Is it safe to say that this NBA season is the most entertaining one we’ve had in a long time? And it’s only December! There’s still a lot of basketball to be played, but the narratives, the storylines, and the quality of basketball being shown have been superlative.
Even though the league only has a lean slate tomorrow, each of the five games has the potential to be one for the books. Check out the latest of what the Association has to offer in tomorrow’s five-game slate!
Washington Wizards @ Phoenix Suns
In case you’re having a bad day, just remember that Bradley Beal will once again miss a few couple of weeks due to an ankle injury.
The Phoenix Suns caught the injury bug to start the season, and it hasn’t stopped pestering them until now. The basketball world finally got to witness the Suns’ big three together on the court. The much-anticipated big-three debut was spoiled by who else but the Brooklyn Nets, with inspiring performances by former Suns players Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson. If that’s not poetic justice, I don’t know what is.
The Suns big three were off to a rocky start, but at least they’re finally playing together. Or so we thought. The Durant-Booker-Beal experiment is once again put on hold due to a right ankle injury Bradley Beal suffered against the Knicks.
“Brad will be back. Great training staff. We got support behind him. He’ll be back out there. You think we got bad luck? I don’t believe in that.” Tip of the Suns’ spear Kevin Durant exclaimed.
The former Wizards All-Star will be donning street clothes for what should be his first game against his former team, so that just means the dynamic duo of Durant and Booker will have to carry the load for Phoenix.
Facing one of the worst defences in the NBA will surely help the cause of the injury-ridden Suns when they host the Wizards at the Footprint Center.
Betting tip – First Half Over 121.5 at 1.92
Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics
The Magic’s early resurgence caught the league by surprise. The young team boasts a 16-8 record while being an elite team at home, tallying a 11-2 record at Amway Center. NBA 2023 odds favourite for coach of the year, Jamahl Mosley, figured out how to unlock his young core’s potential even though Wendell Carter Jr. and Markelle Fultz remain unavailable due to injuries.
The real test to legitimize the Magic’s new-found swagger comes in the form of a redemption win against the Boston Celtics, who are currently tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves as the teams with the best records in the league (19-5) when this article was written.
The Celtics already humbled the Magic in the first game of their back-to-back, where Jason Tatum dropped a cool 30-piece against a helpless Magic defence. Tatum scored the game high, but Payton Pritchard was the X factor for Joe Mazzulla in that match. The University of Oregon product gave a glimpse of his capabilities to shoot the lights out by hitting six threes and scoring 21 points (7/10), three rebounds, and five assists.
The Celtics as a team shot the ball pretty well, finishing the game with 48/92 field goals and 18/42 from downtown. They’re objectively getting better and better as the season progresses, so expect a similar result when they play the second game of their back-to-back against the Magic.
Betting tip – Asian Handicap Boston Celtics -8.00 at 1.86
New Orleans Pelicans @ San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama. Do I have to say more? Honestly speaking, this SBOTOP writer had so much criticism over Wemby’s hype, but after their win against the Los Angeles Lakers, it is safe to say that the San Antonio Spurs have gotten themselves a generational superstar.
The Spurs snapped their 18-game losing streak with a blowout win against the In-Season Tournament champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, 129-115. Wemby didn’t have his best game, but he took advantage of the absence of Anthony Davis. The young Frenchman posted yet another double-double with 12 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Greg Popovich continues to evolve his team’s offence and it looks like they’re starting to figure it out in San Antonio. The Spurs have the worst record in the league with four wins and 20 losses, but everyone knew it’d take some time for Pop’s young core to get it together.
Meanwhile, the 15-11 Pelicans are looking to make strides in the Western Conference now that their core players are all healthy. Injuries and the Pelicans have been somewhat synonymous in recent years, but now that they have Zion, McCollum, and Ingram all on the floor, coupled with the emergence of glue guy Herb Jones, the Pels have now become a legitimate threat to any team in the league.
Betting tip – Under 237 at 1.93
Houston Rockets @ Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo recently made history by scoring the most points (64) in Bucks franchise history. But unfortunately, he’s been headlining the NBA 2023 news for another reason. The Greek Freak was seen storming to the tunnel of the Fiserv Forum after knowing that the game ball was given to Pacers rookie Oscar Tshiebwe for scoring his first NBA point.
Even though the night ended on a messy note, Giannis still balled out with 64 points (20/28), 14 rebounds, three assists, four steals, one block, and a franchise record to boot.
Giannis and the Bucks are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference with an 18-7 record. They’re currently tied with the 76ers, who share the same 18-7 record, but the Bucks have a great opportunity to separate themselves when they host a steaming hot Rockets squad.
Ime Udoka and his team are riding a five-game winning streak, which includes wins against the Nuggets and the Thunder. Udoka’s system has meshed quite nicely with his young core, and it doesn’t hurt to have a veteran in Fred VanVleet as your floor general.
Six Rockets scored double digits during their last game against the Memphis Grizzlies, but it’s Alperen Şengün who’s been the standout player for Houston this season. His ability to orchestrate the offence and his crafty yet powerful playstyle make him a force to be reckoned with.
The 21-year-old Turk has been filling up the stat sheet night in and night out, but he’ll have quite the matchup against Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the rest of the Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
Golden State Warriors @ Portland Trail Blazers
It’s been a rough stretch of basketball for the Golden State Warriors, and the whole Draymond Green debacle isn’t helping anyone.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Warriors currently have an 11-14 record with a losing record at home. Green is suspended indefinitely after his latest fiasco, Klay Thompson has become inconsistent, and Andrew Wiggins looks like he just flat-out forgot how to play basketball. The only saving grace the Warriors have at this point is the brilliance of Stephen Curry, who is single-handedly carrying the dynasty on his back.
Luckily for them, they face the Portland Trail Blazers next, another team that is currently figuring some stuff out. Both teams have a losing record and are two of the five worst teams in the Western Conference, so their matchup would benefit them both in terms of finding their respective rhythms.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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