Well, here we are.
Two weeks away from the start of the NBA season and still so many bets to place, fantasy teams to be drafted and money to be lost. Of course, these picks are what will keep you afloat in the fluid and challenging game of NBA betting. So let’s get to it. These are the over/unders for the Western Conference.
Jazz: 25.5
After an abysmal season in which they won 25 games, the Jazz are given essentially the same win total by Vegas, which seems more than fair. With Enes Kanter and Trey Burke, Utah has talent but ultimately in a crowded West, they do not have enough skilled players or the coaching staff to really put up a fight this season. They will be close to the 25.5 mark but the under is safer as there is a decent chance that the team blows it up, trades some of their better players for future assets and tank the season. UNDER
Timberwolves: 25.5
One of the best League Pass teams and hopefully one of the more entertaining squads in the league, the Timberwolves record will drop dramatically from last year, but at least they have players to build around. The Kevin Love trade was a rare occasion where both teams won. The Wolves got a future All-Star in Andrew Wiggins and more cap space for the future. With Rubio throwing lobs to Wiggins and Zach Lavine, Minnesota will be able to keep the entertainment factor up, however with so many young’uns and a lack of real leadership the Timberwolves’ record will take a big hit. Even with that said, 26 is a very attainable goal and I see the Wolves going over, but barely. OVER
Kings: 30.5
Somehow, the Kings are one of the two teams with two 2014 FIBA World Cup Gold Medalists as DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay both played well for the USA. With that said, this team is still as far away from the playoff picture as they were in previous years. This offseason was a strange one for Sacramento as the Kings let their point guard and volume scorer Isaiah Thomas leave in Free Agency while they picked up backup point guard Darren Collison for roughly the same amount of money. In my opinion, this was a costly mistake and is just one of many screw-ups that the Kings have made in recent years. The 30.5 number is too low, however, and Sacramento will continue to be a subpar to middling team until management gets its act together. OVER
Lakers: 31.5
Last season, the Lakers had 27 wins and, on paper, have gotten worse in talent leading into this season. Even with future hall of famer, Kobe Bryant back, the Lakers are still going to be a stunningly bad team. Their second best player, Steve Nash, has not been able to stay on the court due to injuries and their third best player, Nick Young, is already out for a few weeks. Aside from their guard problems, their frontcourt is one of the worst in the league. Robert Sacre is playing meaningful minutes, which would not be the case for almost any other basketball team, and he’s one of the few bright spots. Bryant’s scoring will be a pleasure to watch but other than that the Lakers have no direction and no real hope this season. UNDER
Nuggets: 40.5
This to me is one of the easiest lines in the entire league. The Nuggets were plagued by injuries all of last season. Ty Lawson, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and many others were either banged up or missed meaningful time. It was essentially the “Year from Hell” and the Nuggets still managed to win 36 games. With the addition of Aaron Afflalo, Denver has a dominant starting lineup and immense depth and every position. I see the Nuggets making the playoffs this year and see them winning between 45 and 50 games. OVER
Pelicans: 41.5
Anthony Davis is going to be very, very, very good this season and has a chance to be a legitimate MVP candidate, however the Pelicans still do not have a good enough roster to merit a winning record. One of the main flaws in this team is the head coach. Monty Williams has had moments of decent leadership, however, overall, he is not a very good coach. He hasn’t been able to utilize Davis effectively and doesn’t have a hold over the team. There are quite a few future stars on New Orleans including guard Tyreke Evans, however their lack of roster depth and bland coaching will not allow the team to make a real jump. UNDER
Suns: 42.5
The biggest surprise from last season, the Suns were just games away from sneaking into that eight seed and making the NBA playoffs. This season, we will see another jump forward for this squad. The addition of Isaiah Thomas is a perfect supplement to the guard play of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe and the improvements of the Morris twins will allow the Suns to get better and better as the season goes on. OVER
Grizzlies: 48.5
After winning 50 games last year, the Grizzlies, on paper, seem to be even better. Marc Gasol will be ready to start the season after missing an extended period of time last year and the addition of Vince Carter will assist a woeful small forward gap for Memphis. Even if he’s just 50% of what he has been in previous years, Carter is an obvious step up from Tayshaun Prince. The frontcourt is great, however the hidden gem for Memphis lies in their backcourt. Perhaps the best defensive backcourt in the league, Mike Conley and Tony Allen are both tremendous at their respective positions and perform the Memphis’ “grit and grind” mentality to a tee. OVER
Trailblazers: 48.5
After a fantastic first round upset over the Houston Rockets, the Trailblazers instantaneously became the darlings of the NBA playoffs. Led by All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, this team has the potential to be a playoff team for the foreseeable future, however I believe that as they have remained stagnant in talent, the rest of the West has improved. Their starting five is great, however I believe Portland has some difficulties in their bench and role players. I see them going under the win projection but still getting a winning record for the season. However, whether they will make the playoffs remains to be seen. UNDER
Mavericks: 49.5
After 50 wins last year, it seems like this team has only improved during the offseason. The additions of Chandler Parsons and Tyson Chandler have upped their defensive potential and have created an even better all-around team. Dirk Nowitzki is still one of the top scorers in the league and the entire roster is filled to the brim with serviceable players. I see this team getting over the 50-win mark and improving on their eight seed from last season. OVER
Rockets: 49.5
Even with the Parsons loss, I believe the Rockets will still surpass 50 wins. There’s too much talent on this team to not do so. Parsons has been replaced with the above-average small forward Trevor Ariza and I think that Dwight Howard will improve on last season’s numbers. James Harden may not play defense consistently, but he is one of the best at scoring and getting to the line by attracting contact. The Rockets may not be the most aesthetically pleasing but will still get their wins and eclipse the 49.5 win mark. OVER
Warriors: 50.5
Wow, the West is going to be good this year. The Warriors are projected to be the fourth-best team and I see a major step-up from a great season last year. Mark Jackson was a great coach but it seemed that he limited the team offensively. There were too many dead possessions that ended with isolation one-on-one plays, which will not be allowed in Steve Kerr’s offensive sets. I believe Steph Curry will build on last season and will thrive under Kerr. OVER
Clippers: 55.5
My pick to make the NBA Finals out of the West, I believe that this is the year for the Clippers to put it all together. Their guards, JJ Redick and Chris Paul, are finally healthy and Blake Griffin will be the third best player in the NBA by the end of the year. The squad has a superb coach in Doc Rivers and the Clippers have the shooting that will lift them up when their big-men, specifically DeAndre Jordan, gets into foul trouble. Take the over as I can see this team hitting the 60-win mark. OVER
Spurs: 56.5
I’m not betting against the Spurs in the regular season until they prove me wrong. Every year, this team wins around 60 games and I don’t see why this season will be any different. With the best coach in Gregg Popovich and most complete roster, the Spurs may be a contender in the West until the end of time, or until Tim Duncan retires, which may be the same year. OVER
Thunder: 57.5
Sigh. Sometimes, sports suck and this is one of those rare occasions. The injury to Kevin Durant that will see him sidelined for two months not only hurts the Thunder’s chances but the league as a whole. He is a rare talent and the second-best player in the league and it hurts the overall product of the NBA that he won’t be on the court when the season starts. Nevertheless, the Thunder will still make the playoffs and by early 2015, Durant will be back and post-season ready. The Thunder will start off poorly but should finish strong when all of their talent is on display. UNDER
Follow Greg on Twitter @gott31 and listen to him on "The Round Table" Thursdays from 6-7pm
