The first week of the NBA season now behind us and there are plenty of intriguing storylines to follow. New acquisitions in the Eastern Conference are making their mark early, while certain teams out West are already underperforming. As teams get ready for the what the second week has to offer, tonight’s action gets us started on the right note. It’s a Mojito Monday edition of the Gems – let’s ride.
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Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets (-1)
Utah Jazz (+1)
I, like everyone else, certainly did not have the Utah Jazz being first in the Western Conference after the first week of the NBA season on my bingo card. Gone are Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Bojan Bogdanovic, but that has not slowed the team down. Tonight, the 3-0 Jazz take on the league’s worst defense in the Houston Rockets on the second half of a back-to-back. Not only is this rotation in one of the best game environments on the slate, but they have massive Point/$ upside. Pacing the offense is none other than Lauri Markkanen, who has benefitted tremendously from the change of scenery. Markkanen leads all starters with a 23% usage rate while posting a 24/9.7/3.7 scoring line on 48.1% shooting. With rookie Jabari Smith Jr. still adjusting his game, look for Markkanen to utilize his size on the wing in a favorable matchup.
Houston Rockets (-1)
While the Rockets won’t be contending for the playoffs anytime soon, their future is bright. The young core of Porter Jr., Green, Smith Jr., and Sengun is certainly one of the best in the NBA. Not only are their game environments elite, but their current Point/$ upside is unlike any other offense on the slate. While Jared Vanderbilt is a good defender in the paint, the rest of the Jazz starting five is struggling to contain their opposition. Jalen Green is streaky given the high correlation between his DFS output and raw scoring, but a matchup against Jordan Clarkson is too good to pass up. On the season, Green leads the Rockets in usage at a 29.3% rate, while posting a 23.7/4.7/2.3 scoring line on 43.3% shooting. Taking 20 field goal attempts per night, Green is in a great spot.
Brooklyn Nets @ Memphis Grizzlies (-1.5)
Brooklyn Nets (+1.5)
Coming into the NBA season with lofty expectations, the Nets successfully bounced back from an ugly loss in their season opener with a tightly contested win against the Raptors. While both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are firmly in play, I want to highly the role that Nic Claxton has been playing in the paint. Despite the modest 19.3% usage rate through two games, Claxton is third on the team in scoring. He has now posted a double-double in both games this season, averaging 16/10.5 on 77.8% shooting. Logging nearly 30 minutes per contest, look for the Nets to run the floor in the transition game in an attempt to make the Grizzlies roll out a smaller lineup, making Claxton all that much more intriguing.
Memphis Grizzlies (-1.5)
Should Dillon Brooks (thigh) miss a fourth straight game, it’s all systems go on Ja Morant. Pacing the team with a 36.3% usage rate, Morant has averaged a whopping 34.3 PPG in the first three games of his season. Taking over 20 field goal attempts per night, he’s shooting 54.8% from the field, including 57.1% from behind the arc. In a matchup versus Kyrie Irving, who has net defensive rating of 124.1 this season, Morant has the potential to lead the NBA slate in scoring.
Honorable Mentions:
- Indiana Pacers @ Philadelphia 76ers (-11.5)
- Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trail Blazers (+3.5)
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