October 27, 2026 | Ethical Sports Takes
Monday’s nine-game NBA slate delivered another unpredictable evening, and EST finished with a disappointing 4–5 record.
Several of our selections delivered convincing victories, but unexpected results in Denver, Miami, and Cleveland prevented us from finishing above .500.
Let’s review all nine predictions.
1. Washington Wizards vs. Charlotte Hornets
Our Pick: Washington Wizards — Incorrect
Final: Hornets 110, Wizards 103
Charlotte secured its second consecutive victory behind a career-high 39 points from Brandon Miller.
Washington couldn’t build on its victory over Chicago, and the Hornets made us pay for overlooking their offensive potential.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Our Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves — Incorrect
Final: Cavaliers 127, Timberwolves 125 (OT)
This one hurts.
Anthony Edwards exploded for 47 points, but Cleveland erased a 15-point deficit to hand Minnesota its first loss of the season.
Donovan Mitchell finished with 26 points, including the go-ahead jumper in overtime.
Minnesota came close to rewarding our confidence, but Cleveland delivered when it mattered most.
3. Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat
Our Pick: Miami Heat — Incorrect
Final: Mavericks 113, Heat 109
We thought Miami would finally secure its first victory of the season. Instead, the Heat dropped to 0–4.
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, but it wasn’t enough.
Cooper Flagg returned to the Mavericks’ lineup and delivered 29 points and 11 assists.
Miami’s early-season struggles continue, and our confidence in the Heat has cost us another selection.
4. Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics
Our Pick: Boston Celtics — Correct
Final: Celtics 134, Bulls 99
Boston delivered one of Monday’s most convincing performances.
Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 28 points, including seven three-pointers, while Jayson Tatum added 23.
Chicago had no answer defensively, and Boston cruised to a 35-point victory.
One of our easiest calls of the evening.
5. Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Our Pick: Indiana Pacers — Incorrect
Final: Bucks 110, Pacers 102
Milwaukee finally earned its first victory of the season.
Tyler Herro led the Bucks with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while Ryan Rollins contributed 19 points.
We expected Indiana’s offense to overwhelm Milwaukee, but the Bucks responded with a much-needed performance.
6. Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Our Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder — Correct
Final: Thunder 125, Suns 114
Oklahoma City remained unbeaten despite dealing with significant injury problems.
Ajay Mitchell stepped up with 30 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26.
The Thunder continue finding ways to win regardless of who is available.
Our confidence in Oklahoma City was rewarded.
7. Atlanta Hawks vs. Houston Rockets
Our Pick: Houston Rockets — Correct
Final: Rockets 120, Hawks 110
Houston completed its second victory over Atlanta in three days, improving to 4–0.
Alperen Sengun delivered 29 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while Kevin Durant added 22 points.
The Rockets have started the season impressively, and they continue to justify our confidence.
8. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz
Our Pick: Memphis Grizzlies — Correct
Final: Grizzlies 110, Jazz 105
Memphis remained unbeaten, but Utah made things interesting.
The Jazz battled back from a 16-point deficit and cut the lead to a single point late in the fourth quarter.
However, Ty Jerome delivered important baskets down the stretch, and Memphis held on.
Cedric Coward led the Grizzlies with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Not the most comfortable victory, but a correct selection nonetheless.
9. Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets
Our Pick: Denver Nuggets — Incorrect
Final: Warriors 134, Nuggets 114
We expected Denver’s home-court advantage and offensive talent to prove decisive.
Golden State had other plans.
Yaxel Lendeborg erupted for 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while Stephen Curry scored 24 points without missing a shot.
The Warriors dominated the second half, exposing Denver’s defensive weaknesses and securing their first victory of the season.
A disappointing way to close Monday’s predictions.
EST’s Take
Monday was a frustrating evening, particularly with Minnesota losing in overtime and Denver suffering a convincing home defeat.
Boston, Oklahoma City, Houston, and Memphis delivered, but our confidence in Miami and Indiana proved misplaced.
The Heat are now 0–4, and we’ll need to reconsider how much confidence we’re placing in teams based on what we expect them to become rather than what they’ve actually demonstrated.
The NBA season is still young, and there will be plenty more opportunities to improve.
Monday’s Record: 4–5
Updated Season Record: 28–22–2
Winning Percentage: 56.0% (excluding ties)
We’ll return Tuesday with four new predictions.
No bias, just sports.
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