New Orleans at Phoenix

The Hornets pulled off a great trade for Chris Paul - for the future. It was a value-laden exchange, but the benefits are going to come down the line, not this season. Without Paul, this team is going to struggle mightily this season, starting in this game. Eric Gordon is a very good player, but he's not surrounded by a lot of talent or experience. And, the new team will take time to mesh. Head coach Monty Williams admitted as much saying, "I inherited what most coaches would want to inherit. Yet, it takes a while to put your program in place, so we're looking at starting over again, which is not something we had planned on or are looking forward to." Phoenix is aging, but deep. Under head coach Alvin Gentry, this team is 68-50 ATS as a favorite. Take Phoenix here.