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NBA Preseason Picks & Odds (Oct. 4) – Pistons vs Knicks, Pelicans vs Bulls & More

Quinn Allen

by Quinn Allen in NBA Basketball

Updated Oct 4, 2022 · 8:32 AM PDT

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine celebrates a three
Mar 21, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) gestures after forward DeMar DeRozan (11) made a three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
  • NBA Preseason continues on Tuesday, October 4, with four games on the schedule
  • The Knicks, Heat, Bulls, and Pelicans are all in action
  • Keep reading for the NBA preseason odds and picks for Tuesday’s action

NBA preseason is in full swing now, with the 2022-23 campaign just two weeks away. On Tuesday, October 4th, we have four contests across the league. The Detroit Pistons will face the New York Knicks at MSG, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves visiting Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in South Beach. Elsewhere, Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans take on the Chicago Bulls, Lastly, the Utah Jazz battle the Portland Trail Blazers in a Northwest Division matchup. Continue reading for our NBA Preseason picks and odds.

NBA Preseason Odds – Tuesday, Oct. 4

Team Moneyline Spread Over/Under
Detroit Pistons +4 (-110) +142 N/A
New York Knicks -4 (-110) -176 N/A
Team Moneyline Spread Over/Under
Minnesota Timberwolves +5 (-110) +172 N/A
Miami Heat -5 (-110) -215 N/A
Team Moneyline Spread Over/Under
New Orleans Pelicans +1.5 (-110) +100 N/A
Chicago Bulls -1.5 (-110) -122 N/A
Team Moneyline Spread Over/Under
Utah Jazz +4 (-110) +142 N/A
Portland Trail Blazers -4 (-110) -176 N/A

Odds as of Oct 4th at Fanduel Sportsbook.

The biggest spread on the board tonight is Miami -5  at home against Minnesota, while the smallest is Chicago -1.5 at home versus New Orleans. No NBA preseason totals had been posted at the time of publication.

 

 

Pick #1: Pistons vs Knicks Prediction

The Pistons and Knicks clash on Tuesday in the preseason opener for both teams. Detroit had a productive offseason, adding the likes of Jaden Ivey, who is +700 in the Rookie of the Year odds, Jalen Duren, and Bojan Bogdanovic. While they’re not ready to contend quite yet, there is a promising future ahead for the Pistons. This game will be a first glance of what the young core can do. Cade Cunningham is coming off a solid rookie campaign, averaging 17.4 points, 5.6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds. He’ll be the focal point of this offense and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against a NY defense that is far from solid, at least based on last season.

The Knicks got better this summer, signing Jalen Brunson in free agency to strengthen their backcourt, but they did miss out on Donovan Mitchell after ongoing rumors he’d land in the Big Apple. In a tough Eastern Conference, it’ll be a tall task for New York to make the playoffs but if Brunson, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett can all show out, they have a chance. All their stars will be available in this contest.

The Knicks have won eight in a row against the Pistons, covering the four-point spread in all but two meetings. There is surely going to be some rust here, but you can’t ignore the trends. Take New York to cover in our NBA Preseason picks.

Pick: Knicks -4 (-110)

Pick #2: Pelicans vs Bulls Prediction

There is a huge buzz around the Big Easy and we’ll finally see what it’s all about on Tuesday. The Pelicans were a solid team last year with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram leading the way and now they get back Zion Williamson, who is looking as fit as ever. After giving the Suns a run for their money in the first round of the playoffs in 2022, there is no telling what New Orleans can accomplish in the upcoming campaign. However, McCollum is out for this contest due to an ankle injury and Ingram is questionable with a toe issue.

The Bulls made the playoffs for the first time since 2017 last season thanks to the dominant partnership of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. They rejuvenated Chicago but their road ended quickly at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, Billy Donovan’s squad is still without Lonzo Ball, who just got another procedure done on his knee that limited the guard to 35 games a year ago. There is still promise for the Bulls though, who picked up both Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond this summer. Chi-Town has a full-strength squad for this matchup, with the exception of Ball.

The Pels would probably be a solid bet if their entire Big 3 was playing. But, with Zion expected to play limited minutes in his first game in a very long time and Ingram and McCollum unavailable, I’m liking the Bulls to cover the slim spread here.

Pick: Bulls -1.5 (-110)

 

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