LeBron and Gilgeous-Alexander Top Model's Top NBA Bets

The NBA slate for Wednesday, October 28, features twelve games, including a nationally televised matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers and another between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Betting models are targeting two specific stars in these contests. The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times to identify value.

The model identifies LeBron James as a top pick for the 76ers game. James is projected to accumulate 36.1 combined points, rebounds, and assists. The current market line for this total is 30.5. The model has returned nearly $19,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks since 2018. That record includes five straight seasons of four-digit profit.

James has cleared this specific line in two of his four games since joining the 76ers. He may face a less defensive challenge on the floor. Ivica Zubac is out for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard are both listed as questionable. The absence of these players could give the Lakers' former star more freedom to operate in the offense.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the other star featured in the model's recommendations for Wednesday. The two-time reigning MVP is projected for 59.7 combined points, rebounds, and assists. The market line for his total is 42.5. The model rates this as a high-confidence play given the Thunder's current roster status.

The Thunder will face the Mavericks without several key contributors. Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are out due to injuries sustained earlier in the week. Alex Caruso, Chet Holmgren, and Thomas Sorber are also unavailable for the game in Dallas. The model expects the ball to be in Gilgeous-Alexander's hands early and often as a result.

The SportsLine model enters Week 2 of the 2026-27 season with a 26-10 record on top-rated spread picks. That 72% win rate dates back to the previous season. The 76ers and Thunder games are part of a 12-game NBA schedule for the day. All odds cited are from sports betting sites at the time of publication.