NBA opening night arrives with three games, and the sims are immediately dramatic. Celtics at Pistons: Boston 113.3, Detroit 112.5, across 280 simulations. That is not a lean, that is a coin flip in Detroit, and it is a rematch of the conference finals our preseason sims played out, with Boston advancing. The books have the Celtics fifth in the title odds. The model does not care.
The player projections say this one runs through the stars. Jayson Tatum is projected for 22.4 points, Cade Cunningham for 17.1 points and 6.6 assists, and Jalen Duren for 12.3 rebounds. If Duren owns the glass against a Boston frontcourt the sims project to lean small, Detroit does not need the coin flip to land heads. It needs the boards.
Perry's line: Pistons win outright, Duren clears 12 boards, and the conference finals rematch starts with a statement.
Knicks at home, Sixers on notice
76ers at Knicks: New York 113.2, Philadelphia 104.0, across 280 simulations. The sims give the Knicks a nine-point cushion at home, which lines up with what our preseason sims said about Philadelphia, a sub-.500 season. Opening night at the Garden is a cold way to start proving anyone wrong.
Perry's line: Knicks roll, and the Sixers' long winter starts early.
Thunder at Spurs: the West final preview
The nightcap is the one the sims keep circling. Thunder at Spurs: San Antonio 112.9, Oklahoma City 111.4, across 280 simulations. Our preseason sims had the Spurs emerging from the West, and tonight they get the conference's measuring stick in their own building.
The headliners deliver on paper: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is projected for 25.3 points, Victor Wembanyama for 18.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks. SGA gets his, Wemby gets his, and it comes down to the supporting casts. The sims say the home team has just enough.
Perry's line: Spurs by a possession. The West runs through San Antonio until someone proves otherwise.
All NBA scores above are MyGameSim projections, and those games have not been played yet. The NFL scores are final. Tell me where the model is wrong. After Sunday, I am listening.
