NBA -- Warriors pegged as heavy favorites to repeat as champs
By Taha Qureshi
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 18 Oct 2017
INDIANA -- The 2017-18 NBA regular season opens today with a nationally televised double-header featuring the Golden State Warriors hosting the Houston Rockets at the Oracle Arena in the main event.
In the appetizing co-feature the reigning Eastern Conference champions Cleveland Cavaliers take on the visiting Boston Celtics at the Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland.
There is no shortage of story lines in today's match-ups as the the defending NBA champion Warriors face the new-look Rockets, who acquired former Los Angeles Clippers ace Chris Paul during the offseson. Putting Paul alongside fellow All-Star and last season's MVP candidate James Harden gives Houston one of the most explosive backcourts in the history of the league.
Despite the emergence of super teams, like the one in Oklahoma where the Thunder's Russell Westbrook, the reigning NBA MVP, is joined by former Indiana Pacer Paul George and ex-Knick Carmelo Anthony, the Warriors are still heavy favorites to repeat.
And why not? The Warriors kept their key core of stars for this season's title defense ---- Kevin Durant. Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. Key reserves Andre Iguodala, JaVale McGee and Shaun Livingston are also back.
According to ESPN, the Warriors are heavy favorites to win the 2018 title at 5-12 odds. The Cavaliers come in at second at 4-1 whle theCeltics are favored at 10-1. The Spurs finish in 4th at 16-1.
LeBron James, suffering from a sprained ankle, will suit up for the Celtics battle.
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