NBA Preseason Week 3 Preview

The 3rd and last week of the NBA Preseason is about to start, and we are more than eager to see the performances of all the available teams, as the regular season is just down the corner.

Now, we are getting ready to see how some of the teams we consider contenders for this season continue their display on their path to the start of the regular season.

Some teams are on a surprising run, like the Bucks, who have been surprisingly winless during the preseason, and the Clippers, who have managed to score a win in each of their games so far.

We are eager to dive into some of the upcoming matches that are going to entertain us this very night in the NBA Preseason Week 3.

NBA Preseason Week 3: Pacers vs. Grizzlies

Following a poor defensive showing in the first half, where Cleveland drained 70 points in the opening two quarters to take a one-point lead into halftime, the Pacers got up after the break, outscoring the Cavs by 14 points in the third quarter before ultimately securing a 12-point victory.

Four players finished with double-digit points for the Indiana Pacers, but the comeback was largely down to an inspired Benedict Mathurin, who racked up 25 points from 8-12 shooting, including five of eight from beyond the arch.

On the other hand, it was a frenetic end to the game between the Chicago Bulls and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday as the Grizzlies overcame a 21-point deficit to snatch a 124-121 victory at the United Center.

Talen Horton-Tucker drained a three-pointer with 56 seconds left on the clock to hand Chicago a one-point lead, but back-to-back shots from outside the arch, including a well-contested effort from rookie Jaylen Wells with 9.5 seconds left, saw the Grizzlies turn the game on its head to down the Bulls by three points.

An injury-hit Memphis Grizzlies left it late against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday but will need to show their mettle against the Indiana Pacers, who turned in an impressive offensive display on Friday.

While Indiana has struggled on defense, allowing 247 points across its opening two preseason games, we are backing them to see off the challenge of the Grizzlies at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Pacers vs. Grizzlies Betting Pick: Indiana Pacers

NBA Preseason Week 3: Hawks vs. 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are back on the floor for a preseason matchup against the new-look Atlanta Hawks.

Joel Embiid is out for the remainder of the preseason. While a team-released statement didn’t suggest he is dealing with a setback, so his absence has been a cause for concern to many.

Over the weekend, the Sixers completed back-to-back setbacks, taking on two losses.

Atlanta is one of the teams that needs to tick a lot of boxes on both ends of the floor heading into the 2024-25 NBA season. The Trae Young-led Hawks were off to a good start to their preseason, propping up a narrow 131-130 win against the Indiana Pacers.

They will fancy their chances against the Embiid-less 76ers with the hope that an upset win can boost their morale massively for the remainder of the season, but weare, however, expecting a Philly win.

Hawks vs. 76ers Betting Pick: Philadelphia 76ers

NBA Preseason Week 3: Bucks vs. Bulls

Returning to action in front of their fans after an opening loss to the Detroit Pistons, the Milwaukee Bucks fell short of the challenge of the Los Angeles Lakers in Friday’s second warm-up outing.

Doc Rivers’s men bounced back from a first-quarter deficit to take an eight-point lead heading into the final 12 minutes, where a 13-point turnaround—including 20 unanswered points—saw them suffer a 102-107 defeat.

Like their next opponents, the Chicago Bulls were also guilty of throwing away a lead last time out as they inexplicably let a 21-point advantage slip against the Memphis Grizzlies when the teams clashed on Sunday.

Led by Zach LaVine’s 28-point performance (6-6 shooting from beyond the arc), Billy Donovan’s men were on course for a second pre-season victory from as many outings before a youthful Grizzlies side rallied to win 124-121.

The Bucks have been largely underwhelming in recent weeks, but the return of star man Giannis Antetokounmpo should yield a change in fortune.

We are backing the Milwaukee-based outfit to emerge victorious and secure a much-needed return to winning ways.

Bucks vs. Bulls Betting Pick: Milwaukee Bucks

NBA Preseason Week 3: Clippers vs. Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks were on the receiving end of a second straight preseason defeat as they faced off against the Utah Jazz in Friday’s matchup, seeking to return to winning.

Similar to their opening loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, Jason Kidd’s men fell five points short once again despite outscoring their opponents by seven in what proved to be a largely inconsequential fourth quarter.

Six days on since kicking off proceedings with a defeat to the Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers picked up a second straight preseason triumph by seeing off the threat of the Portland Trailblazers in Saturday’s meeting at the Climate Pledge Arena.

Tyronn Lue’s men recovered from an early shooting slump in the first quarter to take a six-point lead heading into the final minute but still needed a late game-winning shot from Kai Jones.

They now set out to continue their winning run at the expense of a Mavericks outfit that won five of the nine meetings between the teams last season across regular-season and playoff action.

With Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson set to be handed extended minutes, we expect the Mavericks to pose a sterner test than they did in their opening two preseason encounters.

Nonetheless, we can see the Clippers just about doing enough to secure win number three on the bounce.

Clippers vs. Mavericks Betting Pick: Los Angeles Clippers