The best team in the NBA is looking to defend its crown and win its third title in four years. Few analysts are picking anyone other than the Golden State Warriors to reign supreme over the NBA once again. Golden State is loaded with talent and has the best starting five in league history, and some key role players to boot. The Warriors will be hosting the Houston Rockets in their opener. Houston shook things up this offseason by adding Chris Paul and the hope is that he and James Harden will make up a lethal backcourt.
Don’t miss the hardwood action from Oracle Arena at 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Tuesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Golden State went 2-2 in preseason, but didn’t take it too seriously as they have all the core members of last year’s roster back. The Warriors did get to have Steve Kerr healthy and on the sidelines, and that was a plus to see him establish rapport with the new guys.
Houston should be the highest scoring team in the NBA this year. The Rockets didn’t score a ton in the preseason, but Mike D’Antoni is going to have this team ready to run the floor for this one. Paul and Harden should be able to light up the stat sheet in D’Antoni’s offense.
Key Injuries
Golden State doesn’t have any of its superstars hurt, but some of its key role players might not suit up. Former Rocket Omri Casspi is questionable because of an ankle injury and Andre Iguodala might not be able to play because of a lingering back issue. The loss of Casspi wouldn’t be a big deal, but Iguodala would like be matched up on either Paul or Harden, and not having him available would hurt. He is getting older, but is still one of the best on the ball defenders in the NBA.
Additionally, Shaun Livingston is on the injury report. He is considered probable as he deals with an illness, but he won’t be 100 percent for this one. That makes this bench even thinner.
Matchup to Watch
Houston wants to turn this game into a shootout, and Golden State might be keen to play along. The Rockets are going to constantly go up-tempo with a ball distributor like Paul and a shooter like Harden, and Ryan Anderson will see plenty of action too. This team doesn’t have the low-post scorers to pound the paint, and will take a ton of three pointers in D’Antoni’s offense.
The Warriors might want to run with the Rockets with shooters like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, but might be content to play a more controlled style of basketball with a talent like Kevin Durant and one the NBA’s best defenders in Draymond Green. Curry and Thompson might be able to light this team up if it plays the lackadaisical defense it has been known for in the past. However, it’s likely that the Rockets will actually give it their all on both ends in the season opener.
Free NBA ATS Picks
How can you go against Golden State here? Sure, the Warriors will probably be a double digit favorite, but this is the most complete team we have seen in a long time. Golden State can play any style of basketball and this team can go on runs like no one else can. The Rockets will hang tough for a while, but all it takes is one cold stretch from Paul and Harden and this team is toast. Golden State will look to show the West that it is still the BMOC after a flurry of offseason moves among the contenders, and will rout Houston.
NBA Odds: Warriors 132 – Rockets 113
BookMaker offers play-by- play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
