NBA Preview - All Eyes on the Lakers
by Charles Jay
betus.com
We’re about a month out before the NBA Season officially starts, but already NBA betting fans should be lining up to lay money down on which team they believe will take home the 2009 – 2010 NBA Championship.
The Los Angeles Lakers are a solid +225 favorite in the BetUS online sportsbook. Even though Lamar Odom is probably having fun with his new bride, Khloe Kardashian, the rest of the Lakers must be thinking hoops as a month really isn’t a long time and the rest of the NBA desperately tried to improve themselves during the off season.
How will things play out in 2009 – 2010? Let’s take a quick peak at some of the teams, with their basketball betting odds, which have a shot to win the NBA Championship.
Los Angeles Lakers +225 - - The Lakers are easily the best team, on paper, in the basketball championship. They are coming off of a championship, have the best player on the league in Kobe Bryant, resigned Lamar Odom, and added Ron Artest. It doesn’t get much better than that. If the Lakers show up to play, and there’s no reason that they won’t, the +225 on them might be a gift.
Then again, Artest may not be the role player that Trevor Ariza was in 2008 – 2009 and if Kobe got hurt, this team wouldn’t have a chance. But with the Black Mamba, Odom, Artest, Gasol and center Andrew Bynum all healthy, there’s just nobody really that can challenge this team.
Boston Celtics +400 - - Look what the Celtics did in the off season and suddenly things become clear. Boston is looking to get back to the top. Yes, Rasheed Wallace, their prized pick-up during the off season, has been in the league for a while, but when ‘Sheed is on, he’s about as good as any player at his position in the NBA. Not only that, but ‘Sheed, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett make up a who’s who of basketball defenders.
Expect this team to play in a lot of high 60 to low 70 games where they just frustrate their opponents into making terrible shots. I wouldn’t want to play the Celtics if I were any team in the NBA, that includes the Lakers, because the Celtics get you out of your game patiently. Boston “meditates” you into shooting bad shots. How do you beat that? You don’t. What an interesting contrast in styles it would be if the Lakers faced their arch nemesis in the NBA Championship this season!
Cleveland Cavaliers +300 - - I’m not sold on LeBron James. Yes, as a player I am sold on him. He can score, rebound, dish, defend and pretty much out play anyone on the court but as a leader I have my doubts. When it comes to go time and Shaquille O’Neal is trying to throw his weight around in the locker room or on the court, LeBron will either go into a corner or he will step up and tell Shaq that the Cavs are his team. Either way, neither egotistical giant will let the other one get away with it. Shaq is a pariah because he can’t play nice. I doubt he does it in Cleveland. We’ll see what happens, but at the odds, I’m much more inclined to put my basketball wagering money on the Lakers or Celtics. I’ll steer clear of this “experiment” until it proves to me that it will work.
Orlando Magic +1000 - - The key with the Magic is Jameer Nelson is back and healthy and playing like he did before getting hurt last season. Vince Carter will help this team on the perimeter, but that’s not where they needed help. They need a guy to take charge and lead them and that was Nelson for most of the 2008 – 2009 season.
Dwight Howard cannot lead from the center position and Rashard Lewis prefers to be a background type player. That leaves Nelson to lead the charge. There’s no doubt that he could, but the Celtics got much better as well and Howard, as good as he is, will find the going more difficult in the center when facing up against Shaq and a healthy Kevin Garnett. A frustrated Howard will hurt this team big time. Beware putting money on this team to win the championship even though the basketball odds are pretty good on them.
San Antonio Spurs +1000 - - If the Spurs stay healthy then they have a legitimate shot to wear the NBA crown after the 2009 – 2010 Basketball Season. Yes, the Lakers are younger and deeper, but San Antonio starting five is one of the best, if not the best, in the NBA. At point guard is Tony Parker who is easily one of the top three dish men in the league. At the forward spots are Antonio McDyess and Richard Jefferson. Jefferson can take over a game offensively if need be or shut down the teams best scorer.
It depends on what you want out of the guy. At center is the venerable Tim Duncan. Roger Mason as shooting guard appears to be the only weak link but he’s backed up by Manu Ginobili who should be healthy and ready in 2009. Forget the talk that this team is over the hill. If they stay healthy, they will be a force in the Western Conference.
Best Long Shot
Miami Heat +4000 - - No shot, right? Big shot in my estimation! They have one of he top 3 players in the league in Dwayne Wade, an up and coming point guard in Mario Chalmers, and solid forwards in Udonis Haslem and James Jones. If center Jermaine O’Neal remembers that he’s a good player, then this team could go a long way.
Oh, yes, Michael Beasley has returned from rehab and will be looking to become the player that everyone envisioned him as being when he came out of college. If that happens, then look out. Beasley is a good player when his head is right. Miami could be the team to watch and bet in the 2009 – 2010 Basketball Season.
I disagree that if Kobe goes down the Lakers are done. Ron Artest gives them a guy who is not on Kobe's level, but has the ability to step in and lead a team in the playoffs. The Lakers have a ton of talent and losing Kobe would be a crushing blow, but they would still be a team that is a serious threat.
Ron Artest proved against the Lakers he's not made to be an offensive star.
His horrible shooting in key games were killer.
The Lakers would definitely be done without Kobe IMO..as much as people want to downplay him and elevate his supporting cast, they still run the majority of their stuff through him..
They would possibly make the 2nd round without him if they faced the #8 seed, but they would lose pretty easily to any of the other 6 teams, at least IMO..
I also disagree with the article about the Lakers depth..I don't see it..
you could say that about any contender
idiotic
Artest will be so much better offensively now he doesn't have to shoulder the offensive load. him as a 1st option? not great..but as a guy who could be 3rd or 4th option? very tough to defend.
Really?Not only that, but ‘Sheed, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett make up a who’s who of basketball defenders.
I hope he meant Pierce..
I don't think the Lakers could win jack without Kobe. The Spurs could still be very successful if one of the Big 3 goes down as well all saw last year...
Out of curiosity, did you watch any Rocket games last year?
...so long as he doesn't take the shots (volume or location) of a first option. which, while not a sure thing in LA, has always been his MO.
you mean when the Spurs got their asses handed to them by dallas? lakers have a far better chance of doing better if Kobe went down compared to the Spurs. If Manu goes down the spurs are done...Lakers could get 50 wins and maybe get to the 2nd round...gasol, Artest, Odom, Bynum is still a nice core.
Last edited by The_Game; 09-29-2009 at 09:50 AM.
Can't wait for the Lakers to see how Artest jacking shots could lose them games, possibly even crucial playoff games. This is not me saying this as a jealous spurs fan, I would think the same even if I didn't go for any team. He has lost his quickness in guarding two's and even the quicker 3's of the league. they lost a MAJOR part of their team in Ariza, he was perfect in that role.
DJ, Sasha, Luke, Adam, Shannon, Josh…Every one of those guys was cut from other NBA teams….That’s depth?
I trade sweat for strength… I trade doubt for belief… I trade cheerleading for nothing!"
Spurs are the deepest team in the league.
G. Hill and Blair will dominate.
The Lakers would not be able to win a le, but they could still win the West if some things went their way imo.
This is the Ron Artest that helped beat the #5 seed Blazers with his next best players being Yao and Battier and Aaron Brooks. Gasol/Odom/Bynum/Fisher are an uprade in talent.
This is the Ron Artest that took the eventual champions Lakers to 7 games minus Yao (for the most part) and T-Mac. He does take some bad shots, but he still does many good things and he would have significant talent around him. 7 games was further than any other team pushed the Lakers.
If Houston last year could take out a 5th seed and push the #1 seed with Artest, then I fail to see how with more talent they would barely beat an 8th seed.
in any and all of those wins, artest got a lot of help...A LOT.
he is not capable of putting a team on his back to go far in the playoffs. that's not a slight, few players are.
Good luck with that Artest thinking he's the 3rd or 4th option thing.
don't need luck as thats what he will be and he is fine with that. ron wants to win, which he will.
Of course he will. Just ask Pacer's, King's and Rocket's fans.
Isn't that exactly what the Spurs did without Manu?
Neither team is winning a championship without their big guns, but I think the Spurs w/o Manu would do better than the Lakers w/o Kobe. Not that any of this matters.
please remind me how those pacer and kings team did after Artest left? ALOT worse.Of course he will. Just ask Pacer's, King's and Rocket's fans.
rockets will be the same
Ok. He got to the second round with a lot of "help" last year with a depleted Rockets.
You don't think he would get more help from the Lakers than he did from the Rockets minus Kobe?
I cant believe that people think Cleveland has a better chance than San Antonio.
You think artest will want to fall into the role of third or fourth option?
And Parker, Duncan, Jefferson and McDyess are fodder?
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