The 2023–24 NBA season is already on its way, with the Nuggets, Lakers, Warriors, and Suns headlining the opening day. But tomorrow, fans will be delighted to know that there will be a full slate of games across both the eastern and western conferences.
This will be the first look at the teams with new and drastic additions to their roster, and the highly anticipated stars in this year’s draft class will take the floor for their first ever NBA season game.
Courtesy of SBOTOP, here are some of the marquee matchups for tomorrow’s NBA slate.
Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
When you think of the Eastern Conference, the first two teams that come to mind are the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. In fact, not only is it a two-horse race in the East between these two teams, as per the NBA 2023 betting odds, they are the top two favourites to win the NBA Championship.
The Celtics will start their season at the Madison Square Garden versus another playoff team in the New York Knicks. Dynamic duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are set to make big leaps from their already stellar 2022-23 season. With new weapons added to their Arsenal in Jrue Holiday and big man Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics look like a more complete team and are primed to make a deep playoff run this season.
They will be going up against an improving Knicks squad, and with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle still lined up for Tom Thibodeau, the nitty-gritty play style of the Knicks would be a problem for any team in the league.
Betting tip – 1X2 Boston Celtics @ 1.60
Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs
Luka magic, Uncle Drew, and the rest of the Mavs will visit the up-and-coming San Antonio Spurs for a good ol’ Texas showdown. After a disappointing 2022-23 campaign the Mavericks are looking to boast their star power and newly garnered team chemistry to make a considerable playoff run.
The Spurs, on the other hand, have struck gold with their rookie, Victor Wembanyama. The 19-year-old prodigy has already blessed the basketball world with NBA 2023 highlights during their preseason games. The 7-foot Frenchman was running circles around the Golden State Warriors during their preseason bout, and if that is a peak of what Wemby does for the Spurs, he is primed to be a bonafide superstar.
With hall-of-fame coach Gregg Popovich at the helm and legends Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili all guiding Wemby and the rest of the young Spurs core, they are poised to be a legitimate contender in no time.
Betting tip – O/U Under 230.5 @ 1.90
Portland Trail Blazers at LA Clippers
It will be strange to see the Blazers without Portland Legend Damian Lillard donning their uniform, but the organization put forth an amazing effort to ensure that the team has a promising future.
Blazers general manager Joe Cronin got a legitimate haul for Lillard and big man Yusuf Nurkic. The Trail Blazers, in return, acquired young studs like Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III. These young acquisitions will join an already potent core in Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and their star draft pick Scoot Henderson.
The Blazers are undoubtedly in a rebuilding phase, but they have the right pieces to start something special up in the Northwest division.
Unlike the Blazers, the LA Clippers are a veteran team stacked with proven talent. The biggest hurdle for the Clippers is once again the health of their superstars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. When the team is healthy, the Clippers are legit contenders, and they could go toe to toe with any team in the league.
It would be interesting to see this old school versus new school matchup, and it will surely be a game every NBA fan should see.
Betting tip – 1X2 LA Clippers @ 1.21
Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers
There’s a new chief in DC, and we’re all excited to see him in action. Jordan Poole is now the top dog of his own team, and his fit with the Wizards is a match made in heaven. The former Golden State guard wasted no time in bringing the Poole party to his new team, as he went off for 41 points in 27 minutes in their preseason matchup against the New York Knicks.
Poole is in a perfect situation where he can transcend into a star in the league, and with his running mate Kyle Kuzma in the wings, the Washington Wizards are surely a team to keep an eye on this season.
The Pacers, on the other hand, have already established themselves as one of the up-and-coming teams in the East. Their floor general, Thyrese Haliburton, further developed his game when he joined the FIBA World Cup roster in the offseason. He was carrying his own, and it was evident that he could compete on an international level.
Alongside Haliburton are Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, and young gun Benedict Mathurin. This Pacers core is still young, but they are developing nicely, and they are a legit contender for a playoff spot in the East.
Betting tip – 1X2 Indiana Pacers @ 1.35
Sacramento Kings at Utah Jazz
Sacramento fans hope to light the beam in their season opener against the visiting Utah Jazz. The Kings have silently become one of the Western conference teams that can hold their own against any other team in the league.
Last season, the emergence of point guard De’Aaron Fox and Swiss Army Knife Domantas Sabonis transformed the Kings into a playoff contender. Their meteoric rise last season ended the franchise’s 16-year playoff drought and even gave the Golden State Warriors a convincing series that went to a game 7.
The Utah Jazz had a fruitful offseason as Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler all worked and improved on their game by participating in the FIBA World Cup, and the front office also signed athletic big John Collins.
The development of their young stars would add great value to the team’s overall projection. They’re a pretty young team, but they have as much potential as any other developing team in the league.
Betting tip – Sacramento Kings 1X2 @ 1.78
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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