The NBA season opener is here. That means everyone’s favorite teams and superstars return to the hardwood, but before all the action begins, there’s a bit of pre-game razzle-dazzle to get to.
First, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics will square off. After that, the Golden State Warriors, last year’s NBA champions, will receive their NBA championship rings ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Since everyone loves betting on the first games of the season, we examined how teams performed during the game in which they received their NBA championship rings from a year prior.
For more NBA odds, take a look at our dedicated NBA page, which also includes prop betting opportunities and other betting suggestions. There’s also our How to Bet on the NBA page, which can get you acclimated to basketball wagering, and our ever-popular NBA championship odds, a good place to start scoping out some NBA futures bets.
NBA Championship Ring Ceremony: Betting History
As it turns out, the championship shine isn’t lost in ring ceremony games. Since 1994, the reigning champions are 21-8 SU on the night they receive their jewelry. Over the last 10 years, only two teams (the 2020-21 LA Lakers and the 2017-18 Warriors) have lost SU on their ring night.
The ATS record, however, tells a different story. During the aforementioned period, the defending champions are 13-16 ATS in games when they receive their NBA championship rings. Whether that’s indicative of underperformance or the books’ overestimation is up for debate, but it ties into some of the other trends we’ve extrapolated from this data.
The UNDER is 19-10 since 1994, meaning teams haven’t exactly come out firing on offense.
How To Bet The NBA Ring Ceremony Game
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Simply put, betting the UNDER is the way to go during these NBA ring ceremony games. Over the last eight seasons, the UNDER is 5-3. The Warriors – who will be playing in this type of game Tuesday – have an UNDER record of 2-1 in their last three ceremony games.
If you’re more of an early-game bettor, the trends aren’t as decisive. The UNDER is 5-5 in the first quarter of the last 10 ring ceremony games. That’s a little hard to pick on. But if you extend it to the entire first half, then the UNDER is 7-3 in the last 10 games. The first half seems like a much smarter bet.
On a different note, the Dubs are also 2-1 SU (1-2 ATS) over their last three ring ceremony games.
NBA Player Props to Watch
Sportsbook has us covered for all NBA prop odds.
Steph Curry Total Points – OVER 23.5 (-110)
Off the top, Steph Curry’s OVER/UNDER points total of 23.5 seems like a juicy opportunity. The future Hall of Fame guard typically balls out during these games, having scored 42, 22 and 32 points in his last three ring ceremony nights, respectively. Betting the OVER on Curry’s total points looks like a smart move.
Klay Thompson Total Points – UNDER 15.5 (-105)
For whatever reason, these ring games seem to zap Thompson of all his shooting efficiency. The two-guard has never eclipsed 16 points in any of his three games and has shot a collective 14-for-42 (33 percent) from the field. His three-point shooting also suffers (5-for-17, 29 percent).
If the trends hold, the UNDER on Thompson’s total points is the play.
Draymond Green Total Rebounds – OVER 7.5 (+130)
Sure, Draymond is a mess right now. His beef with Dubs teammate Jordan Poole has been a distraction over the last little while, spawning questions about how Green will perform as a member of the 2022-23 Warriors. We’ll find out pretty quickly.
But for all of Green’s shenanigans, he’s mighty fine at grabbing rebounds in ring ceremony games. The 32-year-old has snagged at least eight boards in all three ring games he’s played in. With the UNDER poised to hit on Tuesday evening and subsequently more missed shots, perhaps there’s some room for Green’s feistiness on the glass to translate into a profit for bettors who take the OVER on his total rebounds.
Related News
Who has the most NBA championship rings?
As a team, the Boston Celtics have the most NBA titles (17). Individually, Celtics center Bill Russell has the most NBA rings (11).
How much are NBA rings worth?
It’s difficult to put a price on how valuable an NBA ring is, as it depends on the year and make of the jewelry. The Toronto Raptors championship rings, which included around 600 diamonds, are reportedly worth close to $150,000 apiece.
Which NBA coach has the most rings?
Former Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson has won 11 NBA championships, the most in NBA history.
When do NBA teams get their championship rings?
The defending NBA champions typically receive their rings the season after winning the title, typically during an elaborate pre-game ceremony.
