NBA Top Picks Today: Bet Big on Tyrese Maxey & Zion Williamson!

On Saturday, we achieved a flawless track record in this season’s NBA Best Bets column, and I aim to maintain that momentum into Sunday’s lineup of five games.

A perfect 2-for-2 night?

SWEEP

Julius Randle O 19.5 PTS
Chris Paul O 7.5 AST

Back at it tomorrow @SI_Betting https://t.co/72jRC728qF pic.twitter.com/p7mfmWg97O

— Peter Dewey (@peterdewey2) October 27, 2024

For Sunday, four games have spreads of eight points or more, and with both the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder playing back-to-back games, we are still waiting on their injury reports.

Therefore, my focus will be on a couple of player prop bets for Sunday, particularly targeting one player who has had a high volume of play but a slow start to the 2024-25 season.

Could we be looking at another perfect 2-for-2 day?

Let’s delve into the details for the games on October 27.

Current NBA Best Bets Performance

• 2024-25 season record: 10-9-1 (-0.33 units)
• OVERALL (since 2021-22 season): 1020-954-23 (+37.76 units)

Discover Peter Dewey’s NBA betting history here (including futures). You can also track my daily bets on BetStamp.

Top NBA Picks for Today

Provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Tyrese Maxey OVER 29.5 Points (-110) – 0.5 unit
• Zion Williamson OVER 11.5 Assists and Rebounds (-120) – 0.5 unit

Tyrese Maxey OVER 29.5 Points (-110) – 0.5 unit

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey has not found his rhythm yet this season, with shooting performances of 10-for-31 and 6-for-23 from the field in the first two games, including a poor 4-for-21 from three-point range.

With Joel Embiid and Paul George sidelined, Maxey has taken on a heavy offensive load, attempting 54 shots in two games. His usage rate is a positive sign for this bet.

Last season, Maxey averaged 25.9 points per game with a 45.0 percent shooting efficiency from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc on 20.3 attempts per game. Currently, he is averaging 27 shots per game but only making 29.6 percent from the field and 19.0 percent from three. This slump is bound to turn around, making now a great time to back him, especially with Embiid and George out.

The Indiana Pacers, Maxey’s opponents, have been defensively weak, ranking 26th in the league and recently allowing over 120 points in a game against the New York Knicks. Expect Maxey to challenge the 30-point mark, even if his shooting isn’t the most efficient.

Zion Williamson OVER 11.5 Assists and Rebounds (-120) – 0.5 unit

After sitting out the New Orleans Pelicans’ season opener due to illness, Zion Williamson played 29:06 against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. He grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out seven assists, despite shooting only 4-for-15 from the field.

With Dejounte Murray sidelined due to a broken hand, Zion took on a more significant role in facilitating the offense. His performance as both a rebounder and playmaker in his season debut, finishing with a combined 18 rebounds and assists, suggests that the set line of 11.5 for Sunday’s rematch with Portland might be underestimated.

As “Point Zion” potentially reappears in the lineup until Murray’s return, Williamson is expected to continue impacting the game significantly. NBA.com’s tracking data noted that he had 17 rebound chances in his first game, and with the Pelicans lacking a true center, his presence on the boards will be crucial.

This combined assists and rebounds prop seems too low for a player of Zion’s caliber.