After 2 consecutively shortened seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are finally in line for the usual 82-game treat before the Playoffs. Action kicks off on October 18th and Regular Season’s last game day is on April the 9th. All signs point to hugely unpredictable playoff action, where no team is clearly ahead of competition. Stephen Curry finally got his final missing piece of individual awards, winning Finals MVP along with his 4th championship title with the Golden State Warriors joininh the elite company of Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as most recent winners. GSW edged out the Boston Celtics in 6 games (4-2). Along with Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala also won their 4th champions’ ring. This year, a small group of 3 stands out in each Conference heading into the Regular Season with hopes of either repeating (Warriors), or finally getting a ring after years of absence (Philadelphia Sixers, Los Angeles Clippers).
The contenders
Western Conference
Golden State are entering the season as defending champions and should remain in contention for the years to come. Stephen Curry and co. are playing with less pressure than other contenders, as the presence of all-time great coach Steve Kerr assures top chemistry and the young core’s development. Jordan Poole was in the Most Improved Player conversation and signed a huge extension just recently. The Los Angeles Clippers have the league’s deepest roster once everyone is healthy; this is what is key for this season as well, while the duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George return to full action. John Wall was a key addition in Free Agency, adding depth to an already full backcourt. Phoenix Suns were last season’s disappointment, as they got eliminated by the Mavericks by a huge margin in Game 7 of the Conference Semifinals. Chris Paul has a few seasons left in the tank and the re-signing of DeAndre Ayton helps the team come back unchanged from 2021-22.
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Eastern Conference
Boston Celtics after last year’s great season which resulted in a Finals’ appearance after 12 years of absence. They traded for Malcolm Brogdon from Indiana, while Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart are one of the league’s most win-now cores and aim for the deepest of playoff runs again. The Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks eventually did not end up as back-to-back champions but are surely eyeing another similar quest this year. Khris Middleton should be back in no time and Milwaukee knows the way to get on top once again. Philadelphia 76ers are another case of a team striving for top position in the East. It is definitely going to be a big battle with both the Celtics and the Nets in the Atlantic Division, but as long as Joel Embiid and James Harden are available, the Sixers are locked in for a high playoff spot.
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Bet on the Clippers and the Bucks to win the Western & Eastern Conference.
The dark horses
Cleveland Cavaliers. The long-discussed rumors of Donovan Mitchell leaving Utah came to fruition, as the Cavs offered a huge package to make this trade happen. He finds a young core in Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, with lots of upside & a great coach in J. B. Bickerstaff. The Minnesota Timberwolves also made sure to make lots of offseason noise, as they sacrificed both draft assets and players to land Rudy Gobert from the Jazz. The Frenchman will join Karl-Anthony Towns on the inside, while Anthony Edwards is preparing another leap to All-star calibre. Minnesota can challenge Denver for 1st place in the Northwest and gain home-court advantage.
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Bet on Cavaliers & Timberwolves to finish in the Top-4 of their Conference.
The MVP race
Luka Doncic looks to be primed for a record, sky-high usage season; He may not repeated as European champion with Slovenia in September’s Eurobasket, but has things to prove in the West; Dallas Mavericks finally added a key piece in the interior after landing Christian Wood who played for Houston last season and surround Luka with shooters which would help his game even more. He is rightfully considered the favourite to win this year’s award.
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Bet on Luka Doncic to win the Most Valuable Player award
Most Improved Player Tyrese Haliburton found himself getting traded mid-season to the Indiana Pacers, only after appearing for a year and a half in Sacramento after being selected 12th in the 2021 Draft. He is the go-to option in a depleted Pacers roster, where he should run the offence every night and provide huge stats. As long as Indiana is playing him all minutes available, he can make the difference.
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Bet on Tyrese Haliburton to win the Most Improved Player award Next year’s Draft
The 2023 Draft class is for sure overhyped already, with several teams looking ahead to June and potential reward from the Lottery. Victor Wembanyama looks to be a generational talent and a certain lock for getting selected on #1. The 220cm forward/center is showing exceptional scoring touches and huge wingspan, while NBA executives are already discussing “tanking” strategies so as to maximize their chances for a top pick.
This situation will get more complicated, especially as we head into the latter stages of the season where teams would surely prefer to lose more games than compete for a few places above. Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Orlando Magic are definitely on course for another season in the Draft Lottery, with hopes of securing a top-3 pick.
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Bet the Under on Regular Season wins for Oklahoma City and Orlando.
Where to bet:
Picking your bets is one thing, placing them is another. Crypto has enabled sportsbooks to offer higher odds compared to traditional bookies thanks to the lower fees that come alongside it. It’s not unusual to find a 0% house edge offer in major sport events. Particularly for betting on NBA we recommend:
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CloudBet because its sportsbook is developed to cater American players, the betting options availability is massive and has the highest betting limits for cryptos. However, a VPN might be required as their geo-block is pretty tight.
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Stake because it was introduced just in 2022 but has partnered with globally known brands like Watford and Everton from the Premier League, Kun Aguero and UFC among others, making it the safest place to bet with cryptos.
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NitroBetting because unlike the previous two picks, it doesn’t have a US focus but was developed exclusively for the US market. So US based players can join, bet and cashout without any issues. In the meantime, their house edge is lower than most crypto sportsbooks.
