Although for many it feels as if the NBA Finals just ended, opening night is on Oct. 22. That night, the new look Lakers and new look Clippers hit the hardcourt for a battle that could set the tone for the entire season. Check out what happened this past week in the National Basketball Association!

NBA Updated of the Week – August 20^th Edition

Team USA Loses Lowry, Fox

The 2019 FIBA World Cup quickly approaches. Unfortunately for coach Gregg Popovich, things continue to throw the squad into disarray. Kyle Lowry, the Toronto Raptors’ point-guard, pulled out after injuring his thumb. De’Aron Fox, Sacramento’s point-guard, pulled out for unknown reasons.

We’re winking an eye at the same time we’re writing “unknown”. Everybody knows what that “unknown” is. Most believe it’s because Pop prefers Derrick White, but the real unknown is this: these guys are professional basketball players. Their job requires them to get ready for a grueling 82-game and, hopefully, playoff season.

The NBA Season, if you’re on a good team, lasts from late October to June, sometimes, into early July. Think about that. That’s a 7-month to 8-month season. That’s a lot of wear and tear on an individual’s body. It’s also a brutal industry. If you fail, everyone knows you’ve failed. It’s hard to get referrals in the NBA if you make a mistake for your current team.

We can never blame an athlete for wanting to protect his or her career.

Team USA Should be Called the Team USA Celtics

One NBA team that most definitely will benefit from the FIBA World Cup are the Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart are all on the squad. That’s, arguably, Boston’s four top players.

Those guys get to hang out in Beijing together and build the rapport they already have while learning from one of the greatest NBA coaches ever. Celtics’ coach Brad Stevens probably told those four dudes to learn as much as they could from Pop.

Lakers and Clippers Hold Steady as NBA Favorites

The current odds are predicting a Western Conference all SoCal clash between the Clipps and the Lake Show. The Clippers remain the overall favorites to get the rings at +300. Makes sense because Kahwi Leonard showed everyone what he could do with a decent, not spectacular, but decent roster in Toronto.

The Lakers are second choice at +400. LeBron James and Anthony Davis makes for a ridiculous duo. The Lakers’ duo deserves more attention than the Clippers’ duo of Kawhi and Paul George.

Why are the Clippers favored over the Lakers, then? Depth. The Clippers are Golden State deep. Right now, the Lakers only have 10 players on their roster. At least for now, when it comes to the postseason, depth gives LAC the advantage over LAL.

Rockets Move to Top 5 Choice to Win NBA Title

The Rockets have moved from a four-digit choice to one of the Top 5 favorites. At +750, lots of love is going to the Houston Rockets. Acquiring Russell Westbrook is huge. That allows Houston to move James Harden to small forward and play Eric Gordon at shooting guard.

While NBA analysts are arguing about whether The Beard and Russell will be copasetic on the court, NBA future bettors have looked at the situation and decided they like what they see. The starting five most definitely impresses: Westbrook, Gordon, Harden, P.J. Tucker, and Clint Capela. Essentially, three players with point-guard skills will be on the court at the same time while both P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela are very good frontcourt players.

That’s why future bettors, no matter what the negative analysts are saying, aren’t sleeping on the Rockets.

Boogie Goes Down

Center DeMarcus Cousins had to go through ACL surgery. There’s a big chance he misses the entire season even if the L.A. Lakers make it to the NBA Finals. You must feel bad for Cousins. He was injured for most of last season with the Golden State Warriors.

This season, NBA fans were looking forward to the Cousins and Anthony Davis reunion. It won’t happen. For the Lakers, losing Cousins is big. So much so that they’re considering signing Dwight Howard.

Have a great week!