The NBA regular season is officially underway, featuring an exciting schedule of 12 games on Wednesday. Key matchups include the Philadelphia 76ers facing off against the Boston Celtics at 7 p.m. ET. The Celtics dominated last season with a record of 61-21, while the 76ers struggled with a 24-58 record, missing out on the playoffs altogether. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Celtics enter this game as 2.5-point favorites, with an Over/Under set at 227.5.
As the evening progresses, the Los Angeles Clippers will visit the Utah Jazz for a 9 p.m. ET tip-off, while the San Antonio Spurs will take on the Dallas Mavericks at 9:30 p.m. ET. Bettors can find value in an NBA parlay at DraftKings that includes picks for the Celtics, Mavericks, Clippers, and Jazz, offering a payout exceeding 5-1.
The SportsLine Projection Model has been a reliable source for NBA betting advice, accurately simulating each game 10,000 times and generating over $10,000 in profits for $100 players across its top-rated picks over the last seven seasons. As the 2025-26 NBA season begins, the model boasts a commendable 160-118 record on its top-rated bets, yielding nearly $4,000 in returns. Last season, it excelled with a 69% success rate on top-rated NBA against-the-spread selections.
Here are three highlighted betting picks for Wednesday’s games (odds may change):
– 76ers vs. Celtics: Celtics -2.5 (-110)
– Clippers vs. Jazz: Over 226.5 total points (-115)
– Spurs vs. Mavericks: Mavericks -2.5 (-112)
Risking $100 on a parlay of these three picks would lead to a payout of +575.
As for the 76ers and Celtics matchup, the 76ers are working to bounce back from a season plagued by injuries to key players like Paul George and Joel Embiid. Although they are both expected to return, the TD Garden remains a challenging venue. Historically, the 76ers have struggled in Boston, holding a 1-5 record in their last six games there. Last season, they went 9-19-1 against the spread as away underdogs, while the Celtics were strong at home, finishing with a 28-13 record. The model forecasts that Boston will cover the spread in 67% of simulations.
In the contest between the Clippers and Jazz, the Jazz had the highest points allowed per game last season at 121.2, with their opponents shooting 48% from the field. Los Angeles guard James Harden, who ranked fifth in the league for assists, presents a scoring threat alongside Utah forward Lauri Markkanen, who averages 19 points per game. The trend favors the over, having cleared in three consecutive Clippers games and five of six for the Jazz, with the model predicting a total of 232 points.
Lastly, in the Spurs vs. Mavericks game, Dallas has historically had the upper hand, defeating the Spurs in 10 of their last 12 meetings. While San Antonio was 26-31 against the spread as the underdog last season, the Mavericks’ recent performance—12-11 as favorites against the spread in 2024-25—positions them well for this matchup. The SportsLine model supports the home team, favoring the Mavericks to cover the spread in 60% of simulations.
Fans and bettors are in for a thrilling start to the NBA season, with strong performances anticipated from all the highlighted teams.