NBA opening night: Best bets, picks and player props

The 2023 NBA Champion Denver Nuggets will open their season receiving their rings and raising a banner in Ball Arena against Lebron James and his Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the 2023 Western Conference Finals. In the late game of the opening night doubleheader, Steph Curry and the Golden State State Warriors will host Kevin Durant and the retooled Phoenix Suns.

The last time these two teams met, the Nuggets were putting the finishing touches on a four-game sweep of the Lakers in the Western Conference finals, en route to the first championship in franchise history. The cores of each team remain largely intact and, on a night where emotions will be running high, there is no reason to expect things to be too different. You can bet on this game on BetMGM, which currently has the best odds for this bet. Ball Arena is one of the toughest places to play due to the altitude, which is part of the reason the Nuggets went 34-7 at home last season (having Nikola Jokic on the floor doesn’t hurt, either).

The Lakers have struggled out of the gate in recent years, having lost each of their past six season openers. Expect that trend to extend to seven tonight, as the Nuggets should win rather comfortably.

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One of the storylines coming into this game is the narrative of a “revenge game” for Chris Paul. The 38-year-old will make his Warriors debut against the Suns team he helped lead to the 2021 NBA Finals. Making his debut for the opposing Suns is Bradley Beal, who Paul was traded for.

Another story that will affect this game broke on Monday, and that is the anticipated absence of Draymond Green for opening night. The four-time all-star has been a key cog in the Warriors dynasty despite not averaging double-digit points in any of the past five seasons. Green is the heart and soul of Golden State and the anchor of their defense. The Suns’ offensive attack will be difficult for teams to figure out this season, with stars such as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Beal, and company. Playing without your defensive stalwart, as the Warriors will, does not exactly inspire confidence, and you can bet the Suns on PointsBet.

The Suns won the season series last season, 3-1, including taking a road game in San Francisco at the Chase Center. The team then added Beal, making them even more difficult to game-plan for. That should give them a distinct advantage in this matchup.