NBA Opening Night: Best Player Prop Bets Today (10/21)
Paul Connor
Host · Writer
Basketball is back baby!
The 2025-26 NBA season tips off tonight with a compelling two-game doubleheader featuring four of the Western Conference’s most prominent franchises.
The action begins with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting a radically reconfigured Houston Rockets team. This matchup is layered with narrative, as it marks Kevin Durant’s official debut with the Rockets in the very arena he called home for so many years, on the night the Thunder are set to receive their championship rings.
The nightcap features a marquee showdown as Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers host Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Los Angeles will be without superstar LeBron James, who is expected to miss the first month of the season due to a sciatica injury.
With the stage set, here are my top player prop bets for each contest:
HOU C Steven Adams 8+ Rebounds (+112, DraftKings) @ OKC Thunder
Following the season-ending ACL injury to point guard Fred VanVleet, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has opted to roll with a jumbo lineup of Amen Thompson, Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, and Steven Adams anchoring the middle.
The focus of this prop is Adams, who averaged 5.6 rebounds in just 13.7 minutes per game last season and is undoubtedly looking at a larger workload with his elevation to the starting five.
As terrific as the Thunder were in their 2024-25 championship season, rebounding was a clear weakness, as OKC allowed the third-most boards per game to opponents. One of the strongest players in the league, Adams should be able to bully his way to a productive night on the glass.
LAL PF Rui Hachimura 13+ Points (-107, DraftKings) vs. Golden State Warriors
With LeBron sidelined, the Lakers will need other players to step up offensively, and Rui Hachimura is a prime candidate to do so.
Hachimura was a reliable and efficient scorer for LA last season, averaging 13.1 PPG on 50.9% from the field. He also finished the year on a high note, posting back-to-back 23-point games in the Lakers’ first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Tonight’s matchup is favorable, as Golden State allowed the ninth-most points per game to opposing power forwards last season, positioning Hachimura for a strong start offensively.
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