Ethical Sports Takes delivered another winning performance Wednesday night, finishing 9-5 (64.3%) across a packed 14-game NBA schedule.
Our selections included Philadelphia’s statement victory over Detroit, Denver’s convincing response against Toronto, and Miami’s remarkable overtime comeback against the Clippers.
Five incorrect selections prevented an even stronger finish, but Wednesday’s results improved our season record to 76-43-2 (63.9%).
November 4 Picks — Complete Results
1. Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons
Our Pick: Philadelphia 76ers — CORRECT
Final: 76ers 112, Pistons 106
Philadelphia delivered the statement victory we anticipated, defeating Detroit on the road.
We backed the 76ers despite their earlier loss to the Pistons, believing their excellent early-season form would carry them through a difficult matchup.
Philadelphia rewarded our confidence and improved to 8-1.
2. Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards
Our Pick: Washington Wizards — INCORRECT
Final: Hawks 120, Wizards 105
Washington couldn’t build on its impressive victory over Orlando.
Atlanta controlled the matchup and secured a comfortable 15-point victory.
We expected the Wizards to carry momentum into their return home, but underestimated Atlanta’s ability to respond.
3. Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks
Our Pick: New York Knicks — CORRECT
Final: Knicks 135, Bulls 105
New York delivered one of Wednesday’s most dominant performances.
The Knicks overwhelmed Chicago offensively, cruising to a 30-point victory at Madison Square Garden.
We trusted New York to capitalize on its home-court advantage and begin establishing consistency. The Knicks delivered emphatically.
4. Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics
Our Pick: Boston Celtics — CORRECT
Final: Celtics 109, Bucks 102
Boston continued building momentum with a seven-point victory over Milwaukee.
The Celtics handled a competitive matchup and secured another important Eastern Conference win.
We backed Boston’s improving form and defensive versatility, and the result justified our selection.
5. Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets
Our Pick: Charlotte Hornets — INCORRECT
Final: Nets 114, Hornets 104
Brooklyn delivered a stronger performance than we anticipated.
The Nets secured a 10-point victory, leaving Charlotte unable to capitalize on an opportunity against another struggling opponent.
We gave the Hornets the edge entering Wednesday, but Brooklyn proved to be the better team.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers at Oklahoma City Thunder
Our Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers — INCORRECT
Final: Thunder 124, Cavaliers 116
We backed Cleveland to respond after Monday’s narrow defeat, partly because we didn’t expect Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to produce another 43-point performance against the Cavaliers.
Technically, we were right. He scored 42 instead!
SGA torched Cleveland once again, adding eight assists as Oklahoma City defeated the Cavaliers for the second time in three days.
The Thunder led by as many as 25 points before Cleveland mounted a comeback, but Oklahoma City held on for the eight-point victory.
Our reasoning wasn’t entirely unreasonable, but we underestimated SGA’s ability to dominate the same opponent twice in three nights.
7. Indiana Pacers at Memphis Grizzlies
Our Pick: Memphis Grizzlies — INCORRECT
Final: Pacers 107, Grizzlies 103
Memphis suffered another narrow defeat, this time against Indiana.
We expected the Grizzlies to respond after their heartbreaking overtime loss to New Orleans, particularly with the advantage of playing at home.
However, Indiana secured the four-point victory.
Memphis has now disappointed us in consecutive predictions, something worth considering moving forward.
8. Utah Jazz at New Orleans Pelicans
Our Pick: New Orleans Pelicans — CORRECT
Final: Pelicans 120, Jazz 113 (OT)
New Orleans continued building momentum with another overtime victory.
Following their dramatic win over Memphis, the Pelicans defeated Utah by seven points.
We backed New Orleans to carry its offensive momentum into Wednesday, and the Pelicans rewarded our confidence.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets
Our Pick: Houston Rockets — INCORRECT
Final: Timberwolves 117, Rockets 107
Houston entered Wednesday with a 7-1 record following impressive victories over Oklahoma City and Boston, making the Rockets one of our more confident selections.
However, Minnesota had other plans.
Despite playing without Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves remained competitive throughout a contest featuring 15 ties and 26 lead changes.
LaMelo Ball took control in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 20 points while shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.
Ball scored eight consecutive points during the period, helping Minnesota seize momentum. Jonathan Kuminga also delivered two crucial three-pointers as the Timberwolves pulled away.
Minnesota outscored Houston 35-23 in the fourth quarter to secure the 117-107 victory.
We underestimated Minnesota’s depth and LaMelo’s ability to take over late, while Houston’s costly turnovers contributed to the defeat.
10. Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns
Our Pick: Portland Trail Blazers — CORRECT
Final: Trail Blazers 132, Suns 119
Portland continued its impressive early-season run with another convincing road victory.
After defeating Denver earlier in the week, the Trail Blazers followed with a 13-point victory over Phoenix.
We recognized Portland’s improving form and trusted the team to maintain its momentum.
Another excellent selection.
11. Toronto Raptors at Denver Nuggets
Our Pick: Denver Nuggets — CORRECT
Final: Nuggets 128, Raptors 109
Denver responded exactly as we anticipated following its defeat against Portland.
Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double as the Nuggets controlled the matchup and defeated Toronto by 19 points.
We expected Denver to deliver a more complete performance on its home floor, and the Nuggets rewarded our confidence.
12. Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs
Our Pick: San Antonio Spurs — CORRECT
Final: Spurs 112, Mavericks 111
San Antonio survived one of Wednesday’s closest contests.
The Spurs escaped with a one-point victory over Dallas, extending their impressive start to the season.
We backed San Antonio because of Victor Wembanyama’s influence on both ends of the floor.
Although the Mavericks made this considerably closer than anticipated, the Spurs secured the victory.
13. Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings
Our Pick: Los Angeles Lakers — CORRECT
Final: Lakers 116, Kings 103
Los Angeles continued its strong offensive form with a convincing road victory over Sacramento.
Following their dominant performance against Miami, the Lakers carried that momentum into Wednesday and secured a 13-point victory.
We trusted Los Angeles to maintain its offensive rhythm, and the team delivered another impressive result.
14. Miami Heat at LA Clippers
Our Pick: Miami Heat — CORRECT
Final: Heat 117, Clippers 116 (OT)
Our final correct selection came in arguably Wednesday’s most dramatic contest.
Miami overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat the Clippers in overtime.
Klay Thompson delivered the winning three-pointer with one second remaining, finishing with 30 points.
Davion Mitchell’s defensive pressure helped fuel Miami’s fourth-quarter comeback, while Bam Adebayo contributed 35 points.
We backed the Heat to respond following their defeat against the Lakers, and Miami rewarded our confidence with an unforgettable victory.
EST’s Take
Nine correct selections from 14 games represents another positive performance for Ethical Sports Takes.
Our confidence in Philadelphia, Boston, Portland and Denver proved justified, while Miami’s dramatic overtime victory was particularly rewarding.
However, Wednesday also exposed several weaknesses in our predictions.
We expected Cleveland to respond against Oklahoma City, reasoning that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wouldn’t score 43 points against the same opponent twice in three days. Technically, we got that part right. Unfortunately, 42 points proved more than enough.
Houston’s defeat to Minnesota was another important lesson. The Rockets entered with one of the NBA’s strongest records, but LaMelo Ball’s fourth-quarter takeover demonstrated why overlooking a talented opponent can be costly.
Memphis also continues to struggle in close contests, while Washington couldn’t replicate its encouraging performance against Orlando.
These results reinforce the importance of evaluating current form without placing too much emphasis on a single performance.
The objective remains consistent: make informed selections, acknowledge mistakes and continue improving our understanding of each team.
Updated EST NBA Picks Record
November 4 Record: 9-5 (64.3%)
Previous Season Record: 67-38-2
Updated Season Record: 76-43-2 (63.9%)
With another winning slate completed, we’ll look to maintain our momentum as the NBA season continues.
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