Best NBA Prop Bets Today (Predictions for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Haliburton, Walker Kessler and More)

The 2026-27 season is officially underway, and an exciting three-game slate on Tuesday was only the start of what’s to come.

There are a ton of great players taking the floor on Wednesday for the first time this season, from Anthony Edwards to Giannis Antetokounmpo to Steph Curry, Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant. Plus, four of the top five picks in the 2026 NBA Draft will make their first regular season appearances of their career (A.J. Dybantsa is out with an ankle injury).

Here’s a quick glance at the 22 teams in action on Wednesday, as only two teams (Cleveland and Denver) will wait until Thursday to make their season debuts:

Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Washington Wizards
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat
Charlotte Hornets vs. Brooklyn Nets
Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Indiana Pacers vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers

So, who should bettors target to kick off the season on a high note?

Each day throughout the 2026-27 NBA season, I’ll be breaking down some of my favorite player prop picks, as the prop market is one of the most exciting ways to bet on the NBA. Fans can support their favorite players, fade their least favorite stars and find some intriguing value, especially early on in the season.

There are a couple of players that I believe are undervalued in their season openers on Wednesday, including Los Angeles Lakers newcomer Walker Kessler and a two-time league MVP in Antetokounmpo.

Here’s a complete breakdown of five props for Wednesday’s action, complete with the latest odds from the best NBA betting sites.

Best NBA Prop Bets for Wednesday, Oct. 21

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Walker Kessler OVER 11.5 Points (-108)

Walker Kessler was limited to just five games in the 2025-26 season due to a shoulder injury, but he should play a massive role as the Lakers’ rim-running center in the 2026-27 campaign.

The Lakers gave up a ton of draft capital and inked Kessler to a massive contract this offseason, so I expect him to eat up minutes at the center spot and get plenty of easy lobs from Luka Doncic.

Kessler did average 14.4 points per game last season with Utah, and he had a strong showing against Golden State in the preseason, dropping 11 points in just 16 minutes of action. The Warriors don’t have a lot of size down low to deal with Kessler, especially if Steve Kerr opts to go small with Draymond Green at that spot.

For a player that seems like a sure bet to play 30-plus minutes per game this season, I love Kessler at this number.

Josh Giddey UNDER 9.5 Assists (-133)

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey averaged a career-high 9.1 assists per game in the 2026-27 season, and he has some fun new pieces on offenses in Norman Powell, Nic Claxton and No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson.

Still, I think this assists prop is a little high for Giddey against a Toronto Raptors team that had the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA last season.

Toronto allowed the second-fewest assists per game in the NBA in the 2025-26 season (24.5), and the defense may be even better this season with Kawhi Leonard in the fold.

Giddey did a lot of his work as a passer over the final month, averaging 11.1 assists over his last 15 games. While he’s a great facilitator, Giddey played two games against the Raptors, finishing with five and three dimes. I’ll gladly fade him at this price in the season opener.

Tyrese Haliburton OVER 8.5 Assists (-136)

It’s good to have Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) back and ready to go for the 2026-27 season.

The star guard averaged 9.2 or more assists per game in each of his last four seasons, leading the league in assists per game in the 2023-24 season (10.9 per game).

He has a great matchup on Wednesday against a New Orleans team that was 25th in the NBA in opponent assists per game last season.

Haliburton should remain the engine of this Indiana offense, and the addition of Ivica Zubac should give him a player to use to get some easy dimes at the cup. I’m higher on the Pacers than some entering the 2026-27 campaign, and Indiana’s uptempo style should help Hali get right to his average in this prop from the last four years.

Domantas Sabonis OVER 12.5 Rebounds (-121)

An injury limited Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis to just 19 games in the 2025-26 campaign, but I’m buying him on opening night against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Prior to last season, Sabonis had averaged over 13 boards in back-to-back seasons and at least 12 rebounds in six straight years.

The Clippers’ frontcourt has some major questions with Ivica Zubac now in Indiana, and Brook Lopez has never been an elite rebounder at the position.

The Kings are going to want to compete to avoid the relegation zone this season, which should mean a steady workload for an All-Star caliber player like Sabonis.

He’s won the rebounding title in each of his last three full seasons, and I expect him to build on that on opening night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo OVER 28.5 Points (-111)

Giannis is set to make his Miami Heat debut on Wednesday night, and I think he could have a big scoring game against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that wants to play a more uptempo style this season.

Both of these teams ranked in the top-10 in the league in pace last season, and the total in this game is all the way up at 243.5 for Wednesday’s opener.

Giannis averaged 27.6 points per game in the 2025-26 season while spending a lot of the year on a minutes limit, and he’s finished with 29 or more points per game in five of his last seven completed seasons.

So, I don’t mind taking him against a Minnesota frontcourt that is pretty thin when it comes to size after Rudy Gobert. Can the skinny Jaden McDaniels contain Giannis? Will Jonthan Kuminga get a crack at him?

I don’t love either matchup for the Wolves, and Gobert may not have the foot speed to deal with Antetokounmpo on the perimeter. I think Chris Finch has his work cut out for him in this season opener.

Plus, the Heat lack a 1A scoring option on the roster after Giannis, so he should get all the touches he can handle to open the season. The two-time MVP should be in the mix for the scoring title in the 2026-27 campaign.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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