NBA Opening Night Predictions: Miami Heat Debut Big Three Against Boston Celtics
The NBA season tips off Tuesday night, and this could be the most anticipated season in a long time with the debut of the Big Three against the older version of the Big Three.
In Portland, the Blazers will take on the ageless Steve Nash in what should be an exciting game to watch with plenty of scoring.
Finally the Los Angeles Lakers begin to defend their title as they take on the Houston Rockets.
Here is a look at all three games with predictions.
Phoenix Suns Vs. Portland Blazers
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Latest Line from BetMania: Blazers -7.5
The Portland Trail Blazers are always a threat to make a run in the Western Conference but always seem to be sidelined by injuries. The Phoenix Suns will always be a contender in the West as long as they have Steve Nash playing point guard.
The Suns are in a serious transition. They have a quality lineup but are not sure how the players will all work together. In fact, as of yesterday head coach Alvin Gentry had not even named his starting lineup. Asked about his starters, the Suns coach said: “Pretty much. I mean four of them for sure and then I think Hedo (Turkoglu) is going to be our starter." That tells me the Suns still have plenty of work to do.
The Blazers on the other hand are healthy and ready to go. Often-injured center Greg Oden played 5-on-5 for the first time this year the other day in practice and is ready to go. Brandon Roy is ready to lead this team.
The Blazers are 11-4 against the spread (ATS). At home the total is between 200 and 204.5—they will take it to the Suns. The home crowd is nuts in Portland: The Blazers will win big in the first game of the season.
Houston Rockets at LA Lakers
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All the talk in the offseason has been about the Miami Heat, even though the Lakers brought another banner back to LA. They start to defend their title on Tuesday night as they host the Houston Rockets.
There is no doubt about it, the Lakers are better than the Rockets. The biggest concern for the Lakers right now will be injuries. Lamar Odom (sore left thumb, tight back, beat up nose), Theo Ratliff (swollen left knee) and Luke Walton (aggravated right hamstring) are all ailing but should play opening night.
Andrew Bynum will be out of the lineup until Thanksgiving, and then there is Kobe. The biggest concern is the knee of All-Star Kobe Bryant, and coach Phil Jackson has already indicated that he will limit Kobe’s playing time to keep Bryant fresh throughout the year.
The Rockets received good news when it was announced that Yao Ming would play in the season opener. His time will be limited, but he will provide a presence down low for the Rockets. The Rockets always play sound defense and have a quality backcourt in Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks. Shane Battier is a quality defender that will take a charge, and the Rockets should put up a good fight in Game 1. The Rockets are not ready to pull off the upset, but taking the points is the way to go in what will end up being a close game.
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics
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Latest Line from BetMania: Miami Heat -1
The Miami Heat built an all-star team in the offseason when they acquired LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade in an attempt to win a championship. The championship run begins with a game against the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. BetMania currently has the Heat as the favorites to win the East and the NBA championship, a lofty expectation for a team that has never played together before.
The Celtics, like some other teams, are not ready to hand over the trophy just yet. They played in the NBA Finals last year and brought back all the major pieces to make another run at the title. This game is surrounded by story lines with regards to new additions and championship aspirations, but on the court this game will be won by Boston.
They have the home-court advantage and play very well at home and as an underdog. The C’s are 7-3 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 games as an underdog and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 home games. The Celtics are not ready to hand the keys to the Eastern Conference over to the Heat just yet and are a little upset with all of the attention that the Heat have gotten in the offseason—after all, they did go to the Finals. The deciding factor in this game will be depth and home court, and the Celtics have both.
Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com
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