While it’s still early enough in the season not to have a finger on which teams are legitimate and which are not, Thursday’s three-game NBA slate features a trio of matchups between teams that should all still be playing basketball games by the time the postseason rolls around. The six teams taking the court offer plenty of elite individual talent but just enough uncertainty to not give one squad a clear-cut edge over the other in these early-season matchups. However, there’s enough information available ahead of this slate that could provide a leg up for those looking to place bets. With that said, we take a look at some odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook and piece together a three-legged parlay that could put some money in your pocket.
Parlay (+582) – Atlanta Hawks (-2.5), Miami Heat (-2.5), Los Angeles Clippers (+3.5)
Hawks (-2.5):
What better way for both teams to open up their seasons than by picking up on the good ole “Trae Young vs. Luka Doncic” debate that’ll live on forever. Before last season, it was easy for many to criticize the Atlanta Hawks for drafting Young over Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft, given how both players’ careers had unfolded after two seasons. Doncic set the league on fire by putting up jaw-dropping numbers as he led his team into the playoffs while Young’s squads couldn’t even crack 30 wins. As the Hawks departed with a handful of rotational players that aren’t even on NBA rosters anymore and surrounded Young with actual competent talent, Atlanta made its way to the Eastern Conference Finals last season where Young shined on the national stage. Young now has the better team and Doncic has some hurdles to clear.
If the first two nights of this NBA season told us anything, it’s that the teams with a ton of turnaround will need some time to figure things out, certainly against quality opponents that already have cohesion. The Lakers and their nine new players struggled against Golden State, and Brooklyn’s mostly-new squad wasn’t ready for Milwaukee. So as Jason Kidd replaces Rick Carlisle as Dallas’ head coach, it’s logical to expect that the Mavs will more than likely need a few weeks of the season to get on the same page, making the Hawks the choice for Thursday night.
Miami Heat (-2.5):
When you think of the Heat-Bucks matchups, what immediately comes to mind? Is it the beatdown Miami gave Milwaukee in the Bubble, causing the Bucks to make vital changes to their 2020-21 roster? Or how the Bucks responded the following postseason, sweeping the Heat en route to an NBA championship? There’s no right or wrong answer here, but there’s a good chance you’d be able to guess what’s on the mind of each of the organizations as mentioned above. They’ll square off Thursday night on TNT for another round of the newly-formed rivalry.
There’s a twist, though. P.J. Tucker, formerly of the Milwaukee Bucks, has switched sides in this rivalry and teamed up with Jimmy Butler and the boys in South Beach, where Kyle Lowry has also taken his talents to. Sans Tucker, Milwaukee’s core remains intact from the last postseason. However, it’ll look a lot different Thursday night as Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, Donte DiVincenzo, Semi Oljeleye, and Rodney Hood are all listed as OUT. Certainly, Giannis could pull a rabbit out of his hat and lead the Bucks to victory, but it’s hard to see it happening given the circumstances.
Clippers (+3.5):
Life without superstar players is a tough one when you’re trying to contend for championships. Golden State should know better than most, having dealt with the absence of Klay Thompson for two straight seasons now. The Clippers are the latest team to enter that realm after losing Kawhi to an ACL injury late last postseason. Both Thompson and Leonard will most likely be back at some point this season, but they’ll be absent for the second game of TNT’s Thursday night double-header.
While it’s easy to advise people to temper their expectations for this Clippers squad with Leonard sidelined, it’s hard not to be at least a little bit optimistic given how the team performed in his absence towards the end of last postseason. They, too, will introduce quite a few new players into the rotation, which could be what holds them back from getting the road win against a Warriors team that got their feet wet on Tuesday against the Lakers. Taking the Clippers to cover the spread does leave the door open for a potential LAC opening-night win, which they’ve won six of their last seven, but provides a bit of breathing room for if they fall in a close one to some late Stephen Curry heroics.
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