NBA betting looms just around the corner
NBA betting looms just around the corner
Doesn't seem that long ago that we were watching the Boston Celtics win the NBA Championship for something like the million-bazillionth time. But that was last season and next season is lurking on the horizon after a very busy summer off the court. From players bolting to Europe instead of the other way around and the USA winning the gold medal, it has been anything but a quiet offseason in the NBA.
And that was supposed to be a quiet offseason for the NBA.
The top basketball league in the world has been thrown into confusion. Player movement is up, both within the league and between the NBA and Europe – only now, it’s a two-way exchange of talent. The New York Knicks are under new management. Seattle’s in Oklahoma City. Dogs are sleeping with cats.
With all this volatility from the top of the league to the bottom, you know it’s going to be a feeding frenzy for value-based handicappers like Yours Truly. Let’s take a look at the top teams on the championship betting odds on the futures market and see who’s got the right stuff.
Los Angeles Lakers (3-1)
They came up short as favorites in the NBA Finals, but that was without Andrew Bynum, the emerging superstar center (22.60 PER last year) who will push the Lakers over the top – provided he stays healthy. MVP Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are back, the bench is strong, and they have something to prove.
Boston Celtics (7-2)
Shame on Justin Timberlake for dissing Rajon Rondo (15.63 PER with brilliant defense) at the ESPYs. It’s young guys like Rondo and Leon Powe (20.97 PER) that are going to keep Boston at the top of the East while the Big Three start their thirtysomething decline. Motivation will be a question mark after that emotional title win.
New Orleans Hornets (6-1)
The Spurs gave the league a blueprint in how to handle the Hornets: Leave Chris Paul (28.39 PER) alone and cut off their few secondary scoring options. Did the Hornets do enough in the offseason by luring James Posey from the Celtics? I’m not even remotely convinced. However, the continued growth of Paul, David West and Julian Wright will keep New Orleans in the elite category.
Detroit Pistons (7-1)
Get the net. This Pistons team has some serious mental issues that cannot be overlooked, especially with Rasheed Wallace (17.27 PER) not being all that he can be. The starting five is over the hill, and players like Rodney Stuckey (13.80 PER) have some work to do to before they become championship-caliber material.
Cleveland Cavaliers (8-1)
Now we’re talking value. The Cavs made big strides with their trade-deadline deal, and they kept it going in the offseason by landing point guard Mo Williams (17.06 PER) from Milwaukee. This is the most talented team LeBron James has ever played on – excluding the Olympics, of course. The Cavs went to the Finals two years ago and extended Boston to seven games last year. How about Kobe vs. LeBron for the title?
Houston Rockets (8-1)
Houston doesn’t have the same playoff pedigree as Cleveland, but the Rockets are just oozing with potential after adding Ron Artest (18.89 PER, again with strong defense) and still-capable Brent Barry (16.74 PER). It’s unrealistic to expect Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady to stay healthy, but even factoring that in, Houston is very dangerous this year.
San Antonio Spurs (8-1)
The Spurs can still be very dangerous in the playoffs, as the Hornets found out. Getting into the playoffs out of the insanely deep Western Conference is going to be tricky. Manu Ginobili (24.34 PER) is expected to miss the first few weeks of the season after hurting his ankle at the Olympics. Tony Parker played 69 games in the regular season, and Tim Duncan is 32. San Antonio’s bench doesn’t have what it takes to support their Big Three for the long haul.
Honorable Mention
Dark horses rarely win the NBA title, but there’s something to be said for the Mavericks at 20-1. They’ll get one more kick at the can with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, a talented supporting cast and a new coach in Rick Carlisle.
Doesn't seem that long ago that we were watching the Boston Celtics win the NBA Championship for something like the million-bazillionth time. But that was last season and next season is lurking on the horizon after a very busy summer off the court. From players bolting to Europe instead of the other way around and the USA winning the gold medal, it has been anything but a quiet offseason in the NBA.
And that was supposed to be a quiet offseason for the NBA.
The top basketball league in the world has been thrown into confusion. Player movement is up, both within the league and between the NBA and Europe – only now, it’s a two-way exchange of talent. The New York Knicks are under new management. Seattle’s in Oklahoma City. Dogs are sleeping with cats.
With all this volatility from the top of the league to the bottom, you know it’s going to be a feeding frenzy for value-based handicappers like Yours Truly. Let’s take a look at the top teams on the championship betting odds on the futures market and see who’s got the right stuff.
Los Angeles Lakers (3-1)
They came up short as favorites in the NBA Finals, but that was without Andrew Bynum, the emerging superstar center (22.60 PER last year) who will push the Lakers over the top – provided he stays healthy. MVP Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are back, the bench is strong, and they have something to prove.
Boston Celtics (7-2)
Shame on Justin Timberlake for dissing Rajon Rondo (15.63 PER with brilliant defense) at the ESPYs. It’s young guys like Rondo and Leon Powe (20.97 PER) that are going to keep Boston at the top of the East while the Big Three start their thirtysomething decline. Motivation will be a question mark after that emotional title win.
New Orleans Hornets (6-1)
The Spurs gave the league a blueprint in how to handle the Hornets: Leave Chris Paul (28.39 PER) alone and cut off their few secondary scoring options. Did the Hornets do enough in the offseason by luring James Posey from the Celtics? I’m not even remotely convinced. However, the continued growth of Paul, David West and Julian Wright will keep New Orleans in the elite category.
Detroit Pistons (7-1)
Get the net. This Pistons team has some serious mental issues that cannot be overlooked, especially with Rasheed Wallace (17.27 PER) not being all that he can be. The starting five is over the hill, and players like Rodney Stuckey (13.80 PER) have some work to do to before they become championship-caliber material.
Cleveland Cavaliers (8-1)
Now we’re talking value. The Cavs made big strides with their trade-deadline deal, and they kept it going in the offseason by landing point guard Mo Williams (17.06 PER) from Milwaukee. This is the most talented team LeBron James has ever played on – excluding the Olympics, of course. The Cavs went to the Finals two years ago and extended Boston to seven games last year. How about Kobe vs. LeBron for the title?
Houston Rockets (8-1)
Houston doesn’t have the same playoff pedigree as Cleveland, but the Rockets are just oozing with potential after adding Ron Artest (18.89 PER, again with strong defense) and still-capable Brent Barry (16.74 PER). It’s unrealistic to expect Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady to stay healthy, but even factoring that in, Houston is very dangerous this year.
San Antonio Spurs (8-1)
The Spurs can still be very dangerous in the playoffs, as the Hornets found out. Getting into the playoffs out of the insanely deep Western Conference is going to be tricky. Manu Ginobili (24.34 PER) is expected to miss the first few weeks of the season after hurting his ankle at the Olympics. Tony Parker played 69 games in the regular season, and Tim Duncan is 32. San Antonio’s bench doesn’t have what it takes to support their Big Three for the long haul.
Honorable Mention
Dark horses rarely win the NBA title, but there’s something to be said for the Mavericks at 20-1. They’ll get one more kick at the can with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, a talented supporting cast and a new coach in Rick Carlisle.