National Basketball Association

NBA betting odds: Thursday's lines

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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A large contingency of the next wave of NBA future superstars will take the court Thursday night, with a few key games which should pique a bettor’s interest.

On the surface, a matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans does not lend much intrigue, even within those respective city limits. However, a head-to-head between third-year rookie phenom Joel Embiid and all-world center Anthony Davis is enough to keep the channel on.

Speaking of surface value, the Minnesota Timberwolves possess a roster loaded with young talent, including the past two Rookies of the Year, but haven’t been able to translate that to many wins just yet. The Toronto Raptors found themselves in a similar position just a few years ago and are now perennial contenders thanks to a young nucleus including DeMar DeRozen and Jonas Valanciunas.

Meanwhile, former No. 1 overall pick John Wall continues to get better every year even as his Washington Wizards continue to get worse. They’ll look to right the ship when they host the Denver Nuggets.

It’s easy to get lost in the shadows these days as a Western Conference point guard when going up against the likes of Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. But the Portland Trailblazers’ Damien Lillard more than holds his own, possessing averages of 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He takes his momentum up against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Everyone knows what the Golden State Warriors bring to the table. But the future of the league may one day go through Salt Lake City. The Utah Jazz have a stacked lineup with the likes of Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert. Of course, “stacked” is relative against the Warriors.

Death, taxes and the San Antonio Spurs dominating the league. Kawhi Leonard has officially assumed the mantle from Tim Duncan as the newest star for the newest era of contenders under Gregg Popovich’s watch. Former Spur Pau Gasol and the Chicago Bulls will try to find a chink in the armor.

Updated consensus odds courtesy of SportsBookReview.com:

Thursday, December 8