Monday’s slate runs nine games deep, and the five we’re covering tonight bring three back-to-backs and a couple of perfect starts into the spotlight.

The Minnesota Timberwolves (3-0) open the night in Cleveland against the Cavaliers (1-1) at 7 p.m. ET. Minnesota is on the second night of a back-to-back after rolling past Toronto 117-94 on Sunday, but the market has still moved toward the Wolves. Cleveland opened as a 4.5-point favorite and sits at -3.5 at FanDuel.

A half-hour later, the Boston Celtics (1-1) host the Chicago Bulls (1-2) as the biggest favorite on the board at -13.5. Chicago is coming off a 124-120 home loss to the Washington Wizards on Saturday, which makes for an uncomfortable trip into TD Garden.

The Indiana Pacers (2-1) look like their old selves with Tyrese Haliburton back from the torn Achilles that wiped out his entire 2025-26 season. He’s averaging 21.7 points and 9.7 assists through three games. Indiana is a 4.5-point road favorite against a Milwaukee Bucks team (0-3) still looking for its first win since trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami. The Pacers are also on a back-to-back after dropping 136 on Brooklyn on Sunday, though Haliburton said afterward he plans to play.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0) are 8.5-point home favorites against the Phoenix Suns (1-1), even while playing the second night of a back-to-back without Jalen Williams. Devin Booker comes in hot after putting up 43 points against Golden State on Saturday.

Those same Golden State Warriors (0-3) close the night in Denver as 7.5-point underdogs against the Nuggets (1-1). Stephen Curry is expected back after sitting out Saturday’s loss in Phoenix for rest, and the Warriors badly need him to avoid falling to 0-4.

We break down our best bets for Monday’s NBA action, including picks for Celtics vs. Bulls, Nuggets vs. Warriors, Timberwolves vs. Cavaliers, Pacers vs. Bucks, and Suns vs. Thunder. Basketball season is the perfect time to get into betting, as bet365 offers new users a special promo: Bet $10, get $200 win or lose!

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Celtics vs. Bulls odds

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Celtics vs. Bulls best bet

Chicago has had a rough time putting the ball in the basket. The Bulls are dead last in the league with a 46% effective field-goal percentage, and they’re scoring just 102 points per 100 possessions through three games. A trip to Boston isn’t the place to break out of that.

What keeps the Bulls’ scoring afloat is how fast they play. They lead the league in pace at more than 112 possessions per 48 minutes, and they get to the free-throw line about as often as anyone. Boston is the worst possible matchup for that style, though. The Celtics play at the slowest pace in the league, and they almost never give the ball away, turning it over on just 12.6% of their possessions. That takes away the live-ball turnovers and transition chances Chicago needs to get easy points.

Boston has also been excellent at protecting the rim, allowing just 37 points per game in the paint. With Jayson Tatum and Derrick White on the perimeter making life tough on Josh Giddey, the Bulls are going to be stuck in the half-court taking a lot of jumpers, and that’s where this offense has struggled most.

Chicago will get its share of trips to the line, but I don’t see enough clean looks for this young group to get to 110 at TD Garden.

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Nuggets vs. Warriors odds

Nuggets vs. Warriors best bet

Neither offense has been sharp yet. Golden State and Denver are both hovering right around a 50% effective field-goal percentage, which isn’t what you’d expect from two teams with this much shooting and playmaking.

The defenses are the bigger story here. The Warriors have been torched early, with opponents posting a 61.7% effective field-goal percentage against them, the worst mark in the league. Phoenix put up 131 on them Saturday, and the Nuggets just dropped 141 on New Orleans over the weekend. Denver hasn’t been much better on the other end, giving up 58 points per game in the paint and allowing more than 40 3-point attempts a night.

Both teams also crash the offensive glass hard, ranking inside the top four in offensive rebounding rate. Those second-chance possessions add up quickly, and with neither defense finishing plays well, there should be plenty of them.

Stephen Curry’s expected return gives the Warriors a real shot-maker again, and Nikola Jokic should have his way inside against a Golden State frontcourt that’s struggled to protect the paint. Put two leaky defenses together in Denver, and I expect both teams to find their offense.

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Timberwolves vs Cavaliers odds

Timberwolves vs Cavaliers best bet

Minnesota has been the best story in the West through the first week. The Timberwolves have covered all three games, lead the league in defensive rating at 93 points allowed per 100 possessions, and grab more than 36% of their own misses. Anthony Edwards and company have looked every bit like a contender.

This is a tough spot for them, though. Minnesota is playing the second night of a back-to-back, and this is a quick stop in Cleveland before the Wolves fly back home. Those getaway games on tired legs are where good teams tend to leave a few points on the floor.

Cleveland is also built to make Minnesota work. The Cavaliers play at the second-fastest pace in the league, and running a team that played the night before is a good way to wear them down by the fourth quarter. They also live at the free-throw line, while the Wolves rarely get there themselves, so Cleveland should have a steady source of easy points on the nights the jumpers aren’t falling.

The Cavaliers have been sloppy with the ball early, turning it over on almost 20% of their possessions, and they’ll need to clean that up against a defense this good. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 27 points per game, though, and with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen protecting the rim at home, I like Cleveland to take advantage of a Minnesota team that’s due for a flat night.

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Pacers vs Bucks odds

Pacers vs Bucks best bet

This Milwaukee team looks nothing like the one built around Giannis Antetokounmpo. With Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware in the mix under new coach Taylor Jenkins, the Bucks are playing at the third-fastest pace in the league at almost 110 possessions per 48 minutes. They’re also hoisting threes on more than 44% of their shot attempts, and all three of their games have gone over the total.

The problem is they haven’t stopped anybody while running. Milwaukee is allowing 117.4 points per 100 possessions, and they’re forcing turnovers on just 11.5% of opponent trips, the lowest rate in the league. That’s a dangerous combination against an Indiana offense that’s shooting a 58.4% effective field-goal percentage and scoring 60 points per game in the paint.

Pascal Siakam has been the big beneficiary of having Tyrese Haliburton back, averaging 24.7 points through three games, and Milwaukee doesn’t have the size inside to slow him down.

This is a big number, and the Pacers could come out a step slow on the back end of a back-to-back. Still, Milwaukee’s pace should drag Indiana into an up-and-down game, and two efficient offenses trading buckets for 48 minutes should be enough to push this into the 240s.

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Suns vs Thunder odds

Suns vs Thunder best bet

The Oklahoma City offense hasn’t clicked yet. The Thunder rank 22nd in offensive rating, are posting a 48.4% effective field-goal percentage, and have barely lived at the free-throw line. That’s a big reason all three of their games have stayed under the total.

That said, Phoenix is the right opponent to get things moving. The Suns have been the league’s worst defensive team so far, allowing 120 points per 100 possessions, and opponents are shooting a 56.2% effective field-goal percentage against them. Teams have also been comfortable letting it fly from deep, putting up 43 3-point attempts per game against Phoenix.

The Thunder should also create plenty of extra chances. They’re forcing turnovers on 20% of opponent possessions and grabbing more than 29% of their own misses, so they don’t need a great shooting night to get into the 120s. Even on the second night of a back-to-back, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company should find enough easy looks against this Phoenix defense to clear this number.

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Best NBA player props for Monday

Ajay Mitchell will have the ball in his hands plenty Monday night. Oklahoma City’s backcourt is thin, with Cason Wallace questionable, Jalen Williams out, and Nikola Topic already ruled out. That leaves Mitchell as the top option to run the offense whenever Shai Gilgeous-Alexander heads to the bench, and possibly next to him in the starting lineup if Wallace can’t go.

Mitchell has cleared this number in two of his first three games this season, including six assists in the opener. He’s also generating more than six potential assists per game, so the passing chances are there even on nights when his teammates aren’t converting.

The matchup is a good one. Phoenix has been the most generous team in the league when it comes to assists from shooting guards, and opposing guards have been finding plenty of open teammates against them. De’Anthony Melton handed out five assists against the Suns on Saturday, while Ja Morant and Damian Lillard each topped their lines when Portland played them last week.

The price is steep at -149, and Mitchell was more hit-or-miss with this line over the back half of last season. But with the extra minutes and ball-handling duties coming his way, he only needs four assists against a defense that’s been giving them up all season.

Anthony Edwards is questionable with a knee issue, and even if he plays, this is a tough spot on the second night of a back-to-back. Tired legs and a sore knee aren’t a great combination for a player who relies so much on attacking off the dribble.

Edwards has stayed under this number in two of three games this season, scoring 15 and 26 after his 45-point opener. He’s also finished under 28.5 in 18 of his last 30 games going back to last season.

Cleveland has the perimeter defenders to make him work for every look, holding opponents to a 49.7% effective field-goal percentage. I expect Edwards to settle for plenty of tough jumpers in this one.

Anthony Edwards’ knee is the big story in this game, and Jonathan Kuminga stands to benefit most if Edwards sits or plays at less than 100%. Minnesota needs someone to pick up those shots, and Kuminga is the most natural fit as a forward who can create his own offense and attack downhill.

He’s been steady to start the season, scoring 12, 11, and 13 points through three games while playing about 22 minutes a night. Sunday’s 13-point outing came with some baggage, too. Kuminga picked up two fouls in the first quarter and only played 26 minutes in a 23-point blowout of Toronto, yet he still got to the number on just eight shots. He was efficient when he did get on the floor, going 3-of-4 from the 3-point range.

Cleveland hasn’t had much luck slowing down forwards so far. Michael Porter Jr. dropped 28 points on the Cavaliers on Saturday, and the other forwards who’ve faced them have all gone over their scoring lines.

The back-to-back could cut into Minnesota’s rotation. Still, this should be a closer game than Sunday’s rout, which means more meaningful minutes for Kuminga. With a bigger role likely coming his way, 12 points is well within reach.

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