Western Conference Predictions
Do the Golden State Warriors have value as the clear favorite to win the NBA Western Conference this season? Here’s some teams to consider wagering on to take the West.
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Golden State Warriors are the current favorite to win the Western Conference again, as they are getting odds of -350 to win. Other short odds to win are the Houston Rockets (+800), the Oklahoma City Thunder (+1600), the Denver Nuggets (+2000) and Los Angeles Lakers (+2000).
The Favorite
The Golden State Warriors are understandably the clear favorite in the West. They have won the conference the last four years and currently have the top record in the West. They have a 2-game lead on the field and have the top road record in the conference. They also are going to likely only get stronger as DeMarcus Cousins gets into full swing with the rest of the lineup. This should definitely be Golden State’s conference to lose.
Other Top Contender
Of the teams with short odds outside of the Warriors, the team I feel best about is the Oklahoma City Thunder at 16/1. The Thunder have had moments where they have looked like the best team in the NBA and Paul George is playing at a high level to go with Russell Westbrook. If Westbrook can stay out of his own way and let George do the heavy lifting when it comes to scoring, I think Oklahoma City should make a really strong run at Golden State.
Stay Away
I don’t love the Houston Rockets at 8/1. Houston has just been a team that has been underwhelming in the postseason for quite a while. James Harden is a great player, but he hasn’t been able to prove he can lead a team to a championship. Mike D’Antoni also isn’t a coach I feel great about. Offense is great, but defense is needed around playoff time.
Longshot options
The Denver Nuggets are at 25/1 to win the West and I think there is a lot of value there. Denver is second in the West, just two games behind Golden State. Playing at home has been a strong suit for the Nuggets, as they are 25-4 at home this year. If they can find a way to keep the second seed, or fight their way to the top spot, they will be a very difficult out come the playoffs. The Nuggets haven’t been at full strength all year and still are playing very well. If they heal up, I think Denver has a real chance to make some noise.