Best NBA Prop Bets Today (Predictions for Jaylen Brown, Giannis, Victor Wembanyama)

Breaking down the best prop bets for the NBA action on Wednesday, Oct. 22, including a pick for Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown is a great prop target on Wednesday.
Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown is a great prop target on Wednesday. / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

There’s nothing like a 12-game slate with a ton of teams playing their season opener to get NBA fans and bettors into the 2025-26 season.

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, there are 24 that will play their first game of the season, and a ton of players to consider betting on in the prop market.

Early on in the season, I’m looking to target some star players that have defined roles that may be undervalued – or overvalued – by oddsmakers coming into the campaign.

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown stands out as one of those players on Wednesday, as he’s aiming to carry a major scoring load with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) sidelined to start the season. 

Plus, Giannis Antetokounmpo finds himself in a similar situation in Milwaukee, and he has a great matchup with the Washington Wizards in the team’s opener.

Here’s a look at those props – and more – for Wednesday’s NBA action. 

Best NBA Prop Bets for Wednesday, Oct. 22

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

  • Jaylen Brown OVER 24.5 Points (-109)
  • Victor Wembanyama OVER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (+109)
  • Jalen Johnson OVER 8.5 Rebounds (-142)
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo OVER 31.5 Points (-119)

Jaylen Brown OVER 24.5 Points (-109)

Brown could walk into a massive role on opening night with the Celtics looking to replace the production of Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.

Translation: Brown is going to get all the touches he can handle.

Over his last 10 games with Tatum out of the lineup, Brown is averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. While he averaged just 22.2 points per game last season, Brown also took his fewest shots per game since the 2019-20 campaign. He did average 26.6 points per game as recently as the 2022-23 season. 

He should operate as the No. 1 option in Boston’s offense, and I expect him to see an uptick in his shots per game this season. 

Victor Wembanyama OVER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (+109)

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I’m betting on Wemby to clear this line against Dallas: 

The blood clots are gone, and Wemby is back and ready to stake his claim as an All-NBA player this season. 

Last season, Wemby averaged 3.1 made 3-pointers on 8.8 attempts per game (shooting 35.2 percent), and I expect him to be right around that volume again in the 2025-26 season – especially with De’Aaron Fox banged up. 

The former No. 1 overall pick went from taking 5.5 3-pointers per game as a rookie to 8.8 last season and his 3-point percentage improved from 32.5 percent to 35.2 percent. That’s a massive step forward for a young player attempting the 3-ball at such a high rate.

Dallas has a lot of options to defend Wemby, but I’m not sure any of them are truly going to stop him from launching 3-pointers. If anything, all the size Dallas has in its frontcourt rotation may make Wemby more prone to attacking from beyond the arc and avoiding all the shot-blockers at the rim. 

This line is a steal at plus money for a player that attempts nearly nine shots from deep per night.

Jalen Johnson OVER 8.5 Rebounds (-142)

One of the young players that I’m highest on this season is Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, and I think he’s undervalued in this matchup against Toronto. 

Last season, Johnson averaged 10.0 rebounds per game for Atlanta across 36 games, and he should still have a big role on the glass in the Hawks rotation.

Kristaps Porzingis isn’t exactly a dominant rebounder at the center spot, and Johnson should play a ton of minutes as Atlanta’s second-best player entering this season. Last season, the former first-round pick averaged 15.8 rebound chances per game.

This line is a little low, and one that bettors should take advantage of on Wednesday night. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo OVER 31.5 Points (-119)

Could an MVP season from Giannis be on the way in the 2025-26 campaign? 

He’s going to have a much bigger role as a ball-handler with Damian Lillard no longer in the fold, and I think that makes him an interesting prop target on Wednesday.

During the 2024-25 season, Antetokounmpo only played one game against Washington where he cleared 20 minutes of playing time, and he promptly dropped 42 points on 15-of-24 shooting in that game.

A ton of responsibility is going to fall on the Bucks star on the offensive end, and he’s coming off a 2024-25 season where he averaged 30.4 points per game while shooting 60.1 percent from the field. Giannis averaged the most made field goals per game in the league in the 2024-25 season.

Washington was 28th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see Giannis have a big game on opening night.


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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Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.