It’s finally here! The all new 2023-24 NBA season begins this Wednesday and we couldn’t be more exciting. Opening day will include a blockbuster double-header that will see the Lakers take on the defending champion Nuggets, while the Suns will also do battle with the Warriors.
You can find our best bets for opening day below, but also make sure to head over to our NBA Tips page regularly, as we’ll be providing free tips for all the major slates for each and every week of the 2023-24 season!
NBA Betting Tips: Wednesday, October 25th 2023
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
Ball Arena, 10:30am AEDT
In a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals, reigning NBA Champions the Denver Nuggets will play hosts to the Los Angeles Lakers on opening day.
Of course, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the WCF although all four wins were by 11 points or less. Still, this hasn’t stopped the Lakers from talking you know what in the off-season, and they finally get their chance at revenge on Wednesday.
The Lakers bring back the same core as last season and coach Darvin Ham has already announced his starting lineup for opening day. The only surprise in Ham’s 5 is Taurean Prince who will be playing in small forward instead of the injured Jarred Vanderbilt (day-to-day).
For the Nuggets, they too bring in a similar roster to the one that went all the way last season. They did lose a couple of key role players and their bench looks a touch thinner as a result, but the main pieces are still there including superstar Nikola Jokic.
Wednesday will be a huge celebration in Denver as the Nuggets get to unveil their first ever championship banner at Ball Arena. This is sure to make for some electricity in the stadium that will undoubtedly spur on the home side.
The Nuggets are extremely difficult to beat at home at the best of times (34-7 last season, ranked #2 in the association) and it’ll only be tougher under these circumstances. Yes, the Lakers will be desperate for revenge, but I anticipate they’ll have to wait a bit longer for that.
Denver Nuggets -5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors
Chase Center, 1pm AEDT
Another pair of Western Conference heavyweights will be in action on opening day, with the Phoenix Suns traveling to the Bay Area to take on the Golden State Warriors.
Expectations are high for both teams heading into the new season, particularly the Suns who have formed a genuine super team. They parted ways with veteran point guard Chris Paul in the off-season, who’s now coincidentally playing for the Warriors, but signed Bradley Beal who can score the ball with the best of them.
Beal, along with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, forms a three-headed monster on offence that even the best defences will struggle to contain.
Speaking of Chris Paul, he’ll be playing with a chip on his shoulder on Wednesday night in his first crack at his old club. Paul has thrived under these circumstances in the past, scoring 14+ points in seven of his last nine outings against former clubs.
The Warriors will be without Draymond Green for their opener, as the 4x champion battles an ankle injury. Regardless, the Warriors will be confident they can get their season underway on the right note considering how strong their home record was last campaign.
The Warriors were holders of the third best home record in the NBA last season (33-8), as it was their road problems (11-30) that let them down.
The Suns are expected to achieve more than their upcoming opponents in season 2023-24, but we’ve seen time and time again that super teams, especially those with high roster turnover, take a while to start to click. With that in mind, I’m happy to place a wager on the Warriors to get the job done at the fortress that is the Chase Center.
Golden State Warriors to Win
$1.91 (1.5 Units)
