Most of the public will likely support the NBA champion Raptors as they make their season debut. Of course, they are doing so without the most vital cog to last season's title run, Kawhi Leonard, who left them in favor of the Clippers. The Pelicans could end up as one of the league's deepest teams, and newcomers such as Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick and Brandon Ingram will make their debuts. it is telling that this spread went unchanged even after rookie phenom Zion Williamson was injured. Take the points.

This game certainly lost a bit of its luster with the injury to Zion Williamson. Who doesn't want to watch the defending champions without the player that led them to that title against a Pelicans team that was only in this game because of Zion? We better bet on it to make it interesting. I think Zion's injury affects the total in this game, and I think some early season jitters as well as a Raptors defense that should still be good make this total a bit optimistic. Take the Under.

It’s difficult to look at trends from last season, with both the Raptors and Pelicans having undergone significant roster changes during the summer. The Raptors at least have some continuity with several returning players, but the loss of Kawhi Leonard was certainly a doozy. With the Pelicans losing Zion Williamson (knee) for at least six weeks, they find themselves missing a very important part of their team. Look for the Raptors to start off with a win, and a cover, at home.