30 NBA Bets to Make Before the Season Starts (One Bet for Every Team)

We’re less than a week away from the NBA season, and the BetSided team has previewed every single team in The Association to help you in your early-season wagers. 

Not only that, but we’re compiling all of those picks into one story, as we picked a future we like for every single team. You don’t have to bet them, you could fade them, or you could just enjoy them. 

There are very few things better than the start of basketball, especially with all parity expected in the league this season. 30 teams, 30 bets. Let’s jump in: 

NBA Eastern Conference Best Bets for 2022-23 Season

Boston Celtics – Win the Atlantic Division (+129)

Even with all the controversy and scandal that’s already happened with the Boston Celtics this offseason, they are still going to be one of the best teams in the East. Joe Mazzulla has been there since 2019 and will be able to keep the continuity Boston has created. 

On the court, the Celtics still have one of the best rosters in the league, and added to their depth with the addition of Malcolm Brogdon. He’ll add a true point guard presence that Boston hasn’t had in years. 

The best thing to do with the Celtics this season is to back them to win the Atlantic division. Brooklyn has too many injury and team morale concerns, while Philadelphia might be asking too much of James Harden. 

At plus money, this is one of the best bets on the board for a team that is expected to be playing into late May. – Donnavan Smoot

Brooklyn Nets – Kevin Durant to Lead League in Scoring (+550)

Of all the teams in the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets have the biggest gap between their floor and their ceiling. If everything goes right, the Nets could be hoisting a championship trophy at the end of the year. If everything goes wrong, the Nets could miss the playoffs and some major change will be on its way. 

Right now, let’s try to be a little positive. Brooklyn still has Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, two of the best scorers in the game, and Ben Simmons – who only needs to play a role instead of carrying the team. 

Brooklyn also added some bench scoring and defense with Royce O’Neale and T.J. Warren. The Nets have a well-rounded team that can be one of the most explosive offenses in the league. 

Even for a team as volatile as the Nets can potentially be, we can still back them in certain aspects. The best bet for them would be to back Kevin Durant to win the scoring title. At +550, he’s fourth on the list. This would require him to play more games than he did last season, but Durant was firmly in the conversation prior to his injuries last year. 

The Nets are going to need him to score the ball, and he’s been as efficient as ever during his time in Brooklyn. – Donnavan Smoot

Toronto Raptors – OVER 46.5 Wins (+100)

The Toronto Raptors are going to be such an interesting team this season. They don’t have a true superstar on the roster, but they have all the infrastructure needed to make a deep run in the playoffs. While I think the most likely outcome for them is a second round exit, there’s still a lot to like about this group. 

The best way to back the Raptors this season is to take the OVER on their win total. The Raptors cleared this line last season, and that was with a rookie Scottie Barnes. If he takes the next step that many people believe he will, Toronto will have yet another long, rangy wing that can do it all. 

Several teams in the Eastern conference are going to have tribulations to start the season off. I expect the Raptors to start strong and grind their way through the early part of the year. 

As long as no major injuries happen, Toronto could sneak its way into a top 4 seed. – Donnavan Smoot

Philadelphia 76ers – Win the Atlantic Division (+260)

The Philadelphia 76ers are going to be one of the most interesting teams in the league this season. They have an MVP candidate on their team, a rising star in Tyrese Maxey and then whatever version of James Harden we’re going to get this year. 

They have the potential to be the best team in the East, or just a No. 4 /No. 5 seed. However, even at the No. 4 seed, the 76ers could be near the top of the East. Last season, they finished in fourth due to tie-breakers. Yet, they had the same record as the Boston Celtics.

That same thing could happen this season, which is why the best bet for the 76ers is to win the Atlantic Division. They are third behind the Celtics – who have a coaching scandal – and the Brooklyn Nets – who are the messiest team in the league. 

If the 76ers can stay healthy, this is the best value on the board for them. – Donnavan Smoot

New York Knicks – To Make the Play-In Tournament (+125)

Make no mistake, the Eastern Conference is loaded in the 2022-23 season, so asking New York to jump from 11th to a guaranteed playoff team would be a huge ask. 

That being said, the Knicks should be much better with Jalen Brunson running the show and quietly one of the deeper benches in the NBA. 

Obi Toppin has looked dominant early in the preseason, and he honestly may push Julius Randle for minutes this season if the veteran struggles with his shot again.

The bright side for the Knicks is that Brunson takes the ball out of Randle’s hands more often than not, meaning the power forward doesn’t have to create as much for this team. That’s a good thing, as the Knicks can focus on getting Randle touches where he can score, and hopefully play more efficiently. 

The bench has Derrick Rose back, who missed the majority of last season with an ankle injury. Since coming back for his second stint with the Knicks, Rose has been a bench catalyst, and New York is 35-26. 

Between RJ Barrett, Toppin, Mitchell Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, Cam Reddish and Quentin Grimes, the Knicks have plenty of young players that they are relying on, but many who deserved more playing time last season but were blocked by Walker, Burks and others. 

The Knicks have to be better on offense (23rd in offensive rating last season) if they want to compete with the class of the East. Brunson should help, and I think this team at least finishes top-10 in the East, and likely in the play-in conversation. 

Right now, you can bet them at +125 to finish the regular season in the play-in tournament in the East. -- Peter Dewey

Milwaukee Bucks – UNDER 52.5 Wins (-104)

The Milwaukee Bucks were a Grant Williams legacy game away from making the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would’ve gotten Khris Middleton back. They’re healthy, have the best player in the world on their team and arguably have the most continuity of any team in the East.

The Bucks had a top three offense in the league last season and were top 10 in defensive rating – and that was with several injuries throughout the year. Although they are my pick to come out of the East and win it all, the regular season is a different story. 

Milwaukee hasn’t won over 52 games in two seasons. If the Bucks take a relaxed approach to the 82-game schedule to preserve itself for the postseason, 53 games might be a bit much to ask.

I’ll back the UNDER here, as a majority of the other Bucks’ props don’t have value or are too far ahead to be the “best” bet. – Donnavan Smoot

Cleveland Cavaliers – OVER 47.5 Wins (-110)

I fell in love with this Cavs team last season. Cleveland was a fantastic bet throughout the season until injuries to key depth players caused a slide to end the year, but the foundational pieces for a deep playoff run were there. The roster just needed a star playmaker to carry the offensive load when games were tight. Hellooo Donovan Mitchell!

Mitchell is, at worst, one of the most electric offensive players in the league with the ability to go supernova at any moment and drop 50 points. He has legitimate defensive limitations, but the Cavaliers' fantastic interior defenders will mitigate that weakness just like Rudy Gobert did in Utah all those years.

Meanwhile, Darius Garland's attacking style will free Mitchell up to shoot around screens and make hard cuts to the basket, further unlocking his offensive ceiling while quality spot-up shooters like Kevin Love and Isaac Okoro wait for open kick-out three's. In other words, Mitchell is the perfect puzzle piece that Cleveland's roster was missing.

Cleveland won 44 games last year despite the roster's fatal flaw. Adding Mitchell should give the Cavs a 50-win floor, barring injury. They've still got a lot of quality depth pieces even after sending the farm to Utah, and we can expect a step-forward from Mobley, Garland, and Okoro.

This is a young roster that will continue to grow together, and they've got four legitimate All-Star candidates. It wouldn't surprise me to see Cleveland compete for a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, and the over on the Cavs' win total is a slam-dunk bet for me. – Joe Summers

Chicago Bulls – UNDER 41.5 Wins (-102)

I think the Chicago Bulls are due for some major regression in the 2022-23 season. 

The team was able to withstand several injuries last season thanks to the amazing play of DeMar DeRozan, but does the veteran wing put up another career season in the 2022-23 campaign?

It’s going to be tough for him to do so with Lonzo Ball out of the lineup for a good chunk of the season, and the Bulls didn’t make nearly as big of moves as many of their opponents in the East. 

The Atlanta Hawks (traded for Dejounte Murray) and Cleveland Cavaliers (traded for Donovan Mitchell) both could leapfrog them this season, and that’s not even mentioning the Brooklyn Nets, who finished seventh in the East last season. 

I think Chicago could miss the playoffs, but the play-in tournament does give it a much better chance of snagging a spot late, similar to Atlanta last season. 

Instead, I’m going to fade the Bulls’ win total, as they still don’t have a great interior defense and now lack a true starting point guard (sorry Goran Dragic and Coby White). – Peter Dewey

Detroit Pistons – OVER 28.5 Wins (-110)

The Detroit Pistons’ win total is set at 28.5 and I’m loving the OVER this season. Cade Cunningham missed 18 games last season, including five of the first six games of the season. Those games are crucial as teams are still figuring themselves out and wins are more available. With him expected to be healthy, the Pistons should be able to grab a few more wins. 

Furthermore, Jaden Ivey’s presence will allow Cunningham to pick his spots and facilitate the offense to keep it moving. Their skill sets compliment each other well, forming one of the more intriguing backcourts in the league. 

Detroit went on a 14-game losing streak last season. I’m not saying the Pistons are going to be world beaters, but if they can avoid losing for nearly a month straight, I like the OVER on their win total. – Donnavan Smoot

Indiana Pacers – UNDER 23.5 Wins (-110)

For the first time in a long time, the Indiana Pacers decided to start the rebuilding process through tanking and trading away stars. Without Malcolm Brogdon, I expect this team to drop down from 25 wins to below 23.5 wins on the season. 

After the All-Star break last year, the Pacers had the second-fewest wins in the league and the second-worst defensive rating in the league. Myles Turner is expected to remain the defensive anchor for this team, but if he gets moved, this will be the worst defense in the league. 

Several other teams in the Eastern Conference have made moves to get better, while the Pacers look like they’re going the other way. 

Unless one of the first or second year players make a major jump this season, expect the Pacers to be at the top of the lottery this summer. – Donnavan Smoot

Atlanta Hawks – To Make the Play-In Tournament (+130)

The Atlanta Hawks got better on paper, adding Dejounte Murray to their backcourt. That might even make them a better basketball team, but I don’t think their end result changes. There are still several teams better than the Hawks in the East, and Atlanta might be on the outside of the top 6 looking in again.

My main concern with Atlanta is the fact that their two best players need the ball in their hands and aren’t fantastic off-ball. That fit isn’t great in my eyes and will ultimately limit the Hawks’ ceiling. 

Atlanta is not better – in my estimation – than Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Toronto or Brooklyn. That leaves them in the seventh seed. It may be a close margin, but betting on the Hawks to make the play-in is the way to go. – Donnavan Smoot

Charlotte Hornets – To Make the Play-In Tournament (+130)

While I love this win total OVER for Charlotte, I understand that Miles Bridges may not be there this season. That leaves the Hornets with a big scoring hole, and not too many great options to fill it. 

However, Lamelo Ball is fantastic and already has taken a leap as a scorer. His usage is going to be high this year and if his shooting can be consistent, I trust him to fill the No.1 scorer role easily. 

The wins might not be there for Charlotte due to its poor defense, but I don't expect the No.10-12 seeds in the East to be juggernauts.

The Eastern conference is going to be loaded, but I think it makes sense to back the Hornets to make the play-in tournament. At +130, this is great value. They’ll be competing with the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks for the spot, but have the experience and the young star to get them there. – Donnavan Smoot

Miami Heat – Seed Position UNDER 5.5 (-130)

Heading into last season, Erik Spoelstra had never coached the Miami Heat to a 50-win season without LeBron James. He ended that narrative with a 53-win season amidst constant roster turnover and new players coming in and out of the lineup each night. This season, he’ll have a healthy squad and an improved Kyle Lowry – which raises the ceiling of the Heat drastically. 

Miami is all about grinding and working harder than everyone else, which makes them a perfect fit for the regular season. The Heat were the No. 1 seed without Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo for a combined 71 games. They know how to get the most out of their players when injury strikes. 

If everyone stays relatively healthy, the Heat should be competing for the top seed in the East again. – Donnavan Smoot

Washington Wizards – OVER 35.5 Wins (+100)

The Washington Wizards have flirted with their win total number for the last two seasons, winning 35 games last year and 34 games the year prior. It’s been a slow burn to get above 35 wins, but this is the year they will do it. 

Bradley Beal, the Wizards best player, played in the 12th-most games on the team. He was out for over half the season. He will be more available this year, along with Rui Hachimura and newly-acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis. 

Washington saw a lot of growth from Kyle Kuzma last season and will hopefully see even more growth from Deni Advija. The Wizards are going to be slightly better than they were last season. 

While they won’t hit the highs they did at the beginning of the season – being atop the Eastern Conference for the first month of the season – they won’t hit the lows they did either – multiple six-game losing streaks. 

This line seems fair for them, and will be dependent on health. – Donnavan Smoot

Orlando Magic – Paolo Banchero to Win Rookie of the Year (+200)

When a team is the worst in the conference, it’s hard to trust them to hit any OVER on a win total bet. While 28 games doesn’t seem a lot, that is a six game difference from last season. To put that into perspective the No.1-seeded Miami Heat were seven games above the No.6-seeded Chicago Bulls. It’s a lot to ask for. 

The best thing to back right now is Paolo Banchero to win Rookie of the Year. His price isn’t as good as the other candidates, but that’s because of what we saw in Summer League. His ability to create offense for himself and others is exactly what the Magic have needed for year. 

He’s going to be either the first or second option on a lot of the actions run and that’s going to give him a lot of opportunities to score the ball and “wow” voters.

Success for the Magic this year will be defined by how good Banchero looks. If Summer League was any indication of what’s to come, this is Banchero’s award to lose. – Donnavan Smoot

NBA Western Conference Best Bets for 2022-23 Season

Dallas Mavericks – OVER 48.5 Wins (-112)

The question for Dallas entering the NBA season is two-fold: how far can Luka carry the Mavericks and how much will they miss Jalen Brunson?

There's a value in having a player who can effectively run the show for long stretches while Dončić rests or take a break. He's only 23, but the Mavericks won't do themselves much good if they run him into the ground before the playoffs start. If I'm being honest though, it looks like Dallas is going to test the strength of its hero's cape.

Luka is on a historic, all-time great type of pace. Dallas will clear this win total with ease if the Mavs are content to play a healthy Dončić without restriction, and I'd take a long look at his MVP futures too. When Dallas just clears out and lets Luka be Luka, they're among the NBA's best teams.

He's just that good. Outside of Dončić, the Mavericks did make one particularly intriguing acquisition in an otherwise uninspiring offseason.

Wood has a chance to be the kind of player Dallas hoped Porzingis would be: a bullying floor-spacer with defensive chops and hustle. If Wood stays engaged, he can grow into a perfect puzzle piece next to Luka.

The Mavs' approach is like entering a food competition. Instead of trying to craft a diverse meal with different courses, Dallas said, "We have the best steak around, let's do everything we can to compliment that steak."

I don't know if it can lead to a championship, but that great steak alone should help it clear this win total with ease. – Joe Summers

New Orleans Pelicans – OVER 43.5 Wins (-142)

The New Orleans Pelicans are set to be one of the best league pass teams in the league. They are coming off the No. 8 seed, pushing the Suns to six and are now adding Zion Williamson to their roster. New Orleans is getting an efficient 27 PPG scorer infused into its lineup, raising the star power and ceiling for their season. 

At 43.5 wins, the Pelicans’ win total is asking for a big jump from the team. They won 36 games last season, so they’d have to improve by eight games. Even with the roster staying mostly the same, improving by nearly 10 games is hard. 

However, Zion’s presence is just that great. If he, Brandon Ingram and C.J. McCollum can figure out how to coexist properly, New Orleans could potentially be out of the play-in tournament. 

This is a team with a lot of optimism, and I'm a buyer. – Donnavan Smoot

Memphis Grizzlies – OVER 48.5 Wins (-134)

The Memphis Grizzlies have nearly everything you’d want from a contender. They have a star, great culture, great defense, shooting on the perimeter and buy-in from everyone on the team. 

They are going to be one of the top teams in the Western conference again and should be firmly in the top 6. At 48.5 wins, the OVER for their win total is a great bet. Last year 48 wins was just enough to keep you out of the play-in tournament. 

Even though Jaren Jackson Jr. will miss some time, the Grizzlies showed last season they can play through injuries. If Ja Morant is healthy, Memphis is going to keep rocking and rolling. 

They would need to make a move for me to trust them as an NBA Finals contender, but they are certainly live to hit the OVER on their win total and even contend to win the Western Conference. – Donnavan Smoot

Houston Rockets – UNDER 23.5 Wins (-122)

The Houston Rockets have won 17 and 20 games in the last two seasons, but oddsmakers expect them to take a bit of a step forward in the 2022-23 season. 

I’m not so sure. 

Yes, the Rockets have a ton of young talent in Smith, Green, Eason, Josh Christopher and Washington, but there are going to be a lot of growing pains as well. 

The Western Conference does have a few teams that got worse, but by trading away Wood, the Rockets gave up arguably their most proven offensive option in the offseason. Plus, teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans should all be even better than last year. 

Houston had the worst defensive rating in the NBA last season, and when you have a lot of offensive-minded players that are young and inexperienced, that’s going to happen. 

Unless Silas is able to turn around the team’s play at that end of the floor, I think the win total UNDER is the way to go, especially since the prize of Victor Wembanyama awaits for the team with the No. 1 pick. – Peter Dewey

San Antonio Spurs – UNDER 22.5 Wins (-110)

I have a hard time thinking that a Gregg Popovich-led team could be the worst in the NBA, but the San Antonio Spurs are at a serious talent deficit after dealing Murray. 

There is always a chance that some of their young players improve with more playing time and bigger roles, but the truth of the matter is that this roster is one of the worst in the NBA on paper right now. 

If the Spurs want to get out of the purgatory of being a borderline playoff team each season, they need a superstar talent, and Wembanyama, or Scoot Henderson, could certainly fit that bill. 

There is going to be a mad dash to tank for Wembanyama between the league’s worst teams, but the Spurs, especially if Johnson misses time, clearly have the roster best built to tank. 

Maybe Popovich gets enough out of this team to clear 22.5 wins, but I wouldn’t bet on it. – Peter Dewey

Denver Nuggets – Western Conference Winner (+850)

The Denver Nuggets are my pick to come out of the Western Conference this season. They not only have the two-time MVP, but they have a healthy supporting cast around him with Murray and Porter Jr set to be ready for the start of the season. Last time all three were healthy, the team went to the Western Conference Finals.

I also love the additions around Jokic: Bruce Brown has turned into a capable floor spacer and can run some inverted pick-and-rolls with Jokic given his time around the likes of James Harden and Kevin Durant. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also provides great spacing around Jokic as well.

The Nuggets won 48 games last season despite having a patchwork roster around the MVP. Now with a better one, (especially on defense) the Nuggets should be able to go over their win total of 50.5 and flirt with a top three seed in the Western Conference.

Yes, there are a ton of strong teams in the West, but at +850, the Nuggets are a viable candidate to represent the conference in the NBA Finals. – Reed Wallach

Portland Trail Blazers – To Make the Play-In Tournament (-140)

Last season was marred by injury for the Blazers. Damian Lillard only played in 29 games and the Blazers missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season. 

However, they’ve retooled and got Damian Lillard a little bit of help. With Jerami Grant, Josh Hart and in-house C.J. McCollum replacement Anfernee Simons, the Blazers have one of their better rosters in a few years. 

Still, the Blazers don’t have as much talent as a majority of the Western conference and will likely be in the play-in. With the Jazz entering a rebuild and dropping out of the playoff race, there’s an open spot in the top 10 of the West. That’s where Portland lies. 

As long as Damian Lillard is healthy, the Blazers can surely be involved in the back half of the play-in tournament. – Donnavan Smoot

Oklahoma City Thunder – To Make the Play-In Tournament (+2200)

The Thunder may try to tank in the 2022-23 season, but there a few teams that may have already beaten them to the punch, including the San Antonio Spurs (traded away Dejounte Murray), Houston Rockets (traded away Christian Wood) and Utah Jazz (traded away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert). 

If that’s going to be the case, why don’t the Thunder attempt to compete, as they already have two rising young stars in Giddey and Gilgeous-Alexander?

Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my end, but the play-in tournament in the Western Conference figures to have a few teams in the mix, such as the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers and potentially the Los Angeles Lakers in the No. 9 and No. 10 spots. 

Right now at FanDuel, the Thunder are +2200 (!!) to nab the No. 10 spot in the West. If they don’t go through their typical tanking phase in March and April, OKC could at least compete for that spot if the rest of the roster remains healthy. 

It’s a lofty, lofty goal, but at some point this club has to prove to SGA and others that it is actually eventually going to try and win. I wouldn’t bet a ton on it, but OKC could be worth the smallest of sprinkles at +2200 to climb out of the bottom five teams in the West this season. – Peter Dewey

Utah Jazz – UNDER 25.5 Wins (-120)

Utah fans need to get the vintage highlights rolling because they aren’t going to be watching a lot of good basketball this season. Without Mitchell, Gobert and Bogdanovic, that just leaves Mike Conley Sr. and Colin Sexton to run the show. 

You know what that means? We’re HAMMERING the under. 

In the three years before this past season, the Colin Sexton lead teams won 19 games twice and then improved to 22 wins. This is a roster filled with role players, draft busts or extremely young players. 

The entire infrastructure of the Jazz got ripped to shreds in one offseason. They are tearing it down and going to try and rebuild it back up. However, until Utah is back up, it’s going to be some rough days. – Donnavan Smoot

Minnesota Timberwolves – OVER 48.5 (-125)

The Minnesota Timberwolves won 46 games last season and now they added a multiple-time DPOY to man the middle for them. This has the potential to be scary. The “Twin Towers” approach with a budding star in Anthony Edwards is a nice way to go. However, the depth they once had is gone – which could cause an issue if an injury occurred. 

Minnesota has all the tools to be a successful regular season team, but that’s where I draw the line. In the playoffs, teams will be able to go small and run them off the court. While Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards have the ability to carry the offense, none of the pieces are going to be a perfect match. 

This should be a fun team in the regular season and even in the first round, but the playoffs will be a different story. Therefore, just back the Timberwolves to hit the over and be a fun team. – Donnavan Smoot

Los Angeles Lakers – UNDER 44.5 Wins (-122)

We’re just a few days into the preseason and Anthony Davis is already resting due to injury. If he’s not on the court, this is a doomed Laker season from the start. LeBron James is going to go into the playoffs 38 years old. He can’t be averaging 30 points a night and playing close to 40 minutes a night too. 

There’s also the fact that Russell Westbrook isn’t a good fit for this team. Unless he significantly changes his game, the Lakers are set for another year of injuries and drama. 

Also, outside of the Big 3, the Lakers are devoid of talent. They have several players that would normally be the 11th, 12th and 13th man on a team in the 8th, 9th, and 10th role for the Lakers. 

I don’t see the upside with Los Angeles as is, and I’m willing to bet on it. – Donnavan Smoot

Los Angeles Clippers – Final Seed Position UNDER 3.5 (-130)

The Clippers ended up making the play-in tournament last season – and likely the playoffs if Paul George didn’t get COVID – and now they get their stars back for a year that has tons of promise. 

Los Angeles will get Kawhi Leonard back following his ACL injury. The last time we saw Leonard, he was making his case for the best player in the world. Now, we get to see him and Paul George together again. Los Angeles will have one of the best wing duos in the league to go along with one of the deepest benches and one of the best coaches in the league. 

The ceiling for the Clippers is an NBA championship. They’ve gotten over their curse of not making it to the Western Conference Finals and now can just play basketball. Most of the powerhouses in the league are in the East. Los Angeles has the less top-heavy conference, helping their path in the playoffs. 

They are versatile, deep and have the high-end talent that is required to win a title. However, that is too far away to make the best bet for the year. 

They’ve shown in years past that they can put the pieces together even without star players. With stars, the Clippers should be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. – Donnavan Smoot

Sacramento Kings – OVER 33.5 Wins (-132)

The Kings haven't gone over this number in the last three seasons, but I do believe the shift in talent in the Western Conference opens the door for the Kings to go over this total and flirt with the Play-In game.

The Kings drafted one of the most NBA-ready players in this draft class in Murray, who averaged nearly 24 points per game on almost 40% shooting from three. At 6'9", Murray can play as a stretch four around De'Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell to help bolster their offense.

Brown comes from the Warriors, where he helped craft an NBA Championship level defense. While it will take time in Sacramento, I believe that the motivation to win will help push them over the total.

When looking at the bottom of the Western Conference, the Kings are being lumped together with the likes of the Thunder, Spurs and Jazz, but the team is interested in competing and pushing up rather than playing for the Draft Lottery. The market isn't capturing this as much as the historical ineptitude of the Kings.

Not to mention, the midseason acquisition of Sabnois should improve with a full offseason with the team. The Kings return much of their core while adding key contributors such as Huerter and the No. 4 pick Murray, so continuity can help push this team towards the play in game.

Between proven commodities such as Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes joining forces with the young pieces of Mitchell and Murray, I expect we see this team push towards the high 30's and play hard through April. – Reed Wallach

Phoenix Suns – Pacific Division Winner (+200)

The Suns have an interesting season ahead of them. First and foremost, they have to overcome the turmoil their owner has put them through. 

Secondly, they have to avenge their loss in Game 7 last season and prove to the rest of the league that they aren’t fraudulent. Lastly, Chris Paul is getting older and they need to capitalize on the last of their championship window. 

This season has a lot of variability for the Suns, but the best bet for them is to win the Pacific Division. Phoenix is third in the odds at +200 behind the Warriors (+190) and the Clippers (+200). All the pieces are there for Phoenix to have a good regular season and continue what it’s built over the last two years. Ultimately, this season will be defined by the Suns’ playoff success. 

Nevertheless, the regular season success the Suns have had over the last two years show that they can be trusted from October to April. – Donnavan Smoot

Golden State Warriors – OVER 52.5 Wins (+100)

Let’s put the Draymond Green stuff to the side for a second. 

The Warriors are still going to be a really good team this season. They’ve dealt with controversy for an entire season, and still got to the NBA Finals before. This is a team that has one of the best systems in the game, one of the best players and one of the best cultures. With Jordan Poole’s ascension and Klay Thompson’s recovery, the Warriors have more shooters than ever. 

For Golden State this season is about defending the title. I don’t know if they will, but I can trust they’ll have a good regular season – as their continuity should push them forward. 

As long as the Warriors have a healthy Steph Curry, they should be trusted to have a good regular season – which is why I’m taking the OVER on their win total this season. 

Now regarding the Draymond act… we’ll see how that goes. – Donnavan Smoot

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.