A nice five- game NBA slate on deck today as we look to keep things rolling with our preview best bets.
Let’s jump straight in and see if we cant find some value over a number of intriguing matchups.
Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks
The 76ers head to Maddison Square Garden to take on the new-look Knicks in an Atlantic Division showdown.
Both sides come into this matchup 2-1 through their first three games and look to put together some consistency on both ends of the court. This is a step up in opponent strength for both teams and shapes up to be a very evenly balanced battle across the board.
Philadelphia will be hoping for a fully fit and ready to go Joel Embiid as they try to find continuity in their rotations with the prolonged absence of Ben Simmons.
Seth Curry has been lights out to start the season and they will need a whole lot more of this production if they plan on being competitive in this matchup. His ability as a primary ball handler has been of huge value in the early goings and if he can grow as a playmaker it’ll bode well for this team’s ability to remain in the upper echelon of the conversation in the east.
New York has done a reasonable job of re-tooling its roster in the offseason to address areas of key concerns that showed itself in their playoff series loss to the Hawks last season. The additions of Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker have provided them a much needed offensive spark as players that can create for themselves and others to assist in revamping a stagnant offence.
The expected growth of young stars RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and Obi Toppin will provide the mixture of youth & experience that can keep Tom Thibedou’s team primed for another playoff appearances this season.
So far, the only real hinderance for New York has been poor shooting from the charity stripe, which will become a far bigger issue as they begin to match up with teams of higher quality than the Magic team they’ve just finished splitting a two-game series with.
Neither of these teams play a high-tempo offence and while they have scored the ball with consistency against lesser opposition both sides will find it tougher in half court sets against well established defensive units.
The injury news on Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond will have its impact on the line and total, but I suggest grabbing this number and securing a nice edge on the board.
Our best bet: Under 217.5 points
LA Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs
WELL here we are betting a Lakers game once again! And why not given that bookmakers seem reluctant to adjust them closer to their true rating at the moment.
LeBron James being downgraded to Questionable for this one is intriguing and has clearly had its impact on the market. It might be better keeping an eye on that news as the morning progresses to ensure you’re getting optimal value on this play.
This game is the first of a road back-to-back for LA and it won’t be shocking to see Frank Vogel rest LeBron and/or Anthony Davis in this stretch. That will provide further value on on opposition teams, in this case San Antonio, who have the tools to match up against this version of the Lakers.
San Antonio are still working out their identity this season after some roster reshuffling. They have done a good job of scoring at an efficient rate to start the season, with their dominant mid-range game again showing up. Active hands on defence have also led to repeat possessions and fast break opportunities that could lead to trouble for a Lakers side that has turned the ball over at an above-average clip so far this season.
The Lakers managed to get the monkey off their back and register their first win of the season – albeit unconvincingly – behind an insane scoring performance from Carmelo Anthony; something that isn’t entirely sustainable or reliable.
Backing the Lakers as a favorite in any capacity is not something I’m going to get involved with and they have been a profitable fade so far this season.
My number on this game is -2.5 in LA’s favour with LeBron James available so I’ll happily take the points on the home side to keep this one close. That said, keep an eye on the news on James because you want to make sure your market entry provides good value.
If he’s in, grab a +4.0/4.5 on the Spurs. If he’s out, take the home team to win this one outright against a clunky LA lineup.
Our best bet: San Antonio Spurs win
