NBA Parlay Picks Today For Opening Night 2024-25 (Best Two-Team Over/Under Prediction)

The 2024-25 NBA season officially tips off on Tuesday with a slate of two games on national television (TNT). Three teams expected to battle for the NBA championship are playing along with the L.A. Lakers. The Lake Show will appear on national television more than any other team despite not being considered a true championship contender.

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Lakers will appear on national television 39 times, three more than the Steph Curry-led Golden State Warriors (36), and five more than the defending NBA champion Celtics (34). It’s nothing new as the Lakers have been the NBA’s media darlings for decades.

Here's what to look for on opening night, October 22.

• New York Knicks (0-0) vs. Boston Celtics (0-0)
• Time & Venue: 7:30 pm ET (TD Garden, Boston)

Spread to Take: Boston -5.5

The Skinny on a Celtics' Cover: Boston is on a mission to repeat what happened last year and that is to win the franchise’s 18th NBA title. The Celtics are a veteran club with all their rotation regulars back. On opening night for the defending champs, that is big because we all know it will be an emotional evening in Boston.

There will be a ring ceremony for the 2023-24 club, and that has to be a factor to consider. Ring ceremonies can sap a team of its game focus, but Boston coach Joe Mazzulla is confident his team can focus on the task at hand and ahead of it.

An emotional night for the home team won’t be enough to bet against a home team cover, even against a talented Knicks team that we projected in the preseason to meet the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Knicks look to find their rhythm against Celtics

It will be a new look Knicks team that traded separately for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges in off-season blockbusters and it wouldn’t surprise us if they got off to a slow offensive start. Not only that, New York will be without forward Precious Achiuwa for up to four weeks with a hamstring injury and center Mitchell Robinson is out indefinitely.

The Knicks will not only have to find their continuity and settle in their new rotation, Towns will have a lot of pressure on him on the defensive interior.

This game could have big implications down the line for two teams projected to be the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics had a record of 4-1 vs. the Knicks last season, winning the first four games and losing the last one at home. Both teams will try to send a message, but the Celtics are more equipped to win the game because they have less issues to answer on opening day.

Timberwolves face off against Lakers in season opener

• Minnesota Timberwolves (0-0) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (0-0)
• Time & Venue: 10 pm ET (Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles)

Spread to Take: Lakers +1

The Skinny on a Lakers' Cover: The Celtics have an emotional night in front of them, but so do the Los Angeles Lakers. No, they didn’t win or do anything special, but did draft LeBron James’ son Bronny James in the second round and he is on the opening night roster.

Do you think Lakers coach J.J. Redick won’t play him even one shift with Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr. in attendance? Not a chance. After, it’s the new look Lakers and a Hollywood story. It will be an incredible moment media-wise and for the NBA’s entertainment value, but it will still be a matter of winning the game.

We like the Lakers’ chances to cover because they will have the motivation to win this game, but more importantly their core returns and they don’t have much of a different team from 2023-24.

Timberwolves will have adjustments due to new line up without Karl-Anthony

That will pay dividends on a night where the Timberwolves will have an adjustment period as they break in a new lineup without Karl-Anthony Towns, who is now on the Knicks. How will Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert co-exist on the court? Will they play for long stretches together? Will Minnesota’s offense click right away?

In addition to those questions about Minnesota’s offense, how it attacks Anthony Davis will also need to be figured out. Minnesota doesn’t have a big to stretch the floor on pick and pops like it did last year. The Lakers, on the other hand, don’t want to lose this game and open up criticisms that they are catering to this historic moment too much. Redick will keep the rotation tight when it matters and LeBron James, who won’t be that megastar performer every night at 39 years old, will be on his game on Tuesday.

The Timberwolves won three of the four meetings last season, splitting the two games in Los Angeles that both were played after the NBA All-Star Game.