NBA In-Season Tournament: West Group B Teams & Game Previews

Nov. 3: Mavericks @ Nuggets - 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Mavericks head to Denver for a mile-high matchup with the Nuggets to start the group playoff for Group B. This game will be a good test for both squads as two Western Conference contenders clash. The Nuggets will certainly have the advantage on their homecourt, but it’s pretty obvious you can never count out the Mavs with Luka Doncic.

Denver Nuggets (+170 to win Group B)

The Nuggets enter the year as the reigning NBA champions and among the favorites to win the championship this season. Being led by Nikola Jokic, Denver has one of the best rosters from top to bottom in the league. While the champs were mostly able to bring back the same squad this season, the team lost their sixth man, Bruce Brown, in free agency. Nonetheless, with Michael Malone able to put his players in a position to succeed, the Nuggets will be the team to beat.

Los Angeles Clippers (+220 to win Group B)

The Clippers started the season off strong, with their star duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back in action. And on Tuesday morning, Los Angeles brought in more reinforcements with the blockbuster trade to finally acquire James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers. In the trade, the Clippers also managed to bring in PJ Tucker to bolster their defense after losing the likes of Robert Covington and Marcus Morris. And while it’s still unseen how Harden will impact the Clippers, the thought of LA’s lineup also featuring Westbrook, George, Leonard, and Zubac could mean trouble for the league.

Dallas Mavericks (+360 to win Group B)

The Mavericks are entering their second season of the Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving experiment. Doncic and Irving have led the Mavericks off to a quick start this season, as they remain one of the last teams to be undefeated. Not to mention Dallas’ offseason addition of Grant Williams to help with the team's defensive concerns from last season. As of now, the Mavs look like one of the better teams in the West and the league. With Luka Magic and Kyrie on the floor at the same time, the Mavericks ceiling could be higher than expected.

New Orleans Pelicans (+440 to win Group B)

New Orleans has their franchise player back, Zion Williamson. They finally get to see what their core can do when healthy. With CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram alongside Williamson, the Pelicans will create matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. Not only will the Pelicans offense be a force, but with the likes of Herb Jones leading the defensive charge, New Orleans will be an underrated defensive group as well. A sign of exciting things to come in NOLA.

Houston Rockets (+1900 to win Group B)

The Rockets seemingly reshaped everything this offseason. Not only did the team hire Ime Udoka as their new head coach, but Houston went all out in the draft and free agency. The Rockets were big spenders this offseason, bringing in All-Star guard Fred VanVleet, defensive standout Dillon Brooks, and multiple seasoned veterans to add to their depth. While Houston may not have the most talent, they did their part to build a more than competitive team that can play the way Udoka intends. Although the Rockets have started slow, don’t count Houston out yet. The Celtics started slow in Udoka’s first season with the team before leading the young group to the NBA Finals in the same year. While it’s unlikely Houston manages to do the same, don’t be surprised if the Rockets come on strong towards the second half of the season.

Nov. 3: Mavericks @ Nuggets - 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Mavericks head to Denver for a mile-high matchup with the Nuggets to start the group playoff for Group B. This game will be a good test for both squads as two Western Conference contenders clash. The Nuggets will certainly have the advantage on their homecourt, but it’s pretty obvious you can never count out the Mavs with Luka Doncic.