NBA TIP-OFF 2025!

Hello basketball fans! One of the best times of the year is approaching with the alignment of all four major sports leagues, and my favorite, the return of the Association! From 70-point games to off court drama, the NBA is set to deliver another fascinating season. From French youngers Victor Wembanyama and Zaccharie Risacher, to the arrival of Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey, the many storylines of the NBA will be sure to entertain all season long. Will Nikola Jokic reclaim the MVP Trophy? Will the star-studded Thunder (+240) be able to go back-to-back? So many questions, and I may have some answers.

Offseason Recap, Injuries, and New Signings

For those of you who have not been keeping up with the news around the Association, we have many key injuries to keep tabs on, and familiar faces in new places. All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton will be out for the season, both suffering achilles tendon ruptures in last year's playoffs. Fred Van Vleet will also be out for the season, as well as Damian Lillard, who was waived and signed with his former team, the Portland Trailblazers.

As for familiar faces in new places, there are many to take note of. Kevin Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and a first-round pick. This gives the Rockets (+1200) their IT factor to pair alongside Sengun, but Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson will play key roles in their quest for a title.

Another notable trade was Desmond Bane headed to Disneyworld to add an extra piece to an Orlando Magic (+2250) squad who has high aspirations for this year. Bane will stand alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. The Magic have the third best odds to win in a depleted East this year.

The last major trade to touch on is the arrival of Kristaps Porzingis in Atlanta. Porzingis has battled many injuries throughout his career, but this year seems different for him. He is hungry. He has been working very hard this offseason and has publicly voiced his excitement to be a part of this new look Hawks squad. The emergence of Zaccharie Risacher will be something to monitor, as well as how Nickeil Alexander-Walker fits into this team. Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels will continue to play their pivotal roles with Trae Young commanding the court. This perennial play-in team has high hopes to compete for the eastern conference title, and hopefully, a NBA title too (+2250).

Other players to note include Marcus Smart to the Lakers, Chris Paul and Brook Lopez to the Clippers, Dennis Schroder and Russel Westbrook to the Kings, Jonas Valanciunas to the Nuggets, and Kelly Olynyk to the Spurs.

The Rookies

After what many consider to be one of the weakest drafts in recent memory, this year's class is full of blockbuster talent, young phenoms, and international sensations. Cooper Flagg joins the Dallas Mavericks and will have many eyes on him throughout his rookie campaign. He is surrounded by plenty of talent such as Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, and Derek Lively II, but they will have their hands full in a stacked West. Flagg is -220 to win Rookie of the Year. While he is the most talented player in this class, and he will have the media's influence on his side, bettors may look elsewhere to make some money.

Ace Bailey (+900) is a good place to look. He will have plenty of opportunity on a weak Jazz team, but his ceiling is very high. VJ Edgecomb (+1400) is another player I like in this class. He can score at will and will be surrounded by multiple All-Stars, not to mention the weakness of the East favors his odds to get a lot of run. While +4000, Yang Hansen is an intriguing player out of China. On draft day he was picked amongst the audience and caused a lot of buzz around the league. His play style reminds me of Jokic, and he will surely be an entertaining player.

Other players to note this year include Kon Knueppel drafted by the Hornets, Dylan Harper by the Spurs, Tre Johnson by the Wizards, Egor Demin by the Nets, and many others. I wouldn't be surprised if some mid to late first round picks garner a lot of attention in this class.

This Season

I hope you enjoyed my recap of this offseason, rookies to watch, and storylines to monitor. I am not yet sure how I plan to offer betting picks this season, but I will figure it out as this season progresses. To start, I will give some unofficial future plays, as well as leans for Wednesday's premier. Player props are my specialty, so be on the lookout for those at the end of the article! I will track my player prop record to begin this season. As always, best of luck, and enjoy this season. God Bless.

To Win the Title

• Oklahoma City Thunder +240

• Denver Nuggets +650

• Houston Rockets +1200

To Win the East

• Orlando Magic +575

• Atlanta Hawks +1000

Rookie of the Year

• VJ Edgecomb +1400

MVP

• Nikola Jokic +240

Unofficial picks that I will still take for 10/21

• Houston Rockets +7 (-110) @ Oklahoma City Thunder

• Golden State Warriors ML (-135) @ Los Angeles Lakers

Official Picks 10/21

• ***Alperen Sengun (HOU) Over 18.5 Points***

Aside from Kevin Durant, Sengun is the focal point of this Rocket's team. In his last three games against the Thunder last season, he averaged 21.3 ppg. I have his line closer to 20.5, and I believe the arrival of Durant, as well as the emergence of Thompson will enable Sengun to get the rack more often. Furthermore, Jalen Williams is not playing, which makes me even more comfortable with this selection. Vegas already has the game point total at 227, which is a little high in my opinion, anticipating a high scoring game in the first game for these two teams which further favors Sengun points.

• ***Kuminga (GSW) Over 13.5 Points***

LeBron James will not be ready to go for the Lakers' season opener Wednesday night. Reaves, Hachimura, and Ayton will man the frontcourt for the Lakers, and I do not see them able to slow down Kuminga. The Warriors already open up as a favorite and the point total is set at 226. Kuminga averaged 15.3 ppg last season, but he made significant strides in the latter half. He averaged 20.8 ppg in the conference finals last season too. I expect him to continue to surge this season and play a key role alongside Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. While I am confident in both selections, I prefer Kuminga's total to Sengun's for those looking to just play one of them.