Germantas Kneita
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As is NBA tradition, the defending champions are in action on opening night. The Golden State Warriors will play host to the Los Angeles Lakers as Stephen Curry and LeBron James are all set to do battle. These teams also met on the opening night last year with the Warriors coming out on top. But after the disappointing season that the Lakers had, look for them to be determined to start their year in a more positive fashion.
Now let’s dive straight into my same game parlay for opening night’s main event.
Los Angeles Lakers ML (+215)
Anthony Davis over 24.5 points (-120)
LeBron James over 2.5 made threes (-136)
Jordan Poole over 18.5 points (-115)
Parlay odds: +1479
Los Angeles Lakers ML over Golden State Warriors (+215)
The ring night hangover can be a real issue in the NBA. This was not the case last season as the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks brushed aside a drama-ridden Brooklyn Nets team. However, this season it’s the champions and not the challenger that has endured a difficult summer. The incident between Jordan Poole and Draymond Green is likely to linger over the team heading into this one. Green’s involvement in particular could be impacted, potentially taking away one of their key weapons to slow down LeBron James. That should open the door for a motivated Lakers squad to come out and cause an upset.
Be sure to check out our full Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors predictions
Anthony Davis over 24.5 points (-120)
People seem to forget how talented Anthony Davis is. When healthy he is elite on both sides of the ball. With his ability to step out to the mid-range and put the ball on the floor, he could be an incredibly tough matchup for the Warriors. Likely spending most of his time at center, Davis should be coming up against the likes of Kevon Looney and James Wiseman. Looney lacks the size to be a major factor defensively against Davis while his lack of offensive arsenal is not going to make him work hard on the other end of the floor.
With Wiseman having spent the majority of his time in the NBA injured, look for him to take longer to become an impact player on the defensive end as he adjusts to the speed of the league. That should help Davis deliver a high-scoring game on opening night.
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LeBron James over 2.5 made threes (-136)
One issue that this Lakers squad may still have this season is shooting from the perimeter. The team is not exactly loaded with marksmen from the outside, leaving LeBron James to pick up the slack. For each of his last 7 seasons, he has increased his 3-point attempts per game, averaging 8 a night last season. With him continuing to get older and a lack of other options on the squad, look for that trend to continue. With James making close to 36% of his attempts from there last year, the numbers suggest he is capable of hitting this over on opening night. That is especially true if Davis is able to draw extra attention on the inside.
Don’t forget to take a look at our +1871 Same Game Parlay for Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics
Jordan Poole over 18.5 points (-115)
Poole is my pick to be the winner of the Sixth Man of the Year award. I expect his campaign to have a great start against this Lakers squad. Klay Thompson has been limited in preseason so do not be surprised if the Warriors take time to rev up his minutes as the start of the season rolls on. That should lead to more minutes for Poole. The Lakers’ second unit has major question marks around it, especially concerning Russell Westbrook and if he will be the first man off the bench for them. That uncertainty should help Poole flourish, especially as the clear offensive leader for his bench squad.
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