NBA Opening Night Schedule 2014: Predictions for Tuesday's Matchups
The NBA knows how to do opening night if its 2014 schedule is any indication.
Fans will be treated to games featuring the defending champion San Antonio Spurs going up against the team that pushed them the most in last season’s playoffs, a rising superstar in Anthony Davis and the legendary Los Angeles Lakers franchise welcoming one of the Western Conference’s most dangerous squads.
With that in mind, here are some predictions for Tuesday’s matchups.
Orlando Magic at New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
This game between the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Pelicans is not an even matchup on paper, so NBA fans should simply sit back and enjoy the performance of the league’s next megastar.
Anthony Davis has always been an impressive player, but he will quickly become a household name to even the most casual fans after turning heads at the 2014 FIBA World Cup. He can run the floor, swat shots, score from the block, hit from mid-range and beyond and control the glass with his length and athleticism.
The surrounding pieces are in place for New Orleans to at least make a run at the playoffs with Omer Asik, Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson.
There would already be a talent gap in this matchup with Victor Oladipo on the floor for the Magic, so the fact that he will miss time with a facial fracture makes a blowout even more likely.
It will be interesting to watch rookie point guard Elfrid Payton, especially without Oladipo as something of a security blanket, early in the year for Orlando. Still, even if Payton uses his lightning speed and precision passes to put a scare into New Orleans, the home team simply has too much talent in this one.
Prediction: Pelicans 98, Magic 87
Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
While everyone else around the NBA was making rather loud moves this offseason, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs quietly brought back the core that absolutely eviscerated LeBron James and the Miami Heat and brought an end to the entire Big Three experience in southern Florida.
Gregg Popovich is back with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and superstar-in-the-making Kawhi Leonard (who will miss Tuesday's opener).
It is difficult to make a case for anyone else in terms of title favorites if the incredibly efficient Spurs are in the picture.
One of those teams that made some impressive moves in the offseason is the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis are still there, but Chandler Parsons and Tyson Chandler give Dallas more options on both ends of the floor. Parsons will be the shooter and third scorer who benefits from the attention directed toward Ellis and Nowitzki, and Chandler will patrol the paint on defense.
This Dallas team took the Spurs to seven games last season without Parsons and Chandler, so it could be a problem for Popovich and company.
Mavericks player Jae Crowder discussed the opener, via Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “I’m excited about the first game. This is our first time seeing those guys since we blew Game 7, so it’s a good statement game for us, a good statement for our team to see where we’re at.”
A motivated Mavericks squad will certainly keep this one close, but the defending champs are out to make a statement as well—feel free to worry about the Cleveland Cavaliers and the rest of the league during the offseason, but when the season starts, we are the best team on the court.
That will once again be the case on Tuesday.
Prediction: Spurs 101, Mavericks 96
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
The best news for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the season is the fact that Kobe Bryant is back and healthy. Sure, he will never be the player he was in his prime, but he actually averaged 26.7 points a game in his final three preseason contests and is still an offensive threat.
The rest of the starting lineup, via Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, doesn’t look that impressive:
However, Shahan Ahmed of NBC Los Angeles had a positive opinion for the Lakers fans who want to see what the future holds with Julius Randle sooner rather than later:
Regardless of how Randle and Bryant look, there is no other way to say this—the talent gap is huge in this matchup.
The Houston Rockets brought in Trevor Ariza to replace Parsons, which should help the defense, and they have a motivated Patrick Beverley playing in a contract year. That is a solid supporting cast for Dwight Howard, who is healthier than he has been in some time, and James Harden, who is one of the best offensive players in the league.
The Lakers simply won’t be able to keep up on opening night.
Prediction: Rockets 107, Lakers 94
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