The NBA season has already started as we’ve witnessed almost all teams get their feet wet in the last two days.
The Raptors have won against the Pelicans in an overtime thriller just right after they received their championship rings in front of the raucous Canadian crowd, while the Clippers trounced the Lakers in what was a highly-anticipated opening day matchup.
Just a while ago, the Hornets, Pistons, Magic, Timberwolves, Heat, Sixers, Mavericks, Spurs, Jazz, Suns, and Nuggets opened their 2019/20 season with wins as well.
We are about to witness more intense basketball action as we go along, so tighten your seat belts as we’re in here for a long ride.
For now, SBOBET gives you a quick preview on the matches ahead on Friday night.
Atlanta Hawks @ Detroit Pistons
Fresh from a win against the Indiana Pacers, the Detroit Pistons are going back home to host the youth-oriented Atlanta Hawks at the Little Caesars Arena tomorrow.
The Hawks will look to parade their young pick-and-roll duo of Trae Young and John Collins, while the likes of Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter will be eager to get their first taste of real NBA action.
Vince Carter, meanwhile, is expected to make history as he will be entering his 22nd season in the league. He will continue to provide the veteran leadership needed for the youngsters of Coach Lloyd Pierce.
Andre Drummond will look to continue his auspicious start of the season after putting up a monstrous 32-point, 23-rebound double-double against Indiana, and he will be supported by Derrick Rose who should fare well as the Piston’s sixth man.
It is unclear on whether Blake Griffin will play any time soon, as head coach Dwane Casey will practice caution for his injured knee and hamstring. Either way, the Pistons should come away with a win on this one with the likes of Christian Wood, Markieff Morris, and Luke Kennard stepping up in Griffin’s absence.
Betting Tip: Pistons Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.00
Milwaukee Bucks @ Houston Rockets
This game will be a doozy and for sure we can expect a lot of NBA 2019 highlights on this one.
It will be a battle between two of the league’s past few MVPs who are playing with contrasting styles.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be a man on a mission after missing out on a trip to the Finals last season. He is an athletic specimen that can wreak havoc on both ends of the floor and he will be backstopped by the likes of Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, and Eric Bledsoe.
The same goes for James Harden, who not only missed out on the NBA Finals, but also for the MVP award as well. Over the summer, the Rockets brass pulled the trigger for a trade that brought him his new backcourt partner with Russell Westbrook and it’ll be interesting on how will that work out.
The NBA 2019 odds don’t have a clear favourite on this one, but I’ll give this one to the Rockets since they will have the home court advantage.
Betting Tip: Rockets Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 1.90
Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors
The Los Angeles Clippers are gunning for their second straight win as they’ll visit the Chase Center facing the new-look Golden State Warriors team.
Still without the services of Paul George, the Clippers will have to continue to rely on their formidable defence and the shot-making ability of Kawhi Leonard, who scored 30 markers in their game against the Lakers.
Even without the likes of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston, it would be a fool to overlook the Golden State Warriors. During the offseason, they’ve acquired some new pieces in D’Angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein, Omari Spellman, and Alec Burks. They also have rookies in Monte Poole and Eric Paschall who are looking to prove their worth as well.
As always, Steph Curry will be tasked to carry the cudgels on offence for the Steve Kerr-mentored club, while Draymond Green is expected to be their emotional leader and their defensive linchpin.
Klay Thompson, on the other hand, will be sorely missed by the Warriors as he continues to recover from his ACL injury. He is not expected to play for the rest of this season.
While we can expect an otherworldly performance from Curry on this one, I would give the nod to the Clippers to get their second win of the season. But this should be a closer game than expected.
Betting Tip: Clippers Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 1.82
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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