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2018 NBA Western Conference Betting Predictions

2018 NBA Western Conference Betting Predictions

Written by on October 16, 2018

NBA News and Rumors
The NBA Western Conference remains stronger than the NBA Eastern Conference, despite the rise of such teams as Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto, thanks to the arrival of LeBron James in Los Angeles to join the Lakers. Kevin Durant comes into his contract year without giving the Golden State Warriors any indication of his intentions as to whether he will re-sign. Will the Warriors stay focused, or will the fact that they have won so easily the last two seasons keep them from being as hungry? Will Portland find an inside game? Will the arrival of Luka Doncic make Dallas competitive again? Take a look at our predictions as you consider your online betting for NBA future odds for this season.

2018 NBA Western Conference Betting Predictions

The Minnesota Timberwolves implode from all the drama

If you’ve paid attention to NBA headlines, you saw Jimmy Butler call out his general manager at practice…and the team basically respond with a shrug. He helped the team go from 31 wins in 2016-17 to 47 a year ago. Now Butler wants a trade, but the team isn’t budging…at least not yet. Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns have a ton of talent, but they need Butler, or whoever the team can get in return, to play at an elite level to contend in the West…or even to make the playoffs. That doesn’t look like it’s going to happen this year.

The Los Angeles Lakers will make the playoffs

It’s been a long time since the Lakers made the postseason — five years, to be exact, as they last made it to the playoffs in 2013, exiting in the first round. That five-year drought is the longest in the history of the franchise. With the arrival of LeBron James, along with the rise of such young players as Lonzo Ball, the Lakers are projected by the oddsmakers to win 48 ½ games this season, which would almost certainly be enough to get them into the postseason. With the game that LeBron brings, the Lakers are going to climb the standings — perhaps even getting back above the Clippers, their roommates in the Staples Center.

Dallas will win more than 36 games

Last year, the Mavericks won 24 games in the first year of phenom rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. Now the Mavericks have gone out and gotten an elite center in DeAndre Jordan and have added Luka Doncic to their backcourt. Once Harrison Barnes is healthy, the team has a solid rotation that will turn some heads in the West. Dallas could even sneak in and steal the seventh or eighth seed in the postseason, which would end a two-year postseason drought in Big D.

Utah will win the Northwest Division

A lot of prognosticators are picking Oklahoma City to win this division, but Russell Westbrook starts the season on the shelf, recovering from a September knee procedure. The Jazz had the hottest finish of any team in the West last year, and they won their first-round series against the Clippers to get to the West semifinals. I see the Jazz continuing their assault on the standings and coming away with a division crown as the Thunder have to adjust to life without Carmelo.

Golden State will win the Pacific Division

This doesn’t need a lot of explanation, does it?

Houston will win the Southwest Division

New Orleans will push hard, but the Rockets have Chris Paul and James Harden in their backcourt and Clint Capela locking things down inside. Dallas will apply pressure as well but is likely to fade in the second half. San Antonio looks headed into the rebuild that they’ve been avoiding for almost a decade, even with the arrival of DeMar DeRozan.

Houston will win the NBA Western Conference

Golden State’s lack of hunger will increase, and Chris Paul will finally stay healthy through an entire postseason. That combination will send the Rockets past the Warriors and into the NBA Finals.
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