NBA Playoffs Western Conference

Here is our second part of our guide to the NBA playoffs as we look at the best of the bets from the Western Conference.

While the East looks like an extended pre-season for the Miami Heat (before their seven game regular season of the NBA finals) the West looks wide open and anybody could emerge victorious. Bookmakers have the Oklahoma City Thunder as the 6/5 (general) favourites to win the Conference. Next in the market are the San Antonio Spurs at 13/5 (888 Sport). These two are deserved favourites but do not dominate the conference in the way Miami does. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to consider taking the two market leaders on with a side at a bigger price. The LA Clippers (888 Sport) and the Denver Nuggets (sportingbet/paddy Power) are both 10/1 and it is the latter I like the look of. The Nuggets ended the season in great form and have an incredible home record of 38-3 which was an NBA best. Up first for the Nuggets are Golden State and this should be a cracking series as the Warriors (especially Stephen Curry) have been excellent this season. Denver are also without injured duo Kenneth Faried and Danilo Ganilari which makes it tougher. That being said though this was never a side about star power rather a side that is superbly coached into a great system by George Karl.

The best match of the series looks like being between the number four seed Clippers and the number five seed Grizzlies. Bookmakers have the Clippers 13/20 (BetVictor) while Memphis are 8/5 (bet365/888 Sport/You Win). These two went to seven games last year and it could be a very tight series again. At the bigger odds Memphis look the value to progress this time around. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph are a better front court duo than DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. Throw in the suffocating defence of Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince and Lionel Hollins betting a better coach than Vinny Del Negro and Memphis look the bet.

When Oklahoma Thunder traded James Harden to Houston it was a rare deal that worked out well for both sides. The Thunder cleared up a big cap issue and did not get any worse on court while the presence of Harden was enough to push the Rockets into the post season for the first time in years. Oklahoma should have too much for Houston though the Rockets have a three point game that can catch fire at times with Harden, Parsons, Delfino, Lin all capable of making the big shots. Take the Thunder to win the series in five at 2/1 (888 Sport).

The San Antonio Spurs take on the LA Lakers in a game that throws up some interesting battles such as Steve Nash v Tony Parker and Dwight Howard v Tim Duncan. This could have been more of a series if Kobe Bryant had not suffered a season ending injury. That being said though Dwight Howard has shown signs of becoming the dominant force that the Lakers thought they were getting in the summer and alongside Pau Gasol he is developing a good understanding. San Antonio should have too much talent for LA but consider laying off San Antonio to win in four as the Lakers have enough quality to keep this series competitive.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: Denver Nuggets to win the Western Conference, 10/1 (sportingbet/paddy Power)
SILVER: Memphis Grizzlies to beat the LA Clippers, 8/5 (bet365/888 Sport/You Win)
BRONZE: Oklahoma City Thunder to beat Houston in five, 2/1 (888 Sport)

Go To bet365

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21/04/2013     © Frixo 2024