Ethical Sports Takes returns with seven NBA predictions for Saturday, November 7, following another excellent night of selections.
We finished Friday with a 7–2 record across nine NBA Cup games, improving our overall season record to 85–45–2 (65.4%). That gives us nine correct predictions across our last 11 games, and we’ll look to carry that momentum into Saturday.
Tonight’s schedule features Denver and Indiana meeting in Mexico City, an intriguing Eastern Conference matchup between New York and Cleveland, and a Western Conference battle between San Antonio and Portland.
Several teams are also playing on consecutive nights, which could have a major impact on how these games unfold.
Let’s get into our seven selections.
1. Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers
EST Pick: Denver Nuggets
Saturday’s action begins in Mexico City, where Denver faces Indiana in an international regular-season matchup.
The Nuggets enter with a 4–3 record after defeating Toronto 128–109 on Wednesday. Nikola Jokić remains the driving force behind Denver’s offense, averaging approximately 23 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists through his first seven games.
Interestingly, Jokić hasn’t been shooting particularly well by his standards. However, his ability to create opportunities for teammates remains one of the biggest advantages any team can have.
Jamal Murray has also been impressive, averaging approximately 25 points per game and giving Denver another reliable offensive option.
Indiana, meanwhile, enters at 3–6 after snapping a five-game losing streak with a 107–103 victory over Memphis. Andrew Nembhard scored 22 points in that contest, while Pascal Siakam contributed 20.
The Pacers have enough offensive talent to make this competitive, particularly if Siakam establishes himself early. However, Indiana’s injuries and inconsistent start make this a difficult matchup.
We expect Jokić’s passing and Murray’s scoring to give Denver the edge, especially if the Nuggets can limit Indiana’s transition opportunities.
We’re taking Denver to win in Mexico City.
2. Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks
EST Pick: Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta returns home following Friday’s entertaining 139–132 victory over Washington.
The Hawks have shown they can score in bunches, particularly when their offense gets moving and they create open looks through ball movement.
However, their defensive performance against Washington wasn’t particularly convincing. Allowing 132 points is concerning, especially with Atlanta now playing on consecutive nights.
Brooklyn enters with a 2–6 record, but the Nets did defeat Charlotte 114–104 on Wednesday. They will also have the advantage of additional rest.
That makes this matchup slightly more interesting than the teams’ records suggest.
Atlanta cannot afford to assume Brooklyn will simply roll over. The Hawks need to defend more consistently and avoid giving the Nets opportunities to build confidence early.
Still, we believe Atlanta has enough offensive firepower to overcome the rest disadvantage.
The Hawks have the stronger scoring options, and playing at home should help them maintain their momentum.
We’re backing Atlanta to defeat Brooklyn.
3. New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
EST Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers
This is one of our most interesting selections of the night.
Cleveland enters Saturday following an impressive 119–95 victory over Philadelphia, a result that certainly caught our attention.
The Cavaliers controlled much of Friday’s contest, particularly defensively, and held the 76ers to just 95 points.
Donovan Mitchell gives Cleveland a reliable offensive leader, while the Cavaliers’ interior presence can make life difficult for opponents attempting to attack the basket.
New York, however, presents a different challenge.
The Knicks have been inconsistent early in the season, sitting at 4–4, but they remain a dangerous team. Jalen Brunson can take over games offensively, and New York’s physical defense has the potential to disrupt Cleveland’s rhythm.
There is also a significant scheduling concern for the Cavaliers.
Cleveland is playing on the second night of a back-to-back, while New York has enjoyed additional rest. Fatigue could become a factor, particularly if the game remains close entering the fourth quarter.
Nevertheless, we’re sticking with Cleveland.
Friday’s victory over Philadelphia demonstrated what the Cavaliers can accomplish when their defense is organized and their offense plays with confidence.
We expect New York to make this competitive, but we’re giving Cleveland the edge at home.
We’re taking the Cavaliers in a close game.
4. Washington Wizards vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
EST Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City continues to impress despite dealing with significant injury concerns.
The Thunder enter Saturday following a dominant 128–97 victory over Memphis, improving to 7–2.
Ajay Mitchell delivered an outstanding 35-point performance against the Grizzlies, demonstrating the depth Oklahoma City continues to rely on.
With Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams unavailable, the Thunder have needed other players to accept larger responsibilities.
So far, they’ve responded extremely well.
Washington, meanwhile, is coming off a 139–132 loss to Atlanta. The Wizards have shown they can generate offense, but their defensive consistency remains a concern.
Allowing 139 points against the Hawks isn’t particularly encouraging before facing another team capable of producing big scoring runs.
Both teams are playing on consecutive nights, so neither has a meaningful rest advantage.
Washington could keep things competitive if its offense starts quickly, but we trust Oklahoma City’s defensive discipline and overall execution considerably more.
The Thunder have consistently shown an ability to win even when important players are unavailable.
We’re taking Oklahoma City to secure another victory.
5. Orlando Magic vs. Golden State Warriors
EST Pick: Golden State Warriors
Golden State enters Saturday looking to extend its impressive run of form.
The Warriors defeated Miami 120–100 on Thursday, securing their sixth consecutive victory and improving to 6–3.
Their offense has been clicking, and Stephen Curry remains one of the most difficult players in basketball to defend when he finds his rhythm.
Golden State’s ability to create open three-point opportunities through movement and passing presents a difficult challenge for Orlando.
The Magic enter at 2–6 after falling 117–104 to Phoenix on Thursday.
Orlando has talented young players capable of creating problems, particularly through its size and ability to attack inside.
However, the Magic have struggled to put together complete performances.
Against Golden State, those inconsistencies could prove costly.
The Warriors are particularly dangerous when they establish an early offensive rhythm, forcing opponents to chase shooters and defend multiple actions during the same possession.
Orlando will need to control the glass, limit turnovers, and avoid allowing Curry too many clean looks.
We believe Golden State’s offensive execution and home-court advantage will be enough.
We’re backing the Warriors to make it seven consecutive victories.
6. Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns
EST Pick: Houston Rockets
Houston travels to Phoenix looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s 117–107 defeat against Minnesota.
The Rockets have been one of the more impressive teams early in the season, entering Saturday at 7–2.
Alperen Şengün continues to give Houston a reliable offensive presence around the basket, while the Rockets have enough perimeter scoring to create problems for opposing defenses.
However, Houston’s loss to Minnesota demonstrated that the team can struggle when opponents disrupt its offensive rhythm.
Phoenix enters at 2–5 after defeating Orlando 117–104 on Thursday.
That victory should provide the Suns with some confidence, particularly as they return home for another Western Conference matchup.
Phoenix has the offensive talent to make this competitive, and Houston cannot afford to overlook a team looking to build momentum after a difficult start.
The key for the Rockets will be controlling the paint and limiting Phoenix’s opportunities to generate easy baskets.
We also expect Houston to emphasize ball movement after its disappointing performance against Minnesota.
This could be a closer contest than the teams’ records suggest, but we believe Houston has the more complete roster and stronger overall form.
We’re taking the Rockets to bounce back with a road victory.
7. San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers
EST Pick: San Antonio Spurs
We close Saturday’s slate with what could be the most entertaining matchup of the evening.
San Antonio enters at 7–2 following Friday’s convincing 124–109 victory over Sacramento.
Victor Wembanyama was excellent once again, recording 30 points and 14 rebounds while creating problems for the Kings on both ends.
The Spurs have now won five consecutive games and are beginning to establish themselves as one of the Western Conference’s strongest teams.
Portland, however, has been impressive in its own right.
The Trail Blazers enter at 6–2 after suffering a 124–118 defeat against the Lakers on Friday.
Portland controlled much of the first half against Los Angeles before a disastrous third quarter changed the game. Nevertheless, the Trail Blazers fought back in the fourth and nearly completed a comeback.
Deni Avdija continues to provide scoring and playmaking, while Donovan Clingan gives Portland a strong presence around the basket.
That sets up an intriguing interior matchup against Wembanyama.
Clingan’s size and rebounding could help Portland limit San Antonio’s opportunities near the basket, but Wembanyama’s ability to score from different areas of the floor makes him particularly difficult to contain.
Both teams are playing on consecutive nights, so fatigue could become a factor.
We expect Portland to respond well after Friday’s loss, especially in front of its home crowd.
However, San Antonio’s defensive ability and Wembanyama’s impact on both ends give the Spurs a slight advantage.
We’re taking San Antonio to win a competitive contest in Portland.
EST Final Thoughts
Saturday offers an interesting mix of matchups, with several teams attempting to build on strong performances and others looking to respond to disappointing defeats.
Denver is our selection to defeat Indiana in Mexico City, while we expect Atlanta to overcome Brooklyn despite playing on consecutive nights.
Cleveland over New York is one of our more difficult calls. The Knicks have the rest advantage, but we’re backing the Cavaliers to carry their defensive momentum from Friday’s victory over Philadelphia into another important Eastern Conference matchup.
Oklahoma City and Golden State are two selections we feel particularly comfortable with, given their recent performances and the challenges facing their opponents.
Houston will need to respond after losing to Minnesota, while San Antonio faces a difficult road test against a Portland team that has already demonstrated its ability to compete with talented opponents.
The Spurs–Trail Blazers matchup is arguably our toughest selection, but we’re trusting Wembanyama and San Antonio’s defense to make the difference.
Following Friday’s 7–2 performance, we’re hoping to put together another winning night.
EST NBA Picks — November 7, 2026
- Denver Nuggets over Indiana Pacers
- Atlanta Hawks over Brooklyn Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers over New York Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder over Washington Wizards
- Golden State Warriors over Orlando Magic
- Houston Rockets over Phoenix Suns
- San Antonio Spurs over Portland Trail Blazers
Previous Slate: 7–2 (77.8%)
EST Season Record: 85–45–2 (65.4%)
We’ll return with our full picks recap once Saturday’s games are complete.
Stay tuned to Ethical Sports Takes for daily NBA predictions, game recaps, and independent basketball analysis.
Leave a Reply