NBA Finals odds – Kobe ready for first title without Shaq
Online sports betting handicappers are jacked up for the NBA Finals odds. It’s not the LeBron vs Kobe matchup that everyone originally wanted, but at this point, it has become obvious that the Cleveland Cavaliers simply weren’t as good as everyone thought. The Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers are the two best teams remaining, so let’s take a look at the NBA Finals odds and examine why Kobe Bryant is going to win his first championship without Shaq:
NBA Finals odds: Lakers -260 to win championship
- Lakers home court advantage will be key
- Magic have best big man in the series but Lakers have more depth up front
- Lakers experience will make a big difference
The NBA Finals odds have the Lakers favored to win their first championship since 2001-02 and there are plenty of good reasons for it. For starters, the Lakers will have home court advantage, which is always crucial. Had they faced the Cavaliers, that wouldn’t have been the case. But while the Lakers will play an extra game on their home court, it might not matter to the Magic. The Magic have not had home court advantage since the first round of the playoffs and still managed to make it this far. One issue might be if there is another Game 7, as no team in NBA history has ever won two Game 7’s on the road in the same playoffs.
Many people think that the NBA finals odds in the sportsbook offer good value for the Magic - who swept the Lakers in the regular season - but everyone knows that the playoffs are a different story. Experience will make a difference as the Lakers are aiming for their 15th Championship in franchise history, while the Magic are looking for their first.
While maybe NBA finals odds makers think that the x-factor to the series will be the Magic’s three-point shooting, the truth is that the series will be won on the interior. The Magic have the best big man in the series, Dwight Howard, but they also have much less depth up front. That could be a huge problem as Howard has had issues staying out of foul trouble. In six games against the Cavaliers, Howard had 32 fouls. With Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum, the Lakers have more size and strength inside.
Many basketball betting odds makers view the Cavaliers-Magic series as somewhat of a write-off for the Magic. The Magic match up perfectly against the Cavaliers, which is why they dominated that series, but don’t forget that the Magic also struggled with a shorthanded Celtics team and needed six games to dismiss the weak Philadelphia 76ers.
The Lakers are a multi-faceted team that won’t be outscored. While the Magic were able to outscore the Cavaliers, the Lakers get points from too many sources for the Magic to try to outscore them. The Magic just defeated a team with one of the NBA’s biggest superstars and now they face a team with another former MVP. With experience, depth, scoring and home court advantage on the Lakers side, look for Kobe to finally get his first ring without Shaq by his side.
Craig Parsons' Pick: Lakers in Six
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Craig Parsons is an avid sports fan, but his true love has always been basketball. Too short to realize his dream of playing in the NBA, he did the next best thing: sports betting and covering basketball for a living. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
