Jays hammered him for five earned runs off eight hits in 5.0 IP with just four strikeouts.

For as good as Yamamoto has been, Toronto’s bats have been better.

Key stat: Toronto is 9-3 against this line in the postseason.

-> Bet on the Blue Jays to win the World Series

Embed: #120049

World Series best bets

Barger to record a hit (-120): Barger sent the Rogers Centre into frenzy with a towering grand slam in the sixth inning on Friday. It was the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history.

ADDISON BARGER
PINCH-HIT
GRAND SLAM#WORLDSERIES pic.twitter.com/REg58MNosp
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2025

More fireworks would be nice, but this bet simply asks the lefty bat to record a hit. That’s something he’s done in six straight starts.

Barger is batting .421 in that span with just two strikeouts.

Yamamoto has a pretty spotless record across the board, but I like Barger’s chances of staying hot at these odds.

-> Bet on Barger and Betts in the World Series!

Betts over 1.5 bases (+108): I expect Los Angeles’ offence to do some damage on Saturday, and Betts is a good name to deliver some pop.

The veteran is batting .289 in the postseason after coming alive with a .299/.343/557 slash line in September.

He’s also seen a ton of Gausman, going 16-for-51 against the righty with a double and three home runs. Betts’ .362 xBA and .564 xSLG indicate he’s actually gotten a little unlucky in those at-bats.

He also only has a 10.7% K rate against Gausman, which gives me confidence that the ball will get put in play.

Dodgers vs. Blue Jays picks made at 9 a.m. ET on 10/24/2025.

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Packers vs. Steelers Week 8 Sunday Night Football picks: Bet on Pittsburgh’s offence, Warren to cook

This week’s Sunday Night Football matchup features all the drama, as Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Green Bay Packers.

The pregame narrative: Rodgers can become the fifth QB in NFL history to beat all 32 teams with a victory over his old squad. His Steelers are a slim 3-point home underdog, as they look to shake off a Week 7 divisional loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Check out my Packers vs. Steelers picks for Oct. 26, featuring a prop bet on Jaylen Warren.

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Packers vs. Steelers picks

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Best Bet: Steelers over 21.5 points (-108)

Pittsburgh has eked its way into the playoffs over the last few seasons with an elite defence and a horrible offence.

So it’s a bit of a surprise to see those roles reversed with a 41-year-old Rodgers at the helm.

The Steelers are averaging 25.0 PPG (11th in the NFL) and sit eighth in EPA per play, per RBSDM.com.

They had one stinker in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, but have cleared this line in three of four games since, while landing on 21 in the outlier.

Rodgers is slinging it, entering the week tied for fifth in passing touchdowns (14). That’s just two shy of Russell Wilson’s total output with the team from last season.

-> Bet on Rodgers against the Packers

Green Bay’s defence is fearsome with Micah Parsons, no doubt, but I haven’t been wholly impressed with that unit at the moment.

The Packers just gave up 23 points to the Jacoby Brissett-led Arizona Cardinals, and got 40-pieced by the Dallas Cowboys two weeks before that.

With an extra few days to prepare, I expect Pittsburgh to have devised a solid game plan.

Key stat: Pittsburgh is 4-2 against this line.

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Sunday Night Football prop pick

Warren over 56.5 rushing yards (-114): Green Bay gives up the second-fewest rushing yards per game at the fourth-lowest yards per carry, so this is far from a great matchup for Warren.

But Pittsburgh loves to run the football and is very good at it.

The Steelers’ offence ranks fourth in EPA per rush and eighth in rush success rate. Warren has really been able to get things going in the past two weeks behind a healthy offensive line.

Week 6 vs. Browns: 11 carries for 52 yards (4.7 YPC)
Week 7 @ Bengals: 16 carries for 127 yards (7.9 YPC)

-> Don’t miss out — Bet on Sunday Night Football!

The sooner Arthur Smith and Co. realize that Warren, not Kenneth Gainwell, should get all the touches, the better. I’m hoping last week’s outburst helps guide them to that rational conclusion.

Three of the last four starting RBs to face Green Bay have cleared this light line.

Packers vs. Steelers picks made at 3:35 p.m. ET 10/24/2025.

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Best NBA prop bets Oct. 24: Back Wembanyama, Simons and Leonard on Friday

I’m targeting three big names from Friday’s jam-packed NBA slate to produce on the prop market.

The latest: Victor Wembanyama had an outrageous season debut and is in a good spot to keep things rolling on the glass. Elsewhere, look for Anfernee Simons to produce for the Boston Celtics and Kawhi Leonard to clear a relatively light point total.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Oct. 24

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NBA prop bets

Best bet: Simons over 2.5 threes (-118)

I think it’s only a matter of time before we see Simons’ nightly 3-point line move to 3.5.

The long-time Portland Trail Blazer was traded to the Celtics for Jrue Holiday this offseason, and he’s expected to bring immediate offence to the squad with Jayson Tatum sidelined.

Simons averaged north of 3.0 threes per game in each of his last four years in Portland. In that span, he attempted 8.5 threes a night and shot 38.1% from deep. Pretty darn good.

-> Bet on Anfernee Simons to light up the Knicks from deep

Boston relies on the deep ball more than any team in the NBA — attempting a league-high 47.2 threes per game last year — so it’s no surprise that GM Brad Stevens had Simons in his sights.

Simons did come off the bench in his Celtics debut, but he was one of four Celtics to log 30-plus minutes. That tells me he’s going to get plenty of run on a nightly basis.

New York had an awful perimeter defence last year, so this seems like a good matchup for Simons to exploit.

Key stat: The Knicks had the ninth-worst 3-point defence in the NBA last year (36.4%).

Best NBA picks

Wembanyama over 11.5 rebounds (-143): Wembanyama spent the offseason training with Hakeem Olajuwon, and it looks like The Dream created a nightmare.

Wemby exploded for 40 points and 15 rebounds in his 2025-26 debut, doing the vast majority of his damage from inside the 3-point line (14-for-19 from 2-point range).

His 28.5-point total intrigues me, but I want to tap into his rebounding abilities tonight.

At 7-foot-4, Wembanyama is a matchup headache for any team.

-> Bet on Wemby to clear his rebound total at NorthStar Bets

The New Orleans Pelicans have Zion Williamson, of course, but he only stands at 6-foot-6. They also have some injury concerns at centre with Kevin Looney (knee) out and Yves Missi (ankle) questionable.

Wembanyama has averaged 12.3 rebounds in four starts against NOLA, with at least 10 rebounds in each of those contests.

I think he’s due for another monster night on the glass.

Leonard over 20.5 points (-130): Leonard had a muted season debut, scoring 10 points on 3-for-9 shooting as the Los Angeles Clippers got blown out by the Utah Jazz.

He only played 29 minutes in that matchup, though, and I like his chances of being more active in a closer game against the Phoenix Suns tonight.

Leonard is a mid-range assassin. He ranked in the 95th percentile or greater in mid-range shot frequency in each of the previous six seasons, per Cleaning the Glass.

Phoenix struggled to defend that area of the court last year (22nd in mid-range defence), and I don’t think picking up Dillon Brooks will make much of a difference.

Leonard scored 26 and 28 points in his last two games against Brooks when he was on the Rockets, anyway.

NBA prop picks made at 11:30 a.m. ET on 10/24/2025.

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Maple Leafs vs. Sabres prop picks Oct. 24: Back Knies and Thompson to clear their shot totals

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres kick off their home-and-home south of the border on Friday Night at KeyBank Center.

The pregame narrative: Toronto hasn’t had a great start by any means, but the team is favoured on the road against a perennially bad Buffalo team. Both teams have given up plenty of chances so far, making the over on Matthew Knies and Tage Thompson’s shot totals compelling.

Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks for the Battle of the QEW game on Oct. 24.

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Maple Leafs picks vs. Sabres

Best bet: Knies over 2.5 shots (+150)

This feels like a steal given Knies’ form and the team he’s playing against.

The American winger made a name for himself last season riding shotgun with Auston Matthews on Toronto’s top line. He was there for the first seven games this season, but Craig Berube is doing a major shakeup tonight.

Knies is projected to skate on the second line with John Tavares and Matias Maccelli, while Bobby McMann and William Nylander are slated to play alongside Matthews.

-> Bet on Matthew Knies to score tonight!

If anything, I think that could be a plus for Knies’ shot production. Keep in mind that Matthews was the go-to scoring threat on that first line.

While playing with Matthews and on Toronto’s top power play (where he still remains), Knies went 5-2 agianst this line while averaging 2.57 shots a night.

Tavares has logged 17:29 of ice time per game, so Knies should still have ample chances to throw pucks on net against the Sabres’ awful defence from Line 2.

Key stat: On a 6-minute basis, Buffalo is allowing the second-most shot attempts (68.14) and shots (33.14), per Natural Stat Trick.

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Best NHL prop predictions

Thompson over 3.5 shots (+100): Thompson is one of the only reliable players on the Sabres. He’s coming off a 44-goal season where he led the team in several key offensive metrics:

1st in shot attempts per 60 (21.3)
1st in shots per 60 (10.2)
1st in points per 60 (3.03)

The American is back leading the team in shot attempts (29.15) and shots (12.11) on a 60-minute basis. He has gone over this mark in four of seven games.

-> Don’t miss out — Bet on Maple Leafs vs. Sabres prop markets

Toronto ranks around the middle of the league in terms of shots and chances allowed so far. But last year, the Leafs were among the worst teams in shot attempts allowed per game.

With Toronto’s entire defensive corps back in the mix, and a year older, I’m more inclined to put stock into last year’s numbers.

Thompson should be able to make noise tonight.

Maple Leafs picks made at 12:30 p.m. ET 10/24/2025.

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Best NBA prop bets Oct. 24: Back Wembanyama, Simons and Leonard on Friday

I’m targeting three big names from Friday’s jam-packed NBA slate to produce on the prop market.

The latest: Victor Wembanyama had an outrageous season debut and is in a good spot to keep things rolling on the glass. Elsewhere, look for Anfernee Simons to produce for the Boston Celtics and Kawhi Leonard to clear a relatively light point total.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Oct. 24

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NBA prop bets

Best bet: Simons over 2.5 threes (-108)

I think it’s only a matter of time before we see Simons’ nightly 3-point line move to 3.5.

The long-time Portland Trail Blazer was traded to the Celtics for Jrue Holiday this offseason, and he’s expected to bring immediate offence to the squad with Jayson Tatum sidelined.

Simons averaged north of 3.0 threes per game in each of his last four years in Portland. In that span, he attempted 8.5 threes a night and shot 38.1% from deep. Pretty darn good.

-> Bet on Anfernee Simons to light up the Knicks from deep

Boston relies on the deep ball more than any team in the NBA — attempting a league-high 47.2 threes per game last year — so it’s no surprise that GM Brad Stevens had Simons in his sights.

Simons did come off the bench in his Celtics debut, but he was one of four Celtics to log 30-plus minutes. That tells me he’s going to get plenty of run on a nightly basis.

New York had an awful perimeter defence last year, so this seems like a good matchup for Simons to exploit.

Key stat: The Knicks had the ninth-worst 3-point defence in the NBA last year (36.4%).

Embed: #120031

Best NBA picks

Wembanyama over 12.5 rebounds (-104): Wembanyama spent the offseason training with Hakeem Olajuwon, and it looks like The Dream created a nightmare.

Wemby exploded for 40 points and 15 rebounds in his 2025-26 debut, doing the vast majority of his damage from inside the 3-point line (14-for-19 from 2-point range).

His 28.5-point total intrigues me, but I want to tap into his rebounding abilities tonight.

At 7-foot-4, Wembanyama is a matchup headache for any team.

-> Bet on Wemby to clear his rebound total at NorthStar Bets

The New Orleans Pelicans have Zion Williamson, of course, but he only stands at 6-foot-6. They also have some injury concerns at centre with Kevin Looney (knee) out and Yves Missi (ankle) questionable.

Wembanyama has averaged 12.3 rebounds in four starts against NOLA, with at least 10 rebounds in each of those contests.

I think he’s due for another monster night on the glass.

Leonard over 21.5 points (-113): Leonard had a muted season debut, scoring 10 points on 3-for-9 shooting as the Los Angeles Clippers got blown out by the Utah Jazz.

He only played 29 minutes in that matchup, though, and I like his chances of being more active in a closer game against the Phoenix Suns tonight.

Leonard is a mid-range assassin. He ranked in the 95th percentile or greater in mid-range shot frequency in each of the previous six seasons, per Cleaning the Glass.

Phoenix struggled to defend that area of the court last year (22nd in mid-range defence), and I don’t think picking up Dillon Brooks will make much of a difference.

Leonard scored 26 and 28 points in his last two games against Brooks when he was on the Rockets, anyway.

NBA prop picks made at 11:30 a.m. ET on 10/24/2025.

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Best NHL anytime goal picks Oct. 23: Back Pastrnak and Caufield on Thursday

David Pastrnak headlines Thursday’s NHL goal picks.

The pregame narrative: The Boston Bruins have lost five straight games, but Pastrnak has been an offensive force during that stretch. I like the former Rocket Richard winner to capitalize on a cushy matchup against the Anaheim Ducks.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for Oct. 23, featuring a pick on Cole Caufield.

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NHL anytime goal picks

Best Bet: Pastrnak to score a goal (+105)

Pastrnak has been the model of consistency as far as NHL goalscorers go.

He’s netted at least 40 goals in each of the last five full seasons, winning the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2021-22 with 61 goals.

Today’s Bruins are much worse for wear than those Bruins, but Pastrnak has still found ways to produce.

Pastrnak has four goals and 10 points through eight games.

He’s leading the Bruins in shot attempts (72), shots (31), scoring chances (23) and xG (3.34), according to Natural Stat Trick.

-> Bet on David Pastrnak to score tonight!

Boston should get back in the win column tonight at home against Anaheim.

The Ducks are starting backup netminder Petr Mrazek, who gave up six goals on 23 shots to the San Jose Sharks in his lone start this year.

Last season, Mrazek ranked 52nd in GAA (3.35) and 44th in SV% (.891) among qualified goaltenders.

Key stat: Anaheim is allowing the most high-danger chances per 60 (13.18) since the start of last season.

Embed: #120014

NHL predictions

Caufield to score a goal (+155): Caufield is off to a great start for the Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens, scoring five goals in eight games.

The American winger plays top-line minutes alongside Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, and he leads Montreal in shot attempts (39) and xG (3.29).

Edmonton is a strong defensive team, but it has a serious problem in goal that wasn’t addressed this offseason.

-> Back Cole Caufield against the Edmonton Oilers

Calvin Pickard is between the pipes tonight, and he has an .865 SV% through two games. You could say it’s only two games, but Pickard ranked 67th in goals saved above expected on a 60-minute basis last year, per MoneyPuck.

Caufield and the Canadiens should be licking their chops tonight.

NHL anytime goal picks made at 3 p.m. ET on 10/23/2025.

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