The NBA season is past the quarter-way mark and some of the early season favorites are starting to move their way up the standings after slow starts to begin the year.
The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks started off the year slowly as they likely suffered somewhat of a championship hangover and have righted the ship in their last ten games going 8-2. Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP Caliber level in the last couple of weeks and once again looks like a serious MVP contender. Head over to our
Betting Offers page
if you want to get a full list of new user promotions you can put to use in this week’s NBA action.
Top Games
Warriors vs. Suns
Deandre Ayton is playing at a high level to start the season
The Suns and Warriors face off for the second time in a week Friday night in Golden State. The Suns are on an 18 game winning streak and beat the Warriors on Tuesday night in a big battle between the West’s top two teams. The Warriors will get their chance at payback at home as Steph Curry and Draymond Green hope to have better shooting nights after only putting up 20 points combined in Tuesday’s game.
Head over to Caesars for the best odds on the Suns vs. Warriors
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US) 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Promotional offers not available in Mississippi, New York, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.
Bulls vs. Nets
The Bulls have been one of the early season surprises so far this season and are back into contention thanks to offseason signings of Lonzo Ball and Demar DeRozen. The Bulls personnel is a perfect match for Head Coach Billy Donovan’s up-tempo style and they are a team to keep an eye on as their starters get more time playing with one another. The Nets are 8-2 in their last 10 and Kevin Durant looks like his old self after battling his way back from his achilles injury.
Heat vs. Bucks
The Heat and Bucks face off in a battle of what could be an early Eastern Conference Finals preview in Milwaukee Saturday night. The Heat got off to a great start but have struggled over the last few weeks and have fallen to 5th place in the East. Kyle Lowry has been a nice addition to the Heat team that struggled last season after marking the Finals in 2020.
Team Defense Efficiency Ratings
Defensive stats don’t get a lot of attention but they can indicate the types of teams that are positioned to do well in the postseason when stopping big shots becomes even more important. The Warriors and Suns have the best Defensive efficiency at the quarter mark and are followed by a scrappy Clippers, Cleveland, and Boston squad.
- Warriors .975
- Phoenix 1.014
- Clippers 1.019
- Cleveland 1.020
- Boston 1.022
NBA Power Rankings
- Suns
- Warriors
- Nets
- Bucks
- Jazz
- Bulls
- Heat
- Celtics
The Suns take the top spot this week after another couple of wins which got their win streak up to 18. The Suns, Warriors, and Bucks seem like the cream of the crop in the NBA this season and are the favorites to make it to the conference finals.
MVP Odds
Durant is looking like his old self so far this season
- Get Steph Curry
+180 at BetMGM
- Kevin Durant +500
- Giannis Antetokounmpo +750
- Nikola Jokic +900
The MVP looks like it will be a three-horse race this year between Giannis, Durant, and Curry and will probably come down to which superstar can stay healthy throughout the course of the season. Durant and Curry have suffered injuries in recent years and as they get close to their mid-thirties I am not sure you can count on either to make it through the season without missing some time. I think Giannis and Jokic are great value plays this early in the season and will likely narrow the gap to Durant and Curry as the season goes on.
