The 2026 NBA regular season opened Tuesday night with LeBron James making his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers, who beat the defending champion New York Knicks 106-100. James posted 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his fourth NBA stop. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder won 116-104 at the San Antonio Spurs, a rematch of last season's contentious Western Conference Finals.
Wednesday's 11-game slate includes a matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat, two teams that reshaped their rosters through major offseason trades. Minnesota acquired guard LaMelo Ball from the Hornets to pair with Anthony Edwards, while Miami landed 10-time All-Star and 2021 Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota carries +2000 odds to win the title, and Miami sits at +2800.
The Heat are listed as a -1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 240.5 points. The Sports Line Projection Model predicts a combined score of 236, leaning slightly toward Miami and the under. Analyst Alex Selesnick, however, likes the Over 27.5 points for Antetokounmpo in his Heat debut, citing Minnesota's added offensive pace and Miami's need for scoring.
In NHL action, the Philadelphia Flyers visit the Buffalo Sabres in a game at 7:30 p.m. ET. The model leans slightly toward the underdog Flyers at +157, but analyst Matt Severance backs Buffalo at -182, noting the Sabres are rested and getting back injured players Jason Zucker and Rasmus Dahlin, while Philadelphia has lost five straight on the road.
Source: CBS Sports NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing