Odds to Win 2013 NBA Western Conference
The Lakers have the lowest odds to make it out of the Western Conference and it is easy to see why with the additions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.
The Lakers were busy this off-season bringing in Nash and Howard as well as proven scoring veteran Antawn Jamison. Kobe Bryant heads into this season with some new pieces and while the Lakers are stacked they do not have a deep bench. They did have to give up Andrew Bynum, but kept most of their starting lineup from last season with Kobe, Pau Gasol, and Metta World Peace returning. The Lakers will need to gel quickly and get on the same page, which is hard to do in 1 season.
The Thunder won the West last season, but they will have a little different look with 6th Man of the Year now in Houston. OKC would not give him the max contract so they let him go, but in return got some high draft picks and scoring G Kevin Martin. Still, the Thunder are led by the 2 stars of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and the solid defensive players of Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka. Perry Jones III fell to them late in the draft and he may pan out, but the first half of the season should show how much the team will miss Harden.
The trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, who was a legitimate MVP candidate last season, will once again, lead the Spurs. Ginobili and Duncan are in their mid 30's and in the twilight of their careers, but the Spurs still have some young talent and picking up Stephen Jackson mid last season was a great move. The original Big 3 needs to stay healthy for the Spurs to have any shot at making the finals.
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin may not have to do it all this season since the team brought in the veterans of Jamaal Crawford, Lamar Odom, and Grant Hill. C DeAndre Jordan needs to play better defense than he did last season and the Clip Joint will need to hit the boards. It will also help if Chauncey Billups can stay healthy.
The Grizzlies have a young corps of solid players with Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley Jr, but the loss of O.J. Mayo may hurt. After looking like breaking out and being a solid contender for a few years the Griz digressed last season mainly because of the injury to Z-Bo. Jerryd Bayless has shown flashes of brilliance and he was brought in to be an offensive weapon.
The Mavs still have Dirk Nowitzki and Shaun Marrion, but Dallas will have a whole new look with the additions of O.J. Mayo, Chris Kaman, Darren Collison and Elton Brand and the losses of Jason Terry and Jason Kidd. The Mavs will be good, but they are long shots to get out of the West.
Here are the odds to win the Western Conference provided by Bovada as of October 29, 2012
- Los Angeles Lakers 2.65
- Oklahoma City Thunder 3.50
- San Antonio Spurs 11.00
- Los Angeles Clippers 15.00
- Memphis Grizzlies 21.00
- Dallas Mavericks 23.00
- Denver Nuggets 34.00
- Utah Jazz 51.00
- Minnesota Timberwolves 71.00
- Portland Trailblazers 71.00
- Houston Rockets 101.00
- New Orleans Hornets 126.00
- Phoenix Suns 126.00
- Golden State Warriors 151.00
- Sacramento Kings 251.00
