NBA Offseason Weekly: Betting Favorites Slated for Opening Night, Christmas Day Games
Association Announces Notable 2023-24 Games
The 2023-24 NBA season will be here before we know it. Training camps open and preseason play begins in under two months. The regular season tips off on Oct. 24. The NBA offseason news has come to a screeching halt, as most free agents have been signed. However, we are waiting on a couple of potential trades to unfold. Rumors still surround James Harden, Damian Lillard, Pascal Siakam, and P.J. Washington.
It’s time to start looking ahead to the upcoming season with most rosters rounded into form. The opening night and Christmas Day games were revealed on Thursday. Let’s check out the matchups. Which games could be the best NBA picks?

West Coast Powers Tip-Off Season
The NBA has an exciting double header opening the 2023-24 season. We will get a Western Conference Finals rematch between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors will also battle on opening night.
JUST IN: Opening Night schedule for the 2023-24 NBA season Oct. 24 on TNT, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium:
– Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets
– Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 10, 2023
All teams will likely be contenders in the Western Conference. According to NBA lines, the Nuggets (+250), Suns (+300), Lakers (+550), and Warriors (+550) are the top four favorites to win the conference. The sportsbook also has Denver tied as the favorite to win the NBA Championship (+500), and Phoenix is tied for the second-shortest odds (+650).
Of course, this is about as star-studded as it gets. Nikola Jokic (+450), Kevin Durant (+1200), Stephen Curry (+1200), Devin Booker (+1600), and LeBron James (+1800) are among the Las Vegas odds’ top nine favorites for the MVP Award. This will be Anthony Davis’ first game since signing his record-breaking three-year, $186 million extension with Los Angeles. His $62 million annual salary is the most in league history. Opening night will also give us our first look at Bradley Beal in a Suns uniform, who revealed new swag for the 2023-24 season.
A new look for The Next Era ☄️
Introducing our new Nike Icon & Association Edition uniforms.@PayPal | https://t.co/3LaCqSU5ig pic.twitter.com/ngkcW7vIme
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) August 1, 2023
The NBA came through with an entertaining opening night. This could be a potential preview of the late stages of the postseason.
Five Golden Games for Christmas Day
The association also revealed five games for Christmas Day.
NBA’s Christmas Day games for the 2023-24 season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium:
🎄Bucks @ Knicks
🎄76ers @ Heat
🎄Celtics @ Lakers
🎄Mavericks @ Suns
🎄Warriors @ Nuggets— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 11, 2023
This is another exciting slate that should deliver. We are looking at 10 teams who have postseason aspirations. The 76ers-Heat, Celtics-Lakers, and Warriors-Nuggets look like the early games of the day.
Philadelphia (+650) and Miami (+450) are within the top four favorites to win the Eastern Conference, per NBA odds. Although this game could look vastly different by the time it rolls around. Harden is still on the trade market, while the Heat are targeting Lillard. The Sixers’ odds could rise, while Miami’s could drop.
Boston and Los Angeles is always an entertaining matchup as one of the NBA’s best rivalries. These are the two winnest franchises with 17 titles each. Golden State and Denver are contenders in the West with two of the game’s best players – Jokic and Curry.
The Big Apple should be an electric environment, as the New York Knicks will play host to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Dallas Mavericks facing off with the Suns also has good potential. Dallas comes off a disappointing season and is +1000 to win the West. The Mavericks are still looking to upgrade, especially at the center position. The Atlanta Hawks’ center Clint Capela is landing in trade rumors. NBA betting has Capela as the favorite to be Dallas’ starting center for opening night (-120).
The full NBA schedule was released on Aug. 20 and Aug. 17 for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. The 2023-24 schedule could be revealed in the upcoming week. So far, the association has crushed its most notable slots with intriguing matchups.