Trent Reinsmith
The 2022-23 NBA season begins tonight, October 18, 2023 with two games. In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers. While in the Western Conference, the defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors kick off their season with a home game opposite the Los Angeles Lakers.
When the 2022 NBA playoffs ended on June 16, the Golden State Warriors claimed their fourth NBA title in eight years, closing out their series with the Eastern Conference-winning Boston Celtics in six games.
With the 2023 NBA season upon us, it’s time to look at who the odds favor on opening night of this year’s season. However, before we consider if the Warriors and Celtics might meet again in the NBA Finals, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
2023 NBA Championship odds on opening night of the 2023 season
Golden State Warriors
It’s almost remarkable that the Golden State Warriors have kept the core of the 2022 NBA Championship Team — Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green together for so long. The growth of players like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole has helped the club as those players have gotten deeper into their careers.
All signs point toward the issues between Green and Poole being behind them as the team recently announced that he had signed a four-year extension worth $140 million before opening night.
The concern for the Warriors is how they rest the team’s aging core with an eye toward locking up a playoff spot and then going to the Finals.
Boston Celtics
I think opening night of the 2023 NBA season will tell us a lot about the Boston Celtics. The team will be without free-agent acquisition Danilo Gallinari for the season because of an injury. Boston will also be without head coach Ime Udoka for the year following his suspension by the team for having an improper workplace relationship with a subordinate. The club will also be without star Robert Williams III to start the season because of knee surgery. Two other players who are expected to contribute in a big way, Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon, are listed as day-to-day on the team’s injury report.
If Boston’s leaders, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, can motivate the Celtics to a win on opening night against the Philadelphia 76ers, it will be a huge boost for the team and its prospects in 2023.
Milwaukee Bucks
As long as the Milwaukee Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster, the team will garner consideration to win the NBA Championship, which they did in 2021. Antetokounmpo, who is just 27 and a two-time NBA MVP, is arguably the best player in the game today and as he goes, so go the Bucks.
Milwaukee made it to the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals in 2022 where they lost to the Celtics in seven games. The one thing that might cast some doubt on the Bucks’ chances in 2022 is that they did not make any substantial changes to their line up during the off season.
Our pick
It’s hard to bet against the Golden State Warriors after what they did in 2022. Yes, the team will be older, but they will also be deeper in 2023. That’s scary.
Pick: Golden State Warriors to win the 2023 NBA Championship.
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