Will Giannis even play tonight? ...

This was +3.5 and I'm not happy I waited too long on word on Atlanta's Jalen Johnson as I didn't think he would play and he won't at the end of a trip. I'm just not sure +1.5 does it for me, so will do a rare home NBA ML dog. Alex Sarr was iffy for the Wiz but is in. Also, rookie No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa officially no longer has a minutes limit off his early injury. Model has Wiz by 3.

Feel like the books have a grudge against the Mavs or something. Like Wednesday against a thinned-out Thunder team, I'm not really understanding why they are getting this many points at home. Houston is down its top two centers. Hmm ... feel like I am missing something here but Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving are in.

Getting my plays in early because my wife mentioned something about a lazy river, unlimited cocktails and Arby's for my birthday (don't care about birthdays -- it's not today but soon), and I am absolutely all in for that. Tube and lube and Arby me up! It's not the Circa pool in Vegas but I'll take it -- and considerably cheaper. No, I don't want $65 chicken fingers. AJ Dybansta's home debut for the Wizards and that will bring some rare buzz to the District. The Hornets might be good when Kon Knueppel (by far the "whitest" player in the NBA) and Coby White are healthy but tough to be too competitive when your starting backcourt is out as they still are.

The Grizzlies' Ty Jerome has been one of the shock stories of the early season in averaging nearly 30 PPG when his career average is less than 10. But I think the crash back to earth started last game when he was held to 15 points at Utah. Portland has one of the NBA's better defensive guards in Jrue Holiday, although he comes off the bench. End of a trip for the Grizz so perhaps tired legs. Model has Jerome at 22.2. Memphis is fully healthy now so maybe not quite as many shots his way.

Gonna take the chance that Kyrie Irving plays -- this is moving down a bit at a few books, so maybe he is at shootaround right now or something -- as the Thunder are utterly shredded by injuries. Irving is questionable but it's not part of a B2B and it's a national TV game, so if he sits there is going to be some outrage. Model has OKC by 3.

Houston is quite thin on big men with both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams out so Jabari Smith should play heavy minutes short of injury or fouls. He got 39 minutes Monday vs. Atlanta and put up 16 points and 12 rebounds -- and with Sengun starting. The model has him at about 16 and 10 here.

The Bucks are winless but catch Indiana in the second of a B2B and without Ivica Zubac and Andrew Nembhard. Tyrese Haliburton will play both ends of a B2B in a maybe a minor surprise off missing last year, but I can't imagine the Pacers allow him to play mega-minutes.

Oklahoma City is without two of the NBA's top defenders in Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren -- and likely has tired legs in the second of a back-to-back. Which Suns team shows? The one that scored 83 at Portland on opening night or the one with 131 points on Saturday vs. Golden State?

No Joel Embiid for Philly in the second of a B2B but LeBron James will go after sitting Saturday. Detroit is without Jalen Duren so that's basically a wash with Embiid and also probably sans Ausar Thompson as he's iffy with an ankle but wasn't at shootaround. Terrific defender.

Bit of a bumpy first week or so of the NBA season but we'll get there. Wonderful matchup here and Minny's home opener. Kawhi Leonard checking Anthony Edwards will be fun to watch. These are two of the NBA's best defensive clubs. Toronto is really good I think but also has built its 2-0 start on the back of the bad Bulls and Wizards. The Wolves have done it in Miami and Orlando.

The NBA used to be my favorite league and really not that close. But nowadays, it's just awful with guys sitting out left and right. Let's at least try and profit off that. Seems a quite fair price considering the Rockets are in the second of a B2B and off a rivalry game vs. the Spurs. Fred VanVleet will not play both ends of a B2B, among others. Must be nice to make $30+ mil and just take games off. I'd just never, ever do that and I don't care what the training staff recommended. Atlanta is also in the second of a B2B but has looked awesome so far and hasn't even played at home yet. Always like teams in home openers.

So you might see me play some -230 NBA money lines this year. I think you know what up to if so. I simply refuse to let "rules" dictate what I do. No idea what to make of the ancient and kinda sad Warriors. They are like that bunch of old dudes you can't understand why they keep winning on the playground with headbands and backdoor passes, and you pray they don't go skins because you don't want that man sweat on your grill. But at some point, age/injury will catch up. And I don't plan on backing the Dubs often. But in the home opener against a Memphis squad already likely down Cedric Coward. And we like home openers. ...

Are the Kings garbage ... or even El DeBarge? Why you know that singer's name is almost surely due to "Who's Johnny?" from Short Circuit, but he's also from my hometown so sadly I've known about forever. Yes, Sac-Town is bad. But double digits in the home opener against a solid but not great Portland team? I'm very game. Model has Blazers by 3.

The Cavaliers are capable of ruining LeBron James' home debut with the Sixers but probably not if Jarrett Allen sits -- and he's in question due to injury. Love the NBA but already with the injury questions. And I'm sure the last thing LeBron wants to do is lose to Cleveland in maybe the final home opener of his career. That Philly also has a game under its belt helps, while it's the season opener for the Cavs. They swept last season but things are a bit different.