With the Oklahoma City Thunder entering the season as the defending Western Conference Champions and the Los Angeles Lakers making a huge splash bringing in Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, everyone seems to be forgetting about the San Antonio Spurs.
The same Spurs that have finished each of the last two regular seasons with the Western Conference’s best record.
San Antonio (-150 to win the Southwest Division at ) should once again be right near the top of the conference when all is said and done. [ See today's NBA point spreads and totals ]
Known as an older team due to their veteran core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs also have a talented group of young players in Danny Green, Patty Mills and Kawhi Leonard that could all take steps forward in development this year.
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A model of consistency with one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA, San Antonio is a tough team to bet against.
The Memphis Grizzlies (+250) turned heads last season with a 41-25 straight up record and established themselves as a tenacious and tough team. Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol aren’t the household names that many of the Western Conference’s contenders have, but this team is relentless up and down the court and can out-hustle anyone.
If age finally catches up to San Antonio this year, Memphis could be the beneficiary.
Or perhaps it could be the new-look Dallas Mavericks (+300) that get into the mix. Jason Kidd and Jason Terry are out, and a new slew of offensive talent joins big Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter in Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo, Chris Kaman and Elton Brand.
Dallas is one of the biggest question marks coming into the 2012-13 season; the talent is here to be a legitimate contender, but no one knows how well this team will mesh. Time will tell.
The Houston Rockets (+1500) and New Orleans Hornets (+4000) don’t figure to get involved in the division race, but neither will be an easy out this season as the Rockets added Jeremy Lin through free agency and the Hornets added first overall pick Anthony Davis.
Both should make an immediate impact on their new teams.
NBA Odds: Southwest Division Props courtesy of :
Dallas Mavericks
Total Points Per Game - Dirk Nowitzki
Over / Under 21
Total Rebounds Per Game - Dirk Nowitzki
Over / Under 6.5
Total Points Per Game - O.J. Mayo
Over / Under 16
Total Points Per Game - Chris Kaman
Over / Under 13.5
Total Rebounds Per Game - Chris Kaman
Over / Under 7.5
Total Points Per Game - Darren Collison
Over / Under 13
Total Assists Per Game - Darren Collison
Over / Under 5.5
Total Points Per Game - Elton Brand
Over / Under 12
Total Points Per Game - Shawn Marion
Over / Under 10.5
Houston Rockets
Total Points Per Game - Kevin Martin
Over / Under 17
Total Points Per Game - Jeremy Lin
Over / Under 15.5
Total Assists Per Game - Jeremy Lin
Over / Under 6.5
Total Points Per Game - Omer Asik
Over / Under 8.5
Total Rebounds Per Game - Omer Asik
Over / Under 9.5
Memphis Grizzlies
Total Points Per Game - Rudy Gay
Over / Under 19
Total Points Per Game - Zach Randolph
Over / Under 17.5
Total Rebounds Per Game - Zach Randolph
Over / Under 10
Total Points Per Game - Marc Gasol
Over / Under 14
Total Rebounds Per Game - Marc Gasol
Over / Under 8.5
Total Points Per Game - Mike Conley
Over / Under 14
Total Assists Per Game - Mike Conley
Over / Under 6.5
New Orleans Hornets
Total Points Per Game - Eric Gordon
Over / Under 20
Total Points Per Game - Ryan Anderson
Over / Under 15
Total Points Per Game - Anthony Davis
Over / Under 14.5
Total Rebounds Per Game - Anthony Davis
Over / Under 9
Total Blocks Per Game - Anthony Davis
Over / Under 2.2
Total Points Per Game - Austin Rivers
Over / Under 9.5
San Antonio Spurs
Total Points Per Game - Tony Parker
Over / Under 18
Total Assists Per Game - Tony Parker
Over / Under 7.5
Total Points Per Game - Manu Ginobili
Over / Under 15
Total Points Per Game - Tim Duncan
Over / Under 14.5
Total Rebounds Per Game - Tim Duncan
Over / Under 8.5
Total Points Per Game - Kawhi Leonard
Over / Under 10.5
