After a long offseason, the NBA returns on Tuesday with an exciting battle between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors. This one will tip off at 10 p.m. ET on TNT following the Lakers-Nuggets game. So are we trusting Stephen Curry, or do we like Kevin Durant against his former team">NBA betting promos!
Suns-Warriors Pick & Prediction | Best Bet for NBA Opening Night
Suns-Warriors Odds
Odds via bet365
Suns: -110 | Warriors: -110
Suns +1: -115 | Warriors -1: -105
Over 232.5: -110 | Under 232.5: -110
Expert: Isaiah Sirois
Time: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 10 p.m. ET
Suns-Warriors Pick & Prediction
The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors didn’t have the postseason they hoped for last season. The Suns fell to the Nuggets in six. The Warriors fell to the Lakers in six. Both teams handled their early exits differently: the Suns replaced head coach Monty Williams with Frank Vogel, added Bradley Beal, and shipped off Deandre Ayton for Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen and spare parts. The Warriors got rid of b and added Chris Paul.
I’m my colleagues may disagree, but it’s important to emphasize the simple fact that all worries about Phoenix’s health are irrelevant on Opening Night: Nurkic, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker haven’t suffered any wear and tear yet. Sure, Booker and Beal were both limited on Sunday’s practice, but Vogel said they “should be fine.” UPDATE (10/24/2023 at 10:01 AM ET): The Suns have said Bradley Beal is unlikely to play.
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Barring some disastrous news coming out on Monday evening, the Suns will have their Big Three on the floor on Tuesday. That means the Warriors will have to defend Durant, Beal and Booker at the same time. Golden State is yet to play a Phoenix team with Durant on the roster. With a projected starting lineup featuring Stephen Curry alongside Chris Paul and Klay Thompson, it’s worth wondering who gets that early assignment. All three of those players were negative defensive assets last season, per RAPTOR.
The Suns are trading as a small road underdog to the Warriors for Tuesday’s Opening Night contest. I’m backing Phoenix to start the year with an upset win over the Warriors for two key reasons: first, Golden State likely doesn’t have a third defender if head coach Steve Kerr intends to feature Paul, Curry and Thompson in the starting and closing lineups, and second, even if the Warriors do adjust their lines, new acquisitions in Nurkic and Allen should do some damage as Golden State tries to hone in on Phoenix’s Big Three.
Suns-Warriors NBA Pick: Phoenix Moneyline -102 at FanDuel
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