The NBA will have a lean slate tomorrow, but it will surely be packed with NBA 2023 highlights as the Miami Heat lock horns with the Brooklyn Nets and the Thunder charge to Chase Center to challenge the disgruntled Warriors.
After a strong start to the season, Steve Kerr’s Warriors have been evidently struggling against taller, younger, and faster teams. Steph Curry has single-handedly kept the Dubs competitive in their last few games, averaging MVP-like numbers with 30.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while having 48.8, 44.6, and 93.0 shooting splits.
But now that Curry is mending an injury, the Warriors need to quickly pull something out of their sleeves. Their core and supporting cast have been lackluster this season, and it’s evident that the squad has lost a bounce to their step; I mean, they’re one of the oldest teams in the league after all.
It doesn’t help that they’ll host the team with the sixth-fastest pace in the league this season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the Thunder are taking serious strides this campaign, emerging as one of the best young teams in not just the West but in the entire league. SGA is shaping up to be the perennial All-Star Thunder fans hoped he would be when they traded Paul George to the Clippers back in 2019.
The 25-year-old is averaging 29.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while shooting 53.4 per cent from the field. The Kentucky product has led his team to a 7-4 record after 11 games, and while there’s still a lot of basketball to be played this season, the Thunder are looking like a sturdy adversary for any team in the league.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the Heat are slowly raising their stock by going on a six-game winning streak, and because of this, their NBA 2023 betting odds got a considerable boost. Bam Adebayo has been a major catalyst to the Heat’s success, as he’s been the main anchor on defence while also providing hefty contributions on the offencive end. So far this year, Bam has been averaging 23 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks as the main big man for Coach Spoelstra.
The 26-year-old will look to continue his dominance when Mikal Bridges and the rest of the Brooklyn Nets visit Kaseya Center tomorrow. The Nets rebuild has been faring pretty well considering the level of talent they hauled in for Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. Headlining Jacque Vaughn’s team is rising star Mikal Bridges, whose game has transcended ever since he was given the green light in Brooklyn.
The Villanova standout is averaging 20.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for the Nets this year, and while his percentages took a dip this season, Bridges has come to embrace his new role as the main man for the promising Brooklyn squad.
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Golden State Warriors
This SBOTOP writer is a Warriors fan through and through, so it’s hard to see the Dubs slowly getting outpaced, outran, and outhustled by younger teams. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are both 33-years-old, while Steph Curry is 35. It’s a fact that their Big Three are now old statesmen, and adding a 38-year-old Chris Paul in the offseason doesn’t help their case. The Warriors have been struggling against fast and lanky teams, which is why they suffered back-to-back losses against the Timberwolves, and also losing their season series against the Cavaliers 0-2, all in a span of 10 days!
This dilemma, and every player not named Steph Curry struggling offencively, will again be tested as they host a rejuvenated Thunder squad, who fit the ‘Warriors kryptonite’ bill perfectly. The Thunder are a tall and smart squad that features a big guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a 7-foot unicorn Chet Holmgren.
It would definitely be a tough matchup for Steve Kerr’s squad, especially with Steph Curry sidelined due to injury, and Draymond serving a five-game suspension for doing Draymond things.
Betting Tip – Oklahoma City Thunder Asian Handicap -3.00 @ 1.98
Brooklyn Nets @ Miami Heat
Pat Riley’s Heat are looking to extend their win streak to seven games as they host the Brooklyn Nets in an Eastern Conference showdown in Miami. Both teams are currently above .500, so expect a competitive matchup between these two squads. In their first meeting of the season, it was the Nets who came out as the victors, thanks to a team effort that saw six Nets players score double digits, with Mikal Bridges scoring a team-high 21 points.
As for the Heat, the usual suspects carried the team, as Butler, Adebayo, and Herro were the only ones who scored in double digits. Both Butler and Bam scored at least, while Tyler Herro scored the game-high 30 points. But unfortunately for Coach Spo, the former Kentucky guard won’t be available for the rematch due to a Grade 2 right ankle sprain he suffered against the Grizzlies.
The Nets will face a tough schedule in the following days, as they’re set to clash against the Heat (twice), the 76ers, and the Hawks. Getting a win tomorrow against a short-handed Heat team will give them a much-needed boost to brace their competitive November slate.
Betting Tip – Over 217.0 @ 1.90
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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