LA Lakers top Western Conference betting odds
LA Lakers top Western Conference betting odds
Lamar Odom and Co. await the return of Andrew Bynum to the floor to help push the Lakers to their second consecutive Western Conference title. The oddsmakers and public sure think that will happen as L.A. sits -175 favorites to return to the Finals. Question is, what team or teams provide the best value should the Lakers stumble? San Antonio, Utah and New Orleans just might be the answer.
Bettors handicapping the NBA’s Western Conference are asking themselves one simple question as the regular season winds down. Can anyone beat the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game series?
If the answer is no, the Lakers (55-14, 34-35 ATS) will waltz to the Finals for the second consecutive year. Los Angeles’ strong play since the season started combined with its status as the preeminent public team has the Lakers as -175 favorites to cash the conference title, which makes them not worth a cent for anyone looking to make serious coin.
Whether L.A. (+180) is able to deliver on its status as the chalk to win the championship depends to a large extent on the status of Andrew Bynum. The young 7-footer is expected to return for the playoffs after missing the last two months with a torn MCL in his right knee; if he’s up to form it’s hard to bet against the Lakers to take their first title since 2002.
The best value lies with the San Antonio Spurs (45-23, 34-32-1 ATS), listed in the range of +450 to win the West and +900 to go all the way. For the Spurs to upend the Lakers, Manu Ginobili has to come back strong from his most recent ankle injury. Ginobili returned to practice last week, meaning he should be on the floor before the postseason gets going.
Even bigger paydays are available if you’re willing to take a flyer on Denver, New Orleans, or Utah, the only three remaining clubs with an outside chance of knocking off Los Angeles and San Antonio. The Nuggets (45-25, 36-33-1 ATS) are a team built for the playoffs, with Chauncey Billups running the show, Carmelo Anthony as the No. 1 option, and the trio of Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris “Birdman” Andersen patrolling the paint.
The Hornets (43-25, 29-37-1 ATS) were the futures play of many sharps back in October, and that was a justified stance after James Posey was brought to New Orleans. Chris Paul has held up his end of the bargain, but the Hornets have struggled at the window because of the regression of Tyson Chandler. Chandler simply isn’t playing at the level he was last season when he was among the league’s best rebounders.
Utah (43-26, 36-33 ATS) is a valuable sleeper in the West; the Jazz are much better than their current seventh seed indicates. Carlos Boozer is back in the fold after missing the bulk of the season, while Deron Williams and Andrei Kirilenko also sat out for significant stretches earlier in the schedule. Wise guys are on to the Jazz, because Utah (+900 to win the West outright) is priced ahead of every team ahead of them in standings with the exception of the Spurs and Lakers.
The Houston Rockets (46-25, 34-36-1 ATS) were in the same boat as New Orleans at the start of the season, but they’ll be lucky to win a series with Tracy McGrady (knee) gone until training camp. Thing is, the Rockets are actually playing their best basketball of the season without T-Mac, although they need him for late-game situations when the go-to guy is Ron Artest by default.
Brandon Roy is an excellent player to have the ball in the dying seconds, but it doesn’t mean bettors shouldn’t fade the Portland Trail Blazers (44-26, 36-33 ATS) in the postseason. It’s not that the Blazers aren’t an excellent young squad, it’s just they’re exactly that: young. Portland is surely going to face an opponent in the opening round that’s been around the playoff block, so some growing pains might be in store for Roy & Co.
The Dallas Mavericks (42-28, 34-36 ATS) should hold off the Phoenix Suns (38-31, 28-38-2 ATS) for the final playoff position, although Mavs backers are hoping their team can move up the ladder. Dallas hasn’t fared well against Los Angeles for the last two seasons, and the going won’t be any easier with Josh Howard (ankle) and Devean George (knee) out indefinitely.
It’s over for the Suns, whose season ended for all intents and purposes when Amare Stoudemire (eye) was shut down just after the All-Star break. At least Phoenix is entertaining, because they’ve been bleeding money all season for bettors who banked on “seven seconds or Shaq” getting the Suns back in the black and back in the playoff hunt.
Lamar Odom and Co. await the return of Andrew Bynum to the floor to help push the Lakers to their second consecutive Western Conference title. The oddsmakers and public sure think that will happen as L.A. sits -175 favorites to return to the Finals. Question is, what team or teams provide the best value should the Lakers stumble? San Antonio, Utah and New Orleans just might be the answer.
Bettors handicapping the NBA’s Western Conference are asking themselves one simple question as the regular season winds down. Can anyone beat the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game series?
If the answer is no, the Lakers (55-14, 34-35 ATS) will waltz to the Finals for the second consecutive year. Los Angeles’ strong play since the season started combined with its status as the preeminent public team has the Lakers as -175 favorites to cash the conference title, which makes them not worth a cent for anyone looking to make serious coin.
Whether L.A. (+180) is able to deliver on its status as the chalk to win the championship depends to a large extent on the status of Andrew Bynum. The young 7-footer is expected to return for the playoffs after missing the last two months with a torn MCL in his right knee; if he’s up to form it’s hard to bet against the Lakers to take their first title since 2002.
The best value lies with the San Antonio Spurs (45-23, 34-32-1 ATS), listed in the range of +450 to win the West and +900 to go all the way. For the Spurs to upend the Lakers, Manu Ginobili has to come back strong from his most recent ankle injury. Ginobili returned to practice last week, meaning he should be on the floor before the postseason gets going.
Even bigger paydays are available if you’re willing to take a flyer on Denver, New Orleans, or Utah, the only three remaining clubs with an outside chance of knocking off Los Angeles and San Antonio. The Nuggets (45-25, 36-33-1 ATS) are a team built for the playoffs, with Chauncey Billups running the show, Carmelo Anthony as the No. 1 option, and the trio of Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris “Birdman” Andersen patrolling the paint.
The Hornets (43-25, 29-37-1 ATS) were the futures play of many sharps back in October, and that was a justified stance after James Posey was brought to New Orleans. Chris Paul has held up his end of the bargain, but the Hornets have struggled at the window because of the regression of Tyson Chandler. Chandler simply isn’t playing at the level he was last season when he was among the league’s best rebounders.
Utah (43-26, 36-33 ATS) is a valuable sleeper in the West; the Jazz are much better than their current seventh seed indicates. Carlos Boozer is back in the fold after missing the bulk of the season, while Deron Williams and Andrei Kirilenko also sat out for significant stretches earlier in the schedule. Wise guys are on to the Jazz, because Utah (+900 to win the West outright) is priced ahead of every team ahead of them in standings with the exception of the Spurs and Lakers.
The Houston Rockets (46-25, 34-36-1 ATS) were in the same boat as New Orleans at the start of the season, but they’ll be lucky to win a series with Tracy McGrady (knee) gone until training camp. Thing is, the Rockets are actually playing their best basketball of the season without T-Mac, although they need him for late-game situations when the go-to guy is Ron Artest by default.
Brandon Roy is an excellent player to have the ball in the dying seconds, but it doesn’t mean bettors shouldn’t fade the Portland Trail Blazers (44-26, 36-33 ATS) in the postseason. It’s not that the Blazers aren’t an excellent young squad, it’s just they’re exactly that: young. Portland is surely going to face an opponent in the opening round that’s been around the playoff block, so some growing pains might be in store for Roy & Co.
The Dallas Mavericks (42-28, 34-36 ATS) should hold off the Phoenix Suns (38-31, 28-38-2 ATS) for the final playoff position, although Mavs backers are hoping their team can move up the ladder. Dallas hasn’t fared well against Los Angeles for the last two seasons, and the going won’t be any easier with Josh Howard (ankle) and Devean George (knee) out indefinitely.
It’s over for the Suns, whose season ended for all intents and purposes when Amare Stoudemire (eye) was shut down just after the All-Star break. At least Phoenix is entertaining, because they’ve been bleeding money all season for bettors who banked on “seven seconds or Shaq” getting the Suns back in the black and back in the playoff hunt.