The 2022-23 NBA regular season openes on Tuesday night with two good games, but we like two other marquee matchups early this week on the schedule. Check back for NBA odds.

Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week (October 17th, 2022)

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New Orleans Pelicans vs. Brooklyn Nets

• When: Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
• TV: YES, BSNO
• Radio: WRNO 99.5 FM (Pelicans) // WFAN 101.9 FM (Nets)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: TBA

Two stars in this game didn’t play at all last season: The Pelicans’ Zion Williamson and Nets’ Ben Simmons – this will be Simmons’ Brooklyn debut. The injury-plagued Zion did tweak his ankle during the preseason but will be in there.

Asked about the Pelicans not having all five starters together in any preseason game, Williamson was confident that it won’t take the group long to develop chemistry. Williamson played in four preseason games for the Pelicans and moved well, even if at times he looked like he was still adjusting to being back and a new roster of teammates. He played a little over 17 minutes a game and averaged 11.3 points on 50% shooting.

“When you’ve got three players of the caliber of me, (Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum), we just want to win, so we click (quickly),” Williamson said. “We don’t need much. When we step on the court, we make those reads instantly.” The Pelicans are using the next two practice days to work on cohesion prior to facing Brooklyn. “I think it was very important for us,” he said of the practices, “because you don’t want to just go out for the first game feeling foreign. We got a great practice in (Monday). It was competitive.”

It was quite a wild offseason for the Nets as the team nearly traded both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant but everyone is on the same page for now. Coach Steve Nash has praised Kyrie Irving for his strong play, positive attitude and exceptional leadership heading into the 2022-23 season.

“His performances on both ends of the floor have been exceptional,” Nash said. “Not just in games, but in practices. I think his leadership and mentorship to the young guys has been great. He’s just been outstanding top to bottom this whole preseason.”

Brooklyn will not be full strength, though, as guards Joe Harris and Seth Curry will miss the game. Harris missed most of last season with left ankle surgery and is gimpy coming into this one. Cam Thomas probably will move into the starting lineup. Thomas started two of 67 appearances as a rookie and posted 8.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists across 17.6 minutes per game.

The Nets were 2-0 vs. the Pelicans last year. The game in Brooklyn was 120-105. Durant left in the first half injured. James Harden was still with the Nets then and had 27 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds.

NBA Betting Pick: Nets

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers

• When: Thursday, October 20, 2022, 10:00 PM ET
• Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• TV: TNT
• Radio: KLAC 570 AM (Clippers) // 710 ESPNLA (Lakers)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: TBA

This will be the Lakers’ home opener after they played at Golden State on opening night and it will be the season debut of the Clippers. All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and John Wall are good to go after both missed all of last year (Wall was with Houston).

Leonard last played 16 months ago, partially tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the 2021 playoffs. His return has the Clippers and their fans thinking Larry O’Brien trophy, though the two-way star is 31 now, hasn’t played more than 60 games since 2016-17 and was load-managing back-to-back games even before his latest injury. He participated in two preseason games, averaging 16.5 minutes while shooting 25% from the arc. But L.A. was a plus-8.5 while he was on the court, so there’s that.

Wall is being eased into the season and will not play back-to-back games early on. He will join Leonard and George in likely getting a lot of time off this season. Wall is expected to come off the bench with Reggie Jackson the starting point guard.

Depth is one reason the Clippers are considered title contenders heading into the season (along with Leonard and George starting the season healthy): Norman Powell, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Luke Kennard and Terance Mann, come off the bench in addition to Wall. It gives coach Tyronne Lue versatility and options.

“Whoever’s best with the starters, whoever’s best with the guys off the bench. It could always change,” Lue said recently. “Right now, it’s just whatever’s best for the team.”

The Lakers are missing a depth piece in point guard Dennis Schroder. He will undergo surgery on his injured thumb and he will miss the next 3-4 weeks of action. Backup big man Thomas Bryant also sat Tuesday due to a left thumb sprain. If Bryant remains out, Damian Jones should soak up minutes off the bench behind Anthony Davis.

NBA Betting Pick: Clippers

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READ MORE: Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week – October 24th, 2022