The Los Angeles Lakers bulked up in the offseason, and they're heading into this year as the favorites on the betting odds at the online sportsbooks to win the NBA's Western Conference over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder won the Western Conference last season, but the Lakers went out and got both Steve Nash and Dwight Howard over the summer and grabbed a lot of support on the NBA futures - they're at 13/10 at to win the West this season, while the Thunder are listed at 9/5 on those lines.
The San Antonio Spurs then sit at 17/2 on those NBA futures, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers at 12/1, and the Denver Nuggets at 15/1. The Spurs wiped out the Clippers in a four-game sweep in the second round of last year's playoffs, but then ended up losing to the Thunder in six games in the Western Finals.
The Memphis Grizzlies (16/1) and Dallas Mavericks (18/1) are the other second-tier contenders on the NBA futures to win the West at , with Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves a step behind at 35/1 odds to claim that conference title this season.
The Utah Jazz (45/1) and Houston Rockets (50/1) are longer shots on that odds list, with the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers both at 66/1 odds. The New Orleans Hornets, Sacramento Kings, and Nash-less Phoenix Suns are all at 100/1 odds.
The complete Western Conference futures list at ...
Los Angeles Lakers 13/10
Oklahoma City Thunder 9/5
San Antonio Spurs 17/2
Los Angeles Clippers 12/1
Denver Nuggets 15/1
Memphis Grizzlies 16/1
Dallas Mavericks 18/1
Minnesota Timberwolves 35/1
Utah Jazz 45/1
Houston Rockets 50/1
Golden State Warriors 66/1
Portland Trail Blazers 66/1
New Orleans Hornets 100/1
Phoenix Suns 100/1
Sacramento Kings 100/1
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As the NBA gets set to return on Christmas Day the sportsbooks are lining up their favorites as teams run through a shortened training camp. Here’s the early look at the Western Conference contenders on the futures board.
The Los Angeles Lakers have kept the core of their roster intact and things look promising for another run at a possible championship. Despite sitting in the same conference as the defending NBA champions from Dallas, it’s the Lakers who are 2/1 West favorites at in early futures betting.
Some free agent exodus might harm the Mavericks' chances of winning back-to-back titles, but they will be among the league’s elite and they are listed at at 4/1 in futures betting.
Kevin Durant took his Oklahoma City Thunder all the way to the conference finals last season, and this is a team on the rise; the Thunder roll in on the futures board at 11/4. The well-run but rebuilding San Antonio Spurs will be playoff contenders but they still lack depth, and that’s reflected in the futures odds where they sit at 12/1 to claim the Western Conference.
Portland is close behind the Spurs and has a team capable of doing some damage in the playoffs, but a serious run at a conference title might be too much to ask at this stage of the game. The Trail Blazers sit at 14/1 odds along with the Memphis Grizzlies in futures betting at .
The Clippers also boast a young collection of studs, and with a small addition to improve their depth they might turn into a serious contender. This Clippers team appears headed toward the postseason, but they are back at 22/1 on the West's futures board.
Rounding out the top Western Conference teams are the Denver Nuggets at 25/1 odds and the Houston Rockets at 30/1 odds.
The complete Western Conference futures list at ...
Los Angeles Lakers 2/1
Dallas Mavericks 4/1
OKC Thunder 11/4
San Antonio Spurs 12/1
Portland Trail Blazers 14/1
Memphis Grizzlies 14/1
LA Clippers 22/1
Denver Nuggets 25/1
Houston Rockets 30/1
Phoenix Suns 35/1
Utah Jazz 40/1
Golden State Warriors 40/1
New Orleans Hornets 40/1
Minnesota Timberwolves 80/1
Sacramento Kings 80/1
