The 2017-18 NBA season is set to get underway, and the opening matchups can’t get any better as last year’s finalists host two other powerhouse teams in their respective conferences.
East champions Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Boston Celtics in what could be the start of a bitter rivalry between the two. Meanwhile, online gambling favourites Golden State Warriors meet the revamped Houston Rockets, who are considered to be one of their biggest live betting rivals out West.
This is only the beginning of the new campaign, but there will certainly be fireworks at the end of each game!
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers (October 18, 08:00 GMT+8)
Betting odds point to the Cavs winning this game, but LeBron James and crew know they can’t get too confident as they face Ohio’s prodigal son who exchanged playing with the best player in the world for a chance to be his own man.
Kyrie Irving returns to Quicken Loans Arena on a mission, and that is to prove that he can lead his own team to the championship—something which he was never able to do playing in the shadow of LeBron.
New Celtic forward Gordon Hayward said he wants to help Irving beat the Cavs, so the motivation is certainly there for last year’s East leaders.
Cleveland, however, retooled well after trading Irving. The point guard they got, Isaiah Thomas, is still out recovering from injury, but their lineup that also features former MVP Derrick Rose and All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Kevin Love, is certainly oozing with talent and quality.
The signs are there that this will be a feisty affair, but Cleveland should have the advantage over the Celts whose new acquisitions are yet to develop chemistry.
Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors (10:30 GMT+8)
The Rockets certainly don’t want to be the team to witness the Warriors raise their championship banner and get their rings. No franchise does, after all.
However, Houston will undoubtedly use that as motivation to perhaps spoil the night for the NBA’s ultimate super team.
Both the Dubs and Rockets led the league in offensive rating last year—ranked first and second in the category, respectively—so their marquee matchup should be a high-scoring affair with a lot of three-pointers.
Houston will be confident after acquiring Chris Paul to pair up with James Harden and form what is perhaps the deadliest backcourt duo in the NBA. The trade of Patrick Beverley might further raise questions about their already non-existent defence, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that Paul is an elite two-way player.
Golden State, meanwhile, kept their core intact and will be as scary as they have ever been with their death lineup. It should also help them that they drafted Jordan Bell and signed Nick Young and Omri Casspi, all of whom should bolster their bench productivity.
Three-point efficiency will be the key in this match; and although I think Mike D’Antoni’s men can give the Bay Area team a good run for their money, the home side have more offensive options and depth to carve out a win here.
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