Top NBA Betting Picks for Opening Week of the 2017 Season

Thursday is often the best night of NBA betting action each week because even though it’s usually a light schedule, we usually get a doubleheader of marquee matchups on TNT. That’s the case this week to open the season as New York visits Oklahoma City and the Clippers visit the Lakers. Here’s a look at both games with NBA odds at MyBookie out Wednesday.

Top NBA Betting Picks for Opening Week of the 2017 Season

It’s #KiaTipOff17 Week! pic.twitter.com/mBrD5XkA3z

— NBA (@NBA) October 16, 2017

NY Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Odds & Game Info

When: Thursday, 8 PM ET Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, OKC TV: TNT Stream: Watch NBA Radio: ESPN Radio 98.7 FM (NY) / WWLS-The Sports Animal 98.1 FM (Oklahoma City) NBA Betting Odds: TBA

Updated NBA Championship Odds – October 11th

Why Bet On New York?

Of course the Knicks traded their best offensive player, Carmelo Anthony, to the Thunder this offseason – signaling a full rebuild in New York. This is Kristaps Porzingis’ team now. Last year, the Unicorn averaged 19.8 PPG (on 48 percent shooting), 7.9 RPG, 2.1 3PPG, and 2.0 BPG in victories. Now he will get even more shots with Anthony not around to hog the ball. Anthony finished as the Knicks’ seventh-highest scorer with 10,196 points and owns the team’s third-highest scoring average at 24.7 points per game. Anthony scored a franchise and current Madison Square Garden record 62 points against the Charlotte Bobcats on January 24, 2014. He led the Knicks in scoring and was an All-Star during each of his six full seasons in New York. Anthony was the scoring champion for the 2012-2013 season after averaging 28.7 points per game. Anthony was traded to Oklahoma City for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second-round pick. Kanter averaged 14.2 points and 8.0 rebounds in parts of three seasons with Oklahoma City (2014-17). McDermott averaged 6.6 points and 2.2 rebounds over 19.5 minutes with the Thunder during parts of the 2016-17 season.

Why Bet On Oklahoma City?

This will be the first of two meetings between Knicks and Thunder this season. The Thunder visit Madison Square Garden on Dec. 16, 2017. New York lost last year’s season series 2-0. New York is looking to snap a three-game losing streak versus the Thunder. The Knicks haven’t defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in a season series since the 2005-06 (2-0). It’s not just the debut of Anthony but fellow All-Star Paul George around reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. To cap off his MVP season, Westbrook registered his NBA-record-setting 42nd triple-double of the season last April 9th in Denver (Oscar Roberson tallied 41 triple-doubles during the 1961-62 season). Trailing 103-105 with 2.9 seconds left, Westbrook connected on a game-winning 36-foot 3-point field goal to also become the only player in NBA history to post three 50-point triple-doubles in a single season. Furthermore, he is the only player in NBA history to register seven consecutive triple doubles on two separate occasions during a single season. Westbrook also posted five straight 30-point triple-doubles this season to become the only player in NBA history to ever accomplish the feat. To put further perspective on Westbrook’s triple-doubles, there are 11 NBA teams that have amassed fewer triple-doubles in their entire team history as compared to the 42 logged by Westbrook this season. The Thunder closed out the 2016-17 season as the leading rebounding team in the NBA (46.6 rpg). OKC went 20-3 last season when outrebounding the opposition by 10 or more. Additionally, the Thunder led the NBA with respect to points in the paint (49.9 per game). OKC went 12- 2 when scoring 60+ points in the paint.

LA Clippers at LA Lakers NBA Odds & Game Info

When: Thursday, 10:30 PM ET Where: Staples Center, LA TV: TNT Stream: Watch NBA Radio: KFWB News Talk 980 (Clippers) / 710 ESPNLA (Lakers) NBA Betting Odds: TBA

Why Bet on Clippers?

The Clips begin life without Chris Paul as they traded the All-Star point guard to Houston for a handful of players, led by point guard Patrick Beverley. He has been dealing with a sore right knee in the preseason but fully expects to play here.  Last year, Beverley became the only player in NBA history 6’2” or shorter to average at least five rebounds and four assists, while shooting at least 38% from three-point range in a single-season. He is one of 10 players in NBA history to average at least nine points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal in under 30 minutes per game (Beverley, Alvan Adams, Vlade Divac, Draymond Green, Mickey Johnson, Toni Kukoc, Elfrid Payton, Campy Russell, Lionel Simmons & Bob Wilkerson). Blake Griffin, meanwhile, said he didn’t have any issues with his toe during the preseason: “I haven’t sat out any practices. I haven’t had any restrictions. I didn’t really anticipate that. At the beginning of the season, I met with probably four of the top foot surgeons in the United States and I never anticipated sitting out training camp.” Griffin’s going to have a larger role in the offense this season and looked really good in the preseason with 17.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.0 triples in just 23.5 minutes per game. The Clippers went 3-1 against the Lakers in 2016-17. L.A. has won 18 of their last 20 regular season matchups against their Staples Center co-tenant, dating back to 2010.

Why Bet on Lakers?

It’s the Lakers debut of touted rookie Lonzo Ball. He did injure his ankle in the preseason but will play barring a setback. The No. 2 overall pick injured his left ankle when he landed on Denver point guard Emmanuel Mudiay’s foot in the first half of a preseason game on Oct. 2. The Lakers are going to play fast this year behind Ball. They sixth in pace last season but 24th in offensive efficiency, a difference that suggests that their style of play and personnel did not match. Well, they do now, and with Magic Johnson at the Lakers’ helm, the ceiling for Ball is sky high. Last year, Ball set UCLA’s single-season assists record (274), the second-highest single-season total in Pac-12 history and a freshman record. He became the first player in the Pac-12 to average at least 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game since Jason Kidd in 1992-93. Another new addition, former Pistons guard Kantavious Caldwell-Pope, is suspended for the first two games of the season, and Julius Randle is dealing with a rib issue, so Luol Deng could potentially earn a couple spot starts to begin the season. The Lakers also added center Brook Lopez and the rights to the 27th overall pick (Kyle Kuzma) in a draft night trade with Brooklyn. Lopez is one of five centers in NBA history to convert at least 125 three-pointers in a season, after his 134 triples in 2016-17. These two teams have met 212 times overall and on 146 occasions since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles. The Lakers lead the all-time series 145-67 (99-47 vs. LAC). The Lakers are 23-12 all-time against the Clippers in home games at Staples Center.

Expert NBA Betting Predictions for Opening Week

Lot of new faces on both sides, but the Clippers still have Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. They beat the Lakers again. OKC should rout the Knicks. So, those are your NBA betting picks for the first week of the season. Have fun!