Over the course of the season I'll take a look at the best teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences and offer up my reasons as to why they could win the title this year.
Western Conference
The Favorites
LA Lakers
Reasons to Love Them: Kobe looked like he hasn't lost a step in the first game this season. Bynum is healthy and effective. Odom doesn't look distracted by his long term contract extension and marriage to the ugliest Kardashian on the face of the planet. Easily beat the Clippers without their second best player, Gasol. Very deep bench. Best coach in basketball.
Reasons to Hate Them: Was I the only one who thought Artest looked like a corpse jogging up and down the floor the other night? He is a definite downgrade from Ariza. Bynum is bound to get hurt again at some point. Chemistry issues with playing Bynum/Gasol/Odom/Artest when all are healthy.
Current Odds to Win It All: 5-2.
My Odds to Win It All: 3-1, so 5-2 isn't too bad but doesn't provide much value. They won last year even when Bynum went down. X-Factor in their possible collapse is clearly Ron Corpse.
San Antonio Spurs
Reasons to Love Them: Deeper than the Lakers, Parker in his prime, Duncan and Manu clearly have something left in the tank, and best offseason of any NBA team. I also forgot to mention that GPop is quite an excellent coach and might be better than Phil Jackson. They also slaughtered the Hornets last night. Very impressive.
Reasons to Hate Them: Two of their three best players are old and clearly past their prime - will they be able to hold up for an entire season? Will the significant additions of new players be too much for the team to handle come playoff time? GPop's beard.
Current Odds to Win It All: 9-1. A fucking steal.
My Odds to Win It All: 3-1. I would bet on the Spurs. At least $100.
The Darkhorse
Denver Nuggets
Reasons to Love Them: Full year of having Billups on the team, Nene looks healthy, Ty Lawson looks like a draft day steal, and Carmelo's huge game last night in which he proclaimed "I'm Back". This is a team that tasted success in last year's playoffs and should use that valuable experience to mount a similar run this year. Also, Birdman.
Reasons to Hate Them: George Karl has historically fallen off in the year after reaching a conference final. Will undoubtedly lose the team a few games by guarding the inbounds guy (Lamar Odom) with his smallest point guard (this year - Ty Lawson).
Current Odds to Win It All: 12-1. Seems about right
My Odds to Win It All: 10-1. They had just about everything go right for them last year and were flushed out in the Western Conference finals. Perhaps the same this year.
Eastern Conference
The Favorites
Boston Celtics
Reasons to Love Them: The best team in basketball right now. Garnett looks healthy enough to have a good shot at lasting the entire season, Allen and Pierce still have gas left in the tank, Rondo is one of the 5 best PGs in the league, and Sheed looks motivated to help this team. Also, the best defensive team in the league right now.
Reasons to Hate Them: They aren't young and if Garnett goes down - it's over. They also resigned Big Baby - something I bet they wished they didn't do at this point. If the old men legs of their big three fall apart like they did last year - they'll be relying on Rondo to carry them in the playoffs again. And since he doesn't have a three point shot - good luck.
Current Odds to Win It All: 9-2. About right.
My Odds to Win It All: 5-1. I have some serious doubts about Garnett lasting the entire season, and Pierce and Allen being able to keep up the pace throughout the playoffs. But, with healthy legs right now - this is the best team in the game.
Orlando Magic
Reasons to Love Them: Dwight Howard is a legit threat to win the NBA MVP this year, Vince Carter looks like he gives a damn (and clearly has gas left in the tank), Nelson is healthy and a top 10 PG in the NBA, they killed the Sixers without their 3rd best player (Lewis), and clearly have a very deep bench.
Reasons to Hate Them: Will Vince be able to keep it up all year? Will these players come together under SVG (aka Ron Jeremy)? Can you win with a big man who can't shoot free throws (Howard)? How will Jameer perform in the playoffs? A lot of questions for this team, but clearly their ceiling is quite high.
Current Odds to Win It All: 8-1
My Odds to Win It All: 4-1. I think they have a good shot given their talent. Getting rid of Hedo won't hurt them at all (his defense was a major reason why the Lakers beat the Magic - hello Derek Fisher Three).
Cleveland Cavaliers
Reasons to Love Them: LeBron. They made it pretty far last year. They added Shaq.
Reasons to Hate Them: Mike Brown is a terrible coach. They've added one off players (Shaq, Mo Williams, some random foreign player(s) I can't remember) every year that don't work together. LeBron is undoubtedly leaving after this season. Having three centers (Shaq, Z, Sideshow Bob), and no PF is not a good thing.
Current Odds to Win It All: 3-1. LeBron is good.
My Odds to Win It All: 10-1. I just don't see it. The Magic and the Celtics are better team and the Celts proved it already this year by spanking the LeBrons on their home floor. Oh, and they just lost to the Raptors as well. Not good.
The Darkhorse
None. I was going to put the Chicago Bulls here, but then I found out they are at 50-1 odds. Just not good enough. The next best team in the Eastern Conference is the Atlanta Hawks, but at 40-1 odds, I just couldn't put them here either.
NBA Championship: Spurs over Magic, 6 games.
Why? It's so hard to repeat in the NBA these days. I think Artest self destructs in the Western Conference Finals (similar to what he did for the Rockets last year) and the Spurs bench outscores the Lakers bench to beat them in 6. Boston crumbles against Orlando (just like last year) and Orlando becomes the "new Detroit" by making the NBA championship but falling short. If they played the Lakers - they would beat them.
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