November 3, 2026 | EST NBA Picks Recap
Ethical Sports Takes delivered one of its strongest prediction performances of the season Monday night, finishing 11-4 (73.3%) across the NBA’s complete 15-game schedule.
After beginning November with a 2-2 record on Sunday, we responded with an impressive evening that included correctly predicting Oklahoma City’s victory in Cleveland, Washington’s upset of Orlando, and Toronto’s dramatic comeback against the Clippers.
Four incorrect selections prevented an even better finish, but Monday’s performance improved our season record to 67-38-2 (63.8%).
November 2 Picks — Complete Results
1. Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers
Our Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder — CORRECT
Final: Thunder 117, Cavaliers 112
Despite entering the contest without several important rotation players, Oklahoma City secured an impressive road victory.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered 43 points, including a decisive three-pointer in the final minute.
We acknowledged the Thunder’s injury concerns in our original prediction but trusted their ability to execute under difficult circumstances. That confidence was rewarded.
2. Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers
Our Pick: Philadelphia 76ers — CORRECT
Final: 76ers 126, Bulls 107
Philadelphia continued its winning ways with a comfortable 19-point victory.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 26 points as Philadelphia maintained control and pulled away in the second half.
We backed the home team to maintain its momentum, and the result justified our selection.
3. Detroit Pistons at Charlotte Hornets
Our Pick: Detroit Pistons — CORRECT
Final: Pistons 124, Hornets 91
Detroit produced one of the most dominant performances of the evening, dismantling Charlotte by 33 points.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 33 points as Detroit overwhelmed the Hornets.
We trusted the Pistons’ depth despite Jalen Duren’s absence, and they delivered emphatically.
4. Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic
Our Pick: Washington Wizards — CORRECT
Final: Wizards 103, Magic 94
One of our boldest selections of the evening paid off.
Washington defeated Orlando on the road, holding the Magic to just nine points in the third quarter.
Anthony Davis led the Wizards with 27 points.
We recognized Orlando’s stronger established core but believed Washington could deliver an upset. This was among our most satisfying correct predictions.
5. Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks
Our Pick: New York Knicks — CORRECT
Final: Knicks 103, Nets 90
New York took care of business at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks limited Brooklyn to just 11 fourth-quarter points, finishing with a comfortable 13-point victory.
Our confidence in New York’s home-court advantage proved justified.
6. Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers
Our Pick: Atlanta Hawks — CORRECT
Final: Hawks 108, Pacers 104
Atlanta survived a competitive contest in Indiana.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 34 points as Atlanta held off the Pacers for a four-point victory.
We backed Atlanta to capitalize on Indiana’s offensive struggles, and the Hawks did enough to secure the result.
7. New Orleans Pelicans at Memphis Grizzlies
Our Pick: Memphis Grizzlies — INCORRECT
Final: Pelicans 135, Grizzlies 134 (OT)
Our first incorrect selection came in one of the night’s closest contests.
New Orleans handed Memphis its first defeat of the season, escaping with a one-point overtime victory.
We backed the Grizzlies following their dominant performance against Sacramento, but the Pelicans demonstrated that their recent improvement deserved greater consideration.
A narrow miss.
8. Milwaukee Bucks at Minnesota Timberwolves
Our Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves — CORRECT
Final: Timberwolves 112, Bucks 100
Minnesota delivered despite missing important contributors.
LaMelo Ball led the Timberwolves with 34 points as Minnesota secured a 12-point victory.
We trusted the Timberwolves to overcome their injury concerns, and their remaining rotation delivered.
9. Sacramento Kings at Dallas Mavericks
Our Pick: Dallas Mavericks — INCORRECT
Final: Kings 115, Mavericks 100
Sacramento surprised us with an impressive road victory.
Darius Acuff Jr. led the Kings with 25 points as Sacramento outscored Dallas 34-26 in the final quarter.
We expected the Mavericks to capitalize on Sacramento’s injury concerns, but the Kings were the stronger team.
A disappointing selection on our part.
10. Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs
Our Pick: San Antonio Spurs — CORRECT
Final: Spurs 119, Jazz 97
San Antonio delivered exactly the kind of performance we anticipated.
The Spurs controlled the contest, particularly during a 35-point third quarter, and cruised to a 22-point victory.
This was one of our more confident selections heading into Monday, and San Antonio justified that confidence.
11. Boston Celtics at Houston Rockets
Our Pick: Houston Rockets — CORRECT
Final: Rockets 109, Celtics 93
Houston continued its impressive start with a convincing victory over Boston.
Alperen Şengün scored 26 points as the Rockets held the Celtics to 93.
We highlighted Houston’s physicality and Boston’s quick turnaround as important factors.
The Rockets rewarded our confidence with a 16-point victory.
12. Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets
Our Pick: Denver Nuggets — INCORRECT
Final: Trail Blazers 118, Nuggets 110
Portland delivered another statement victory, this time on the road against Denver.
Despite Jamal Murray scoring 35 points, the Nuggets couldn’t contain Portland’s balanced attack.
The Trail Blazers overcame a 12-point first-quarter deficit and outscored Denver 33-23 in the fourth.
We underestimated Portland’s early-season form, and this result deserves recognition as a missed read.
13. Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors
Our Pick: Golden State Warriors — CORRECT
Final: Warriors 116, Suns 113
Stephen Curry delivered when Golden State needed him most.
The Warriors overcame a 17-point deficit and Draymond Green’s ejection to defeat Phoenix.
Curry finished with 34 points, including 18 in a spectacular third quarter.
We backed Golden State to maintain its momentum, and the Warriors rewarded that confidence with their fifth consecutive victory.
14. Toronto Raptors at Los Angeles Clippers
Our Pick: Toronto Raptors — CORRECT
Final: Raptors 125, Clippers 118
Another bold selection paid off in dramatic fashion.
Toronto trailed by as many as 16 points before producing a remarkable 47-point fourth quarter.
Immanuel Quickley scored 27 points, RJ Barrett added 26, and Scottie Barnes contributed 22 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists.
We backed Toronto despite its second consecutive night in Los Angeles, believing the Clippers’ struggles created an opportunity.
The Raptors delivered one of the night’s most memorable victories.
15. Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers
Our Pick: Miami Heat — INCORRECT
Final: Lakers 138, Heat 117
Our final selection of the evening proved incorrect.
We believed Miami’s improving offense could exploit a Lakers team playing on consecutive nights.
Instead, Los Angeles produced a dominant offensive performance.
Luka Dončić scored 42 points as the Lakers overwhelmed Miami, finishing with a 21-point victory.
The Heat entered with encouraging momentum, but we underestimated the Lakers’ ability to maintain their offensive production despite the quick turnaround.
EST’s Take
Eleven correct selections from 15 games represents an excellent response to Sunday’s 2-2 performance.
Our confidence in Oklahoma City, Houston, Golden State and Toronto proved justified, while Washington’s upset victory over Orlando was particularly rewarding.
However, the four incorrect selections deserve examination.
Portland continues to demonstrate that its early-season success cannot be dismissed. Sacramento showed it could overcome significant adversity, while New Orleans proved capable of defeating one of the league’s hottest teams.
Our Miami selection also reflected too much confidence in the Heat’s recent improvement and insufficient respect for the Lakers’ offensive capabilities.
These are important lessons as we continue evaluating teams throughout the young season.
The objective remains consistent: make informed selections, acknowledge mistakes, and improve our understanding of each team.
Updated EST NBA Picks Record
November 2 Record: 11-4 (73.3%)
Previous Season Record: 56-34-2
Updated Season Record: 67-38-2 (63.8%)
With no NBA games scheduled for November 3, we’ll return with fresh predictions for Wednesday’s slate.
Thank you for following Ethical Sports Takes.
Visit ethicalsportstakes.com for independent NBA analysis, daily predictions, and game recaps.
Like and subscribe to support EST!
Leave a Reply