So this morning I woke up too the news that Russell Westbrook has been traded to the Houston Rockets!
That news has obviously impacted the Title Odds for the NBA. Let's examine (odds courtesy of SuperBook USA in Las Vegas).
In the East
| Seed | Team | Old Odds | New Title Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee | 4-1 | 9-2 |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 7-1 | 8-1 |
| 3 | Boston | 20-1 | 25-1 |
| 4 | Brooklyn | 30-1 | 40-1 |
| 5 | Indiana | 40-1 | 40-1 |
| 6 | Toronto | 80-1 | 80-1 |
| 7 | Miami | 80-1 | 100-1 |
| 8 | Orlando | 100-1 | 100-1 |
Thoughts: So not much changed. All the teams remained in the same seeding position as last time the odds were released. The odds for the top four teams shifted, but remained stagnant for the bottom four. Still keep an eye on Miami as they are rumored to be in talks to get Chris Paul. They missed out on Westbrook, but CP3 could still prove a big get for the Heat.
In the West
| Seed | Team | Old Odds | New Title Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA Clippers | 3-1 | 7-2 |
| 2 | LA Lakers | 6-1 | 9-2 |
| 3 | Houston | 10-1 | 8-1 |
| 4 | Golden State | 10-1 | 12-1 |
| 5 | Utah | 12-1 | 14-1 |
| 6 | Denver | 14-1 | 16-1 |
| 7 | Portland | 25-1 | 30-1 |
| 8 | San Antonio | 50-1 | 40-1 |
Thoughts: Some big moves in the West. Obviously the odds changed. Golden State and Houston swapped seeding spots and Golden State dropped from 10-1 to 12-1 odds. Dallas gets pushed out of the top 8 as they dropped from 40-1 odds to 50-1 odds. I still think Denver and Utah are overrated, and I think Sacramento could surprise some people this year. Also, I'm not sold on the Lakers yet. The combo of LeBron, AD, Boogie and Rondo seems like a roster that works on NBA 2K or NBA Live, not in real life. I'll wait and see but I have a feeling that chemistry will be an issue.