Tonight's NBA season tips off. Our matchups tonight
Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets (6:30 PM EST, on TNT) - Denver favored by 5
The Lakers travel to Denver to take on the defending champions. We don't know which direction Denver will take this season, as they seem more committed to being good for a long time rather than burning the candle at both ends to win back to back titles. Denver will still be Good, but we don't know how hard they'll push until the playoffs roll around. What's terrifying though is that a half-assed Nikola Jokic is still better than a vast majority of players in the league. Along with a solid supporting cast, including sharpshooting point guard Jamal Murray, and Swiss-Army-Knife defender, Aaron Gordon, the Nuggets will still rack up wins.
The Lakers are the opposite though. The Lakers are trying to squeeze one more title out of the LeBron James/Anthony Davis pairing. James has had an incredible career, and is now entering his 21st NBA season, and will turn 39 in a few months. He's lost a step over the past few years but he still has the potential to completely dominate a game when the chips are down. Anthony Davis is an oft-injured defensive wonder, capable of anchoring a top level defense while having a good offensive game. If the injury bug stays away, this team could be in for a great season.
Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors (9:00 EST on TNT) - Warriors favored by 2.5
The Phoenix Suns have had a whirlwind past 2023 so far. After swinging a trade at the trade deadline last season for Kevin Durant, one of the ten best players in the NBA, the Suns have also added an elite scorer in Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards in the offseason. This may be due to the influence of their new owner wanting to make a splash, but regardless, a Big Three of Durant, Beal, and longtime Sun, Devin Booker, could result in the best offense in the league. Because those three take up so much of the salary cap, the rest of their roster is made up of fringe guys, and some unproven players in big moments. If enough of them hit though, they can provide enough backup to keep the star trio humming.
Golden State is a rare old team who got older. Not only did everybody age on the team, but they also brought in 38 year old Chris Paul for his 19th season. Paul is an excellent floor raiser on a team, and an all-world passer and offense runner, but has always fallen short of a title in his long career. The biggest question surrounding this team though is how will Paul fit in with the rest of the lineup? If he starts, will it move sharpshooter Klay Thompson to the bench? Their wing defender and scorer Andrew Wiggins? Their former Defensive Player of the Year defensive chameleon Draymond Green? Their solid rim protector Kevon Looney? Or will he back up Steph Curry and organize the second unit? Will Paul be happy in that role? If these issues can be sorted though, the Warriors have the make-up of a great team this year. Curry is still a lights out shooter and has earned the benefit of the doubt, same goes for Green and his defensive utility.
(Score lines taken from ESPN/Cesar's Sportsbook, other stats from Basketball Reference)
I'm not doing this for every gameday this season, but maybe I'll do a weekly check in on the league? idk yet.