At last, the NBA regular season is once upon us. Action kicks-off on Tuesday, August 18 with a massive double-header. If you want to cash-in on the league's return, then you need to get a load of these three NBA bets we got for you. Keep reading for free betting advice from experts!
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics
Game 1 of the NBA season is between two East favorites, Philly and Boston, both of which are highly favored to take the conference title across popular basketball betting sites. Before we tell you who to bet on the matchup, have a look at the current 76ers-Celtics moneyline odds:
| Team |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | -170 | -170 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +145 | +145 |
Boston’s hopes to re-take the East took an unpredictable turn two weeks ago when it’s head coach Ime Udoka was suspended for the whole year (and possibly gone from the team for good). That’s not a small obstacle to overcome, especially that late in training camp. Could the C's be reeling in this game? We honestly expect them too.
Philly, on the other hand, might be at their best this early in the season. For one, Joel Embiid is actually healthy this time of year — something that won’t last. And two, its other star, James Harden, is no longer leaning on the fly like he was last year after being acquired mid-season. Plus, the dynamic duo showed their potential ceiling together. In 21 games played together last year, Embiid and Harden outscored opponents by 15.5 points per 100 possessions, an impressive figure.
This Sixers team is better in the supporting cast too. Thanks to Harden slashing his pay, the team was able to add productive pieces like PJ Tucker, De'Anthony Melton, and Montrezl Harrell, among others. As you can probably sense, we’re very high on Philly — not just in this game but the entire season ahead. The Sixers are a good underdog moneyline bet here against a reeling Celtics squad.
Against The Spread: Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors
Internal drama is either brewing or already spilled between both teams in this second game of Tuesday night. Before we get to that, take a look at the current spread betting lines listed below. Zero surprises, the reigning NBA champion Warriors are favored by a modest amount over the Lakers on their home floor:
| Team | | |
|---|---|---|
| Golden State spread (-6) | -110 | -110 |
| LA Lakers spread (+6) | -110 | -110 |
Let's talk about that team drama. You've probably heard (and seen the video) of Draymond Green leaping and one-punch KO'ing his teammate, Jordan Poole. Green will NOT be suspended, but nonetheless, the distraction is looming large. Meanwhile, in La La Land, everyone and their mother expects tensions between Pat Beverly and Russell Westbrook to eventually spill over, with or without punches. Nothing has happened yet, but this Lakers team could maintain the same chemistry issues that kept it out of the playoffs last season.
We're not at all convinced this Los Angeles team will be all that much better than in 2021-22. They're still old. They're still lacking shooters. And yes, they're still a group of individuals — not teammates. We fully expect Golden State, a group that does play like a team (punching withstanding) to roll over them and cover the spread convincingly.
Against The Spread: Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns
This game is on Wednesday night, a night full of NBA action with 12 different games on deck. However, among those dozen of betting opportunities, we were most enthralled with this playoff rematch, in particular, with the Mavs-Suns spread, as seen below:
| Team | | |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix spread (-5) | -110 | -110 |
| Dallas spread (+5) | -110 | -110 |
If you think Boston and Golden State have had a rough offseason, they got nothing on the Suns. Let's run down the list of issues the team has run into before the regular season has even been tipped off. Biggest of all, its owner, Robert Sarver, was essentially forced to sell the team for a history of inappropriate (and offensive) language. Next, they lost to an NBL team by 10 points. Lastly, Phoenix's Deandre Ayton admitted he hasn't spoken with the head coach Monty Williams since being benched in the elimination Game 7 during the second round of the postseason (they had the number one seed in the conference).
The team that defeated them in that Game 7? Welp, their opponent in this one, Dallas. The Mavs didn't have a splashy offseason, but we're not sure they need to. That's because this team is brimming with youth, none more than its superstar leader Luka Doncic. As we saw in the postseason, there's some animosity between both rosters. We're not sure who wins on Wednesday, but we're betting it's a close contest. And if so, that means the Mavericks most likely cover the spread.
How To Bet On 2022 NBA Season?
The new NBA season is going to be fast and furious when it comes to betting opportunities, are you ready? You'll need a trusted betting site for starters and you'll find that at the table below. You can't go wrong with betting on the 2022 NBA season — from now until June's Finals — with the below bookies. They have it all, from killer sign-up bonuses to a loaded sportsbook to a variety of deposit methods, to make this NBA season a winning one as a bettor. Get started by clicking around the below table!
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