Basketball Experts Picks Challenge: Week 1 Picks

We’ve compiled NBA basketball experts picks from all over the NBA landscape to compete in a picks challenge, and all for a good cause.

If you cup your hand to your ear, you can almost hear the glorious squeak of basketball shoes on a well-polished floor, the air leaving a defender’s body after an ill-timed attempt at taking a charge and the thunderous roar of a crowd after a shake-and-bake turns into a 30-footer for the win.

Yes, the NBA officially returns October 25, and it also signals the beginning of FanSided’s Basketball Experts Picks Challenge!

Week 1 Matchups (total votes in quotes)

10/25 : San Antonio Spurs (1) at Golden State Warriors (12)

Kevin Durant’s regular season Warriors debut meets the first Tim Duncan-less Spurs team since 1996-97. Only Seerat Sohi (Independent) gives the Spurs the win.

10/26: Miami Heat (2) at Orlando Magic (11)

Speaking of new eras, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are gone and it’s the Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside show in Miami. Will the Magic duo of Evan Fournier and Elfrid Payton be too much for the Heat? Jason Patt (Today’s Fastbreak) and Josh Eberley (NBA Hoop Mag) are sticking with South Beach.

10/27: Los Angeles Clippers (11) at Portland Trail Blazers (2)

Right on cue, the disrespect for Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers begins, right in tandem with the “this has to be the year” theme for Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the Clippers. Drew Garrison (SB Nation) and Jason Patt are the only to believe in PDX.

10/28: Cleveland Cavaliers (7) at Toronto Raptors (6)

Our most hotly contested matchup showcases LeBron James and the defending champion Cavaliers traveling to Air Canada Centre to face future (start free agency team rumor here) Kyle Lowry and the Raptors.

10/29: Minnesota Timberwolves (11) at Sacramento Kings (2)

The T’Wolves are media darlings this year, with Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine heading up an exciting young nucleus and a coach in Tom Thibodeau who will get the most out of them. The Kings are a powder keg, while DeMarcus Cousins remains one of the most talented and frustrating players in the NBA. Ian Levy (FanSided) and Sean Deveney (Sporting News) are standing with Boogie.

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