With the NBA’s full slate expected to be unveiled soon, ESPN BET has already posted odds for Opening Night on Oct. 21 and the traditional Christmas Day schedule. ESPN betting analysts André Snellings and Eric Moody have pinpointed two wagers for each date that they plan to lock in immediately.
Opening Night — Oct. 21
L.A. Lakers (-155) vs. Golden State Warriors
Snellings favors Los Angeles, noting that a healthy LeBron James and newly acquired Luka Doncic should give the Lakers an edge. He also cites last season’s late struggles caused by injuries and the mid-year trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas. In his view, a rested roster can overcome Golden State, which closed last season strongly after adding Jimmy Butler III.
Houston Rockets moneyline (+200) at Oklahoma City Thunder
Moody sees value in Houston spoiling the Thunder’s ring ceremony. The Rockets debut a retooled lineup featuring Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet. Moody believes the emotional distractions of banner night could leave the defending champions vulnerable to an upset.
Christmas Day
San Antonio Spurs +9.5 at Oklahoma City Thunder
For Moody, the double-digit cushion is attractive with Victor Wembanyama headlining a youthful Spurs squad that now includes consecutive top-four picks Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, as well as veteran guard De’Aaron Fox. He expects their depth to keep the matchup with Oklahoma City competitive.
Cleveland Cavaliers +3.5 at New York Knicks
Snellings questions why Cleveland is getting points after sweeping the Knicks in four regular-season meetings last year. The Cavaliers, who posted the Eastern Conference’s best record, won those contests by an average of 17.0 points and return essentially the same roster, leading Snellings to label this his preferred Christmas wager.
The early odds are subject to movement as the season approaches, but both analysts are acting quickly to capitalize on what they view as favorable numbers.
Source: ESPN
