Daily Picks 10/23: Still Processing
After a hectic opening night we're back with more basketball tonight. It's good to be back.
Today's NBA pick:
Boston Celtics @ Philadelphia 76ers (-5), ESPN, 7:30 PM ET:
The NBA regular season tips off for the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
The Sixers had to rebuild their roster after they lost Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat and JJ Redick to the New Orleans Pelicans.
However, the Sixers were able to add forward Al Horford and guard Josh Richardson.
We all know All-Star center Joel Embiid and superstar Ben Simmons will lead the Sixers as they look to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since guard Allen Iverson was leading the team back in the early 2000s.
Embiid led the Sixers with 27.5 points per game to go along with 13.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks last year, and Simmons averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game.
The Boston Celtics also have a roster capable of winning the Eastern Conference.
Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum all return for the Celtics to go along with the addition of Kemba Walker, who signed as a free agent from the Charlotte Hornets.
All four players will be the driving force behind the Celtics’ run in the East this season.
Walker, who will replace All-Star Kyrie Irving who left in free agency to join the Brooklyn Nets, averaged 25.6 points, 5.9 assists and 1.2 steals for the Hornets. Tatum averaged 15.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Celtics last year.
Last season, the Celtics fell in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs. Look for this matchup to be a preview of a potential matchup come playoff time.
The key for the Sixers this season will be the growth of Simmons, who has yet to make a three-pointer in a game.
I am intrigued to see if he worked on that part of his game in the offseason because if he can become a more well-rounded player, Simmons could turn into one of the best players in the entire NBA.
With the Celtics, I’m interested to see if Walker gels well with the other key players on the team.
Clearly, when Irving came over to Boston from the Cleveland Cavaliers, it never seemed to work as planned, hence why he left for the Brooklyn Nets and was later joined by Kevin Durant.
In this matchup, I love the Boston Celtics on the road getting the five points. I can see this game easily come down to the wire and it can go either way.
Take the Celtics plus the points here.
Pick: Boston Celtics (+5)