NBA Preview | November 9, 2026
Monday has eight games. The Lakers, 9-2, visit Atlanta on the second night of a back-to-back after Austin Reaves scored 43 in Detroit with Luka Dončić sitting. Denver visits Houston with six players questionable, including Nikola Jokić, and the line has moved four points since it opened. And Stephen Curry, coming off 41, hosts a New Orleans team on its own back-to-back on NBA TV. Those three are free; five more cards are in Tome Intel. All times are Eastern.
Reaves Scored 43 Without Luka; the Lakers Finish a Back-to-Back in Atlanta
Los Angeles Lakers @ Atlanta Hawks | 7:00 PM ET | NBA League Pass
KEY STAT
43
Points Austin Reaves scored in Sunday's 121-116 win in Detroit, on 14-of-27 shooting, with Luka Dončić out.
The Lakers are 9-2 and won in Detroit on Sunday without Luka Dončić, who sat with low back tightness two days after scoring 53. Austin Reaves carried them with 43 on 14-of-27, Ziaire Williams and Collin Sexton added 17 each, and Walker Kessler had 12 and 16. Monday is the second night of a back-to-back, and Dončić's status is the one to watch.
Atlanta is 7-4 after a 124-121 win over Brooklyn on Saturday, when Jalen Johnson scored 30 and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Aaron Wiggins added 20 each. Keshon Gilbert, Mouhamed Gueye, Asa Newell and Henri Veesaar are out, and Jock Landale is questionable.
The matchup is Reaves, and Dončić if he is cleared, against an Atlanta defense that has given up 121 or more in each of its last two games, and Kessler against a Hawks frontcourt thinned by injuries.
Los Angeles wins if Dončić returns or Reaves keeps up Sunday's pace, Kessler controls the glass, and the Lakers hold up on the second night.
Atlanta wins if Johnson keeps attacking, Alexander-Walker and Wiggins stay hot, and the Hawks make a tired Lakers team defend for 48 minutes.
Lean Los Angeles -2.5 (Strong), and lean the over 235.5 (Strong).
THE CARD · LAL @ ATL
The line LAL -2.5 · total 235.5 · DraftKings (spread unchanged from the open, total down 1)
Our number ATL +7.7 · total 245.5
So far LAL 7-4 O/U
Rest & availability LAL second night of a back-to-back; Dončić sat Sunday (back) · ATL one day off, Gilbert, Gueye, Newell and Veesaar out, Landale questionable
Lean LAL -2.5 (Strong) · Over ↑ 235.5 (Strong)
Driven by the number. The Lakers are 9-2 and won in Detroit on Sunday without Luka Dončić; our number has them by almost eight on the road and the total 10 points over the book. It does not see whether Dončić is available or that the Lakers are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Jokić and Five Teammates Are Questionable in Houston
Denver Nuggets @ Houston Rockets | 8:30 PM ET | NBA League Pass
KEY STAT
4
Points the spread has moved toward Houston since it opened, from 4.5 to 8.5, with six Denver players listed as questionable.
Denver is 5-3 after beating Indiana 114-102 in Mexico City on Saturday, when Nikola Jokić had 19, 13 and eight on 7-of-20, Cameron Johnson scored 18 and Jamal Murray had 16 and eight assists. Now Jokić (elbow), Murray (shin), Aaron Gordon, Johnson, DeMar DeRozan and Christian Braun are all questionable, and Julian Strawther is out.
Houston is 7-3 after a 102-99 loss in Phoenix on Saturday, when Kevin Durant had 21 and 10 on 5-of-14. The Rockets have covered seven of 10 games and are still without Steven Adams and Clint Capela.
The line opened at 4.5 and has moved to 8.5, and the total has dropped five points, which says the market expects Denver to be short-handed. The matchup depends on who is available for the Nuggets.
Denver wins if Jokić and Murray are cleared, Gordon and Johnson are available, and the Nuggets slow Houston's pace.
Houston wins if Durant and Alperen Şengün take advantage of a thin Denver rotation, and the Rockets' depth wins the game in the second half.
Lean Houston -8.5 (Toss-up), and lean the over 217.5 (Lean).
THE CARD · DEN @ HOU
The line HOU -8.5 · total 217.5 · DraftKings (spread moved 4 toward Houston from the open, total down 5)
Our number HOU -9.7 · total 221.6
So far DEN 4-4 ATS · HOU 7-3 ATS
Rest & availability DEN one day off, Strawther out, Jokić, Murray, Gordon, Johnson, DeRozan and Braun questionable · HOU one day off, Adams and Capela out
The public 52% of tickets on DEN · 58% on the over (SportsbookReview, as of Nov. 8)
Lean HOU -8.5 (Toss-up) · Over ↑ 217.5 (Lean)
Driven by the number. The line has moved four points toward Houston and the total five points down since it opened, with six Denver players questionable. Our number lands near the new spread; the total sits four points over the book.
Curry Scored 41 on Saturday; New Orleans Comes In on a Back-to-Back
New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors | 10:00 PM ET | NBA TV
KEY STAT
41
Points Stephen Curry scored in Saturday's 126-119 win over Orlando, on 13-of-19 shooting.
Golden State is 7-3 after a 126-119 win over Orlando on Saturday, when Stephen Curry scored 41 on 13-of-19 and Yaxel Lendeborg added 23. Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis and Will Richard are out, and Gui Santos is probable.
New Orleans is 4-6 after a 139-123 loss to the Clippers on Sunday, with Zion Williamson going 9-of-9 for 25 and Trey Murphy III and Jeremiah Fears scoring 26 and 25. Monday is the second night of a back-to-back.
The matchup is Curry against a Pelicans defense that just gave up 139, and whether Williamson can keep attacking a Warriors frontcourt without Porziņģis.
New Orleans wins if Williamson stays efficient, Murphy and Fears keep scoring, and the Pelicans hold up on tired legs.
Golden State wins if Curry keeps up his recent form, Lendeborg and Podziemski give him help, and the Warriors push the pace against a team on its second night.
Lean Golden State -9.5 (Lean), and lean the over 231.5 (Strong).
THE CARD · NOP @ GSW
The line GSW -9.5 · total 231.5 · DraftKings (unchanged from the open)
Our number GSW -12.4 · total 247.1
Rest & availability NOP second night of a back-to-back, Missi out · GSW one day off, Butler, Moody, Porzingis and Will Richard out, Santos probable
Lean GSW -9.5 (Lean) · Over ↑ 231.5 (Strong)
Driven by the number. New Orleans gave up 139 to the Clippers on Sunday and is back on the floor a day later; Stephen Curry just scored 41. Our number has the Warriors by about 12 and the total nearly 16 over the book, the widest total gap on the board.
The Rest of the Slate
TOME INTEL · 5 more cards
Every other Monday game gets a full card in Tome Intel: the line, our number, the early results, who is out, and our lean with its tier.
7:00 PM ET: Cavaliers @ Hornets · Wizards @ Pistons
7:30 PM ET: Grizzlies @ Raptors
8:00 PM ET: Pacers @ Mavericks
9:00 PM ET: Spurs @ Suns
What to Watch For Monday.
Watch whether Luka Dončić returns in Atlanta, how many of Denver's six questionable players suit up in Houston, and whether Curry can keep it going against a tired Pelicans team. That's eight cards on the side and eight on the total, three free and five in Tome Intel. We'll have the recap Tuesday with every card graded.
