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The first week of the NBA’s 2017-18 regular season is underway, and both of last season’s conference champions — the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers — are having the yips early on. The Warriors have limped out of the gate a 1-2, while the Cavaliers just took a beating from an Orlando Magic team missing two of their key starters. Obviously, we’re a long, long way from the playoffs, and the wear and tear of several long seasons with lengthy playoff runs may be taking their toll in the early going here as these teams take a while to start looking sharp. We’ve put together a list of the top NBA betting matchups & picks for this week. Home teams, as always, are in all caps. Be sure to check out the latest NBA odds & lines before choosing your picks.
The Bulls have an 0-2 record so far that has included a 17-point loss at Toronto and a 10-point home loss against the San Antonio Spurs. Life does not get any easier with this trip to Cleveland, but the young Bulls (featuring Zach LaVine at the point and rookie Lauri Markkanen at the 4) need to figure out how to win games quickly if they want a chance in the East. Their rebounding has been suspect thus far, and their offense has sputtered at times. I see the Cavaliers taking advantage of both trends and taking an easy win over the Bulls.
NBA Betting Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers
Top NBA Betting Matchups and Picks of the Week
The best action from around the Association in Week 1 of the 2017-18 season! pic.twitter.com/wqv54jOP6d
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2017
Monday, October 23
DETROIT over Philadelphia (7:00pm ET, FSDT, NSPA) The young duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid have Sixers fans abuzz. Embiid is the first playoff-quality center that the Sixers have had in years, and Ben Simmons brings a wealth of talent on the outside. That hasn’t yet translated into wins, as the team has opened with losses to Washington, Boston and Toronto (the last of those in a convincing rout). However, as this team continues to develop, they will look more and more intimidating. They head to Detroit to take on a Pistons team that has opened with a 2-1 start. The team opened by beating Charlotte at home by 12 before heading to Washington and dropping a four-pint game. They got back into the winning column with a four-point win over the hapless Knicks in New York. They return home to take on an opportunistic Sixers team. I see Philadelphia winning this game later on in the season, but for now I see that Detroit offense doing enough to secure a close win. NBA Betting Pick: Detroit PistonsCLEVELAND over Chicago (7:00pm ET, NBA TV)
The Cavaliers have yet to figure out how to get Dwyane Wade into their rotation. On the Cleveland roster, of course, he’s not one of the first two options, which means he is in more of a support role than he has ever filled in his career. However, the beating that the Magic delivered to the Cavaliers over the weekend suggests that the Cavaliers have plenty of need for support, so there should be room for Wade to contribute.
The Bulls have an 0-2 record so far that has included a 17-point loss at Toronto and a 10-point home loss against the San Antonio Spurs. Life does not get any easier with this trip to Cleveland, but the young Bulls (featuring Zach LaVine at the point and rookie Lauri Markkanen at the 4) need to figure out how to win games quickly if they want a chance in the East. Their rebounding has been suspect thus far, and their offense has sputtered at times. I see the Cavaliers taking advantage of both trends and taking an easy win over the Bulls.
NBA Betting Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers
