We’ll probably have to wait for official confirmation. It'll likely be an hour before tip-off, so don't expect anything sooner than that. Anyway, if they sit out, I'm going all in on a Portland win.
wiredcanyon39 I'm with Martin on this one. There's no way Big Baby wants to go up against a lazy Boozer in the paint. Plus, Orlando is dealing with a ton of injuries, and Joakim Noah is going to be facing off against Nikola Vukčević.
Honestly, I think it's pure madness that the bookies would set the line at 89.5 points for a shooting squad like the New York Knicks, no matter who they're facing.
Man, Denver was a total disaster last night. It’s honestly hard to believe how pathetic their season opener was. And don't even get me started on James Harden—what an absolute train wreck to start the year. Now, can Nicolas Batum actually hold him under 30 tonight? Because if he can't do it, nobody else stands a chance.
Honestly, Denver should walk away with an easy win today. Danilo is back in the rotation for Friday night, and Orlando is basically playing without any bench depth—Ali Harrington, Ayon, and those two solid rookies, Jones and Harkless, aren't even available for this matchup.
Nuggets lineup: Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, Kosta Koufos, Andre Iguodala, Ty Lawson. Magic lineup: Hedo Tukoglu, Glen Davis, Nikola Vucevic, Arron Afflalo, Jameer Nelson.
Here I am again, riding with my third guest bet: Oklahoma over 99.5. I noticed the lines at some offshore books have already jumped from 201.5 up to 205.5, which definitely works in our favor here. If they managed 95 last night, I don't see why this high-octane Oklahoma squad can't easily crack triple digits. My only real worry is how Martin fits in—it’ll be tough for him to replicate those 18 points he dropped against Houston last year, especially since Harden was absolutely cooking last night and set the bar pretty high. Even though their roles aren't identical, I'm really hoping he shows up and plays his part. Good luck.
Gallo’s out with a sprained ankle and Mozgov is dealing with knee strain, so they're missing both guys for the Philly game tonight.
The Clippers are looking pretty thin tonight too: Grant Hill (knee), Chauncey Billups (Achilles), Trey Thompkins (knee), and Matt Barnes is sitting out on suspension.
Looks like tomorrow's Nets vs. Knicks matchup might be postponed.
After following my Boston bet last night, I’m doubling down today with another away over. I’m looking at Dallas hitting the over on 89.5 points. Even though they're playing on a back-to-back, I think they breeze through this. The main reason? Their transition play is lightning fast compared to how they looked last year, plus the Utah squad has gotten way younger—they tend to play way too fast for their own good early in games.
Everything feels a little lower scoring this season because of the lockout effects, but since everyone’s been together training for a full month now, the shooting should be much better than last year when nobody could get in rhythm. Expect most teams to have solid shooting form early on before defensive schemes actually start clicking later in the season.
Don't even trip, this is a total lock. Even looking at the Wizards' starters for the season opener against Cleveland: AJ Price, Emeka Okafor, Trevor Booker, Trevor Ariza & Bradley Beal
If you ask me, Germany is hands down the best spot for players. They’ve got the most talent, and the way they play fits perfectly with the EuroLeague vibe. I really hope the NBA follows a similar path soon. Spurs are decent enough, but they rush through their draft picks way too fast, and the Lottery? Man, what a total joke. They basically just copy everything from the Spurs' playbook at the last second—it's honestly embarrassing.
Honestly, I think Boston's got a real shot today. They’re five times more motivated than the home team—partly because of last year's loss and partly because they're still reeling from losing Allen. Luck's been on their side with injuries so far, and even though their preseason looked a little shaky (just like Miami's), their bench depth is legit. For me, taking Boston over 89.5 feels like the smartest play here.
Alright crew, the new season is right around the corner. I don't think there’s much point in me rambling about all the roster moves and team changes. One of the guys already did an incredible job breaking everything down, so if it's cool to drop a link, I'll put it here so you can check out whoever you're interested in. Keith Moore21 already posted it, and it's way easier to find this way. http://nbaknights.com/pregled-nba-momcadi-2012-2013/
Man, all four games are up for grabs here. Honestly, I think Nelson's assist line is set way too low; I’d personally put him at 7.5. He missed two of the last seven games because he got banged up against Denver in the first minute, but if he's feeling okay, he's definitely going over. He was dishing it out like crazy at the end of the season—Cleveland had 9, Philly had 13, Boston had 9, Utah had 11, and Charlotte had 9. In my opinion, setting this line based solely on his season average is a total miss. If they start hitting shots from deep, there's no way he stays at 5 or lower.
Maybe someone else has a better handle on this. Honestly, I'll just wait until Play checks in because I really don't feel like digging through the internet right now to see if Indiana is in a different division. Since there are three divisions total, maybe the second-best team in those three is tied with the winners.