With so much football action on the docket, many people forget that the 2014 NBA Basketball season is just a few short days away.  Here at Bankroll Sports, we are very excited for the upcoming season and look forward to bringing you lots of free NBA picks and basketball handicapping advice.

Listed at the bottom of this article/page you will find the current odds to win the NBA finals in 2014 from some of the best sportsbooks on the web.  As sports betting enthusiasts who get to speak with very sharp handicapping wiseguys daily, such as the Bankroll Sports expert, we wouldn’t feel like we were doing our part if we didn’t offer you some sensible advise before displaying the full list of NBA Championship odds for 2014.

It’s obvious that the Miami Heat are the obvious and clear cut favorites this year, the casual bettor may look at the list of teams and assume there isn’t any value anywhere else.  Some squares may actually assume that the three-peat is inevitable and may actually take the Miami Heat’s NBA finals odds at 2 to 1 (@ Diamond Sportsbook).

The truth is that the 2 to 1 price on the Miami Heat is basically the sportsbooks sending a message that says; “We took a bath on the Heat last year & we’re not letting that happen again”.

Last season, the heat went off at 6 to 1 to win the NBA Finals and the Vegas sportsbooks tried to lure the sports betting public into playing them.  They paid the price for it.  This year, they aren’t feeling so generous after LeBron James & Dwyane Wade made a mockery of the entire league last season.  While the Heat’s chances of winning the NBA finals look extremely high, they aren’t without some flaws and a 50% chance (which is what 2 to 1 truly is) is a little higher than it should be.  When you account for possible freak injuries and unforeseen circumstances, the 2 to 1 number starts to appear a bit ridiculous.  Therefore, if you are going to make a future bet for someone to win the NBA 2014 NBA Championship, we advise you to look for value elsewhere.

Our advice is look at the teams that were almost there last year and might push themselves over the hump in 2014. Always remember when betting futures that if the favorite is absurdly high, you can usually find a lot more value down the board.  There are a some other contenders that we feel have some value.

We feel that the Los Angeles Clippers are worth taking a serious look at.  You’ll find the Clippers at a very lofty 10 to 1 or higher at a lot of books.  The Clips re-inked their superstar point guard in Chris Paul and look to be trying to add more experienced role players rather than star power.  There were some rumors that that Clippers were looking to trade Blake Griffin, but we believe the team was just doing their due-diligence and testing the market to see what they could get in return.  It goes without saying that Blake Griffin along with DeAndre Jordon currently make up one of the best front-courts in the league.  They also needed a bit more experience out of the guards in 2013 and want to add a solid three-point shooter.  They got just that in guards, JJ Reddick and Jared Dudley. When you add in their acquisition of Doc Rivers, who is no stranger to playoff success, we feel that 2014 may be the year that the Clipper find their groove and make a run at a Championship.  If the Clippers get hot early, those 10 to 1 odds could seem like a gift.

There was no NBA team more exciting than the Golden State Warriors who rallied their fan base last season.  They showed that they might have the best guards in the NBA.  Stephon Curry may be the best shooter in the game and his side-kick, Klay Thompson makes them a matchup nightmare.   Their post players in Andrew Bogut along with David Lee aren’t the league’s best, but they compliment the guards well.  They showed a lack of defense in 2014, but if you factor in their off-season signing of Andre Iguodla & new head coach Mark Jackson, sports fans in the Bay area may have reason to be excited for the NBA basketball playoffs again in 2013.  At around 30 to 1 to win the NBA Finals next year, the Warriors offer a very lofty price and may be worth a small play.

Current Odds To Win The 2014 NBA Finals @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 10/22/13)
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PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: 725 to 1
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS: 1000 to 1
MILWAUKEE BUCKS: 450 to 1
CHICAGO BULLS: 9 to 1
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: 80 to 1
BOSTON CELTICS: 175 to 1
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: 13 to 1
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: 33 to 1
ATLANTA HAWKS: 215 to 1
MIAMI HEAT: 2 to 1
UTAH JAZZ: 175 to 1
SACRAMENTO KINGS: 180 to 1
NEW YORK KNICKS: 27 to 1
LOS ANGELES LAKERS: 60 to 1
ORLANDO MAGIC: 950 to 1
DALLAS MAVERICKS: 75 to 1
NEW JERSEY NETS: 13 to 1
DENVER NUGGETS: 55 to 1
INDIANA PACERS: 10 to 1
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: 130 to 1
DETROIT PISTONS: 130 to 1
TORONTO RAPTORS: 450 to 1
HOUSTON ROCKETS: 12 to 1
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: 11 to 1
PHOENIX SUNS: 650 to 1
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: 6 to 1
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: 150 to 1
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS: 85 to 1
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: 23 to 1
WASHINGTON WIZARDS: 125 to 1

We aren’t exactly firm believers that the San Antonio Spurs are going to be in the thick of things once again next season. There are a bunch of teams in the Southwest Division that could overtake them, and that could leave the door open once again for the Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA Finals Odds: 6 to 1 @ JustBet Sportsbook). F Kevin Durant wasn’t able to get to the NBA Finals for the second straight season, but the fact of the matter is that he challenged one of the best teams in the West, the Memphis Grizzlies essentially all by himself. G Russell Westbrook will be back in the saddle after getting hurt in the playoffs.

List Of Past NBA Finals Champions
2013 NBA Champions: Miami Heat
2012 NBA Champions: Miami Heat
2011 NBA Champions: Dallas Mavericks
2010 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2009 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2008 NBA Champions: Boston Celtics
2007 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs
2006 NBA Champions: Miami Heat
2005 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs
2004 NBA Champions: Detroit Pistons
2003 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs
2002 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2001 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2000 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers

As for the longshots, some may think it may be worth it to put a small play on Cleveland Cavaliers (Odds To Win 2014 NBA Championship: 120 to 1 @ 5 Dimes Sportsbook). Kyrie Irving is one of the best young guards in the NBA.  The Cavs are building a core of players that can compete in the Eastern Conference. While it’s clear there aren’t that many great teams in the Eastern conference, a good young team like the Cavs could surprise some people and make a run. If the Pacers were able to get the job done in the Central Division this past year, Cleveland could easily do it in 2013. Obviously we’re not saying that we actually believe Cleveland is going to win the NBA title in 2012. However, this is a team a we feel offers great value in their 2014 futures odds.

Up To Date List of 2014 NBA Finals Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 10/22/13)
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Miami Heat – 1.75 to 1
Oklahoma City Thunder – 6 to 1
Chicago Bulls – 8 to 1
Brooklyn Nets – 11 to 1
Los Angeles Clippers – 12 to 1
Indiana Pacers – 13 to 1
San Antonio Spurs – 13 to 1
Houston Rockets – 14 to 1
Golden State Warriors – 23 to 1
New York Knicks – 29 to 1
Memphis Grizzlies – 32 to 1
Los Angeles Lakers – 44 to 1
Denver Nuggets – 58 to 1
Dallas Mavericks – 70 to 1
Cleveland Cavaliers – 120 to 1
Atlanta Hawks – 175 to 1
Minnesota Timberwolves – 175 to 1
Utah Jazz – 200 to 1
Detroit Pistons – 200 to 1
Portland Trail Blazers – 205 to 1
Boston Celtics – 210 to 1
New Orleans Pelicans – 210 to 1
Washington Wizards – 210 to 1
Milwaukee Bucks – 350 to 1
Sacramento Kings – 350 to 1
Toronto Raptors – 475 to 1
Philadelphia 76ers – 575 to 1
Phoenix Suns – 575 to 1
Charlotte Bobcats – 600 to 1
Orlando Magic – 600 to 1

The 2010 NBA Finals lines are out, and here at Bankroll Sports, we’re offering up our opinions on the odds to win the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

Complete List Of Current Odds To Win The 2010 NBA Finals Can Be Found Below

All season long, the Celtics were the team that underachieved. They only finished the regular season at 24-17 SU at home and just 12-28-1 ATS. They only averaged 99.2 points per game in spite of the fact that they probably had one of the most talented offensive lineups in the game. Heck, only finishing fifth in the league in total defense probably wasn’t anything to write home about either.

However, the C’s talked all about how they just needed to flip the switch and that things would be different in the playoffs. My, how they were right.

The only time that Boston has lost two straight games in the playoffs came in Games 4 and 5 against the Orlando Magic. They have already stolen five wins as the visitors in the postseason, and they are an amazing 12-5 ATS to show for 17 playoff efforts.

The “Big Four” are combining to average scoring 67.5 points per game.

“The Truth,” F Paul Pierce is up to 19.1 points per game after scoring 30+ points in two of the final three games of the Orlando series. His counterpart, G Rajon Rondo has made a real name for himself, as he almost averaged a triple-double in the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

First it was D-Wade. Then it was King James. Finally, it was Superman. They all fell. The Celtics were right. The proverbial switch has been flipped.

However, it’s Showtime in Tinseltown now for the Celtics, which means that the Lakers are going to be rockin’ and rollin’ in an effort to win their second consecutive NBA Finals.

Even though Los Angeles was the #1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, this wasn’t exactly a dominant squad either. The Lakers limped down the stretch of the season and had to sweat just a bit about whether or not they were going to take home court advantage on the road to the NBA Finals or not.

Just like Boston, this was a team that was supposed to limp into the playoffs. G Kobe Bryant looked old. The youthful Oklahoma City Thunder were supposed to take all of the energy out of them. F Pau Gasol was supposed to be too soft. The bench wasn’t supposed to be deep enough.

Durant, Boozer, Williams, Nash, and Stoudemire… All names that are now watching as those Lakers that were “finished” are playing to complete the successful defense of their crown.

Bryant has turned the corner in a huge way, as he has been absolutely lights out, particularly since early in that series against the Thunder. He has a streak of four straight 30+ point performances under his belt coming into this series, and his statistics are simply off of the charts. Kobe is averaging 29.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game in the playoffs, shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc.

F Pau Gasol has done plenty of damage as well, scoring right at 20.0 points per game to go with his 10.9 rebounds.

The bench might be under some scrutiny, but F Lamar Odom has done his share. In just under 30 minutes per game of action, Odom has compiled 10.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, which should set up a great clash between he and the secondary big men for the Celtics in the paint.

This is a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals, won by the Celtics in six games. It was the official renewal of a team that had fallen from the days of Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, and all of the other fantastic names that are sitting in the rafters at TD Banknorth Garden. 2009 was the year of the Lakers, as Bryant helped further solidify his name amongst Lakers greats like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

NBA Finals betting action starts Thursday night at Staples Center and will continue with Game 2 on Sunday before the series shifts back to Beantown for Games 3, 4, and 5 (if necessary) starting on Tuesday.

Odds to Win 2010 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Sportsbook	Bonus
JustBet Sportsbook	100% Free Play Bonus	+165	-185
Diamond Sportsbook	100% Match Free Play	+165	-195
BetUS Sportsbook	100% Bonus Up to $500	+155	-190

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2009-10 NBA Finals Odds, Preview & Predictions

List of Odds To Win The 2010 NBA Finals Can Be Found At The Bottom

Last year marked the Los Angeles Lakers return to glory as they recorded their 15th NBA Championship in franchise history just two behind the all-time leading Boston Celtics at 17 in total. The Championship marked Kobe Bryant’s 4th title in his career and for Coach Phil Jackson a record 10th championship. However despite the Lakers dominance especially over the Western Conference in recent years, it was their first championship in 7 years despite 2 failed NBA Finals trips during that period. Heading into 2010, the Lakers are once again favorites to take on the hardware at +180 favorites meaning Phil Jackson will have to start finding additional hands to carry those rings. However, as the NBA proved last year the competition is fierce and there will be many fighting for similar claims including Lebron James who is in search for his first NBA Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers who are receiving +450 odds to win it all. Take a look as we list he odds to win the 2009 NBA Fianls, breakdown each Conference and what to expect from the NBA in 2010, and ultimately giving a prediction for this year’s 2010 NBA Championship.

2009-10 Eastern Conference Preview:

Last year in the Eastern Conference the “Big 3” dominated the conference consistently battling for the best overall record in the league. Those teams were the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic who ended up representing the Eastern Conference in the Finals. Orlando is receiving +700 odds for 2010, but they lost Hedo Turkoglu to free agency who landed with the Toronto Raptors. Orlando will still be a force just from the presence of Dwight Howard. However, shooting guard J.J Redick should be able to provide some more help this season and the Magic also landed a proven veteran in Vince Carter. There is no reason not to expect the Magic to be a force this year as Turkoglu really did not do much during the regular season. Orlando will still be playing catch-up early in the season, but they could be a force by playoff time.

The Cavaliers added Shaquille O’Neal to the roster to help down low. O’Neal has not produced a ton of points over the past few seasons, but he could definitely contribute a lot to the defensive efforts from Cleveland. The Cavaliers were among the best defensive teams in the league last year holding opponents to just 90.4 points per game and those numbers may get even better. Of course James will be Lebron like so there is not much worry with him. James averaged just less than 30 points per game last year 2nd best in the NBA behind Dwyane Wade. The player that may make the biggest difference for Cleveland is Mo Williams. Shaq gives the presence you need down low that teams will respect, and Lebron will draw all the attention. If Williams can be the shooter they think he can be, then the Cavaliers may very well have their shot at glory this season.

The last of the “Big 3” is the Boston Celtics who are receiving solid +300 odds to win the NBA Title. There was not a ton of change in Boston outside of the signing of Rasheed Wallace. Wallace spent the last 5 years in Detroit, but will find a place in the starting rotation for the Celtics. The problem Boston had last season is that injuries plagued the team down the stretch. Garnett missed a lot of the latter part of the season and guys were consistently banged up. If not for countless Paul Pierce clutch shots, the Celtics may not have made it out of the opening round of the playoffs last year. Boston will once again own the most talented lineup in the NBA as they can get huge numbers from any of their starters. The key will be staying together and staying healthy.

A few other teams that could get into the mix this season are the Atlanta Hawks and the Chicago Bulls. It has been some time since we seen the Bulls get on a level where they could be possible contenders for a championship. While that still may be a few years down the road, Chicago could make similar noise as they did in their opening round overtime thrilling playoff match-up with the Celtics. Chicago signed 2009 Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose to an extension and he should have a future in the windy city. The Bulls have the ability to contend on any given night, but possibly not the depth to contend in the long run. All in all, the Bulls are about 1 superstar away from being back in the NBA Finals contender category.

The Hawks signed rookie Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest who showed countless signs of brilliance in the college ranks. Teague should adapt well in Atlanta since they like to run a fast paced offense. Atlanta also acquired Jamal Crawford from the Knicks. Crawford averaged 20 points per contest last year and he should help make Atlanta even tougher on a nightly basis. The Hawks are sizeable +4000 underdogs, but are a team to keep on the radar with their style of play.

2009-10 Western Conference Preview:

The Lakers really controlled the West last season with just less than an .80 winning percentage. The only team that showed signs that they could slow the Lakers where the Denver Nuggets who got extremely hot on some late season runs. However, the Nuggets still dropped 3 of 4 regular season contest to the Lakers. Los Angeles also ended up taking Denver out in the Conference Finals going 4-2. In the Southwest division, things were wide open throughout the year. San Antonio ended up on the top spot and showed signs of late season magic, but they were destroyed by Dallas 4 games to 1 in the playoffs. In all reality this may be another year of wide open basketball in the Western Conference, but all will still be chasing the Lakers.

The Dallas Mavericks came on late in the year and also in the playoffs last year mainly behind Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks added some depth to the roster this season in Drew Gooden and Shawn Marion. Marion should help scoring efforts and Gooden with time will develop into a nice presence as well. Josh Howard battled injuries all last season and it is imperative that he stay healthy in terms of the Mavericks success. Dallas has the scorer’s to contend, but may still lack the down low presence needed. Erick Dampier just is not the big man in the middle you find on most championship teams.

The other contender out of the Southwest will be none other than the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs should take battle with Dallas in the southwest as Houston will likely suffer with the season long absence of Yao Ming whose career may be in jeopardy after foot surgery. However, the Spurs made some moves in the right direction. After campaigning for senior citizens benefits last year, the Spurs added youth with rookie DeJuan Blair and also added Richard Jefferson. San Antonio should be the most experience team in the league and Blair may give more help in his rookie campaign than most would expect. The Spurs should be able to contend, but we just not sold they have what it takes to return to the Finals spotlight.

Outside of the might Southwest, the Denver Nuggets have to be the team that challenges the Lakers for the top spot. Last year’s addition of Chauncey Billups proved to be astronomical for the team’s success. Of course Carmelo Anthony is the superstar, but Billups is a star as well and really gets the team to play together. If J.R Smith can have a similar season to 2009 much less improve, the Nuggets will be even better in 2010. Denver has the talent in the starting lineup to content with anyone, but this is another team that can not afford any injuries. If they stay healthy, they have every opportunity to take down the West. Denver is +1500 underdogs which is a line that may deserve a lot of attention.

The Lakers lost Trevor Ariza, but just when you think Los Angeles takes a step back they sign Ron Artest to the lineup. If you hated the Lakers before, you will hate them even more with Artest now on the roster. Like it or not, it should make Los Angeles even stronger. Kobe Bryant may just be the best player in the league and Pau Gasol has proved he is a good match with Bryant. The scary thing about this team is center Andrew Bynum is just going to get better and better. Hopefully for the rest of the league’s sake, Bynum does not have any huge breakout this season. If so call it checkmate for the defending Champions to repeat.

One final team to keep your eye on in the west includes first and foremost the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland has found their star in Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge is an equally effective helping hand. However, Portland strengthened their lineup over the off season with the additions of Andre Miller and Juwan Howard. Miller should definitely be able to help efforts and depth in the backcourt. Howard is a veteran whose performance will likely wane, but he can still provide some quality minutes. The Trail Blazers really need Greg Oden to step up and be the big inside threat. Oden is a rebounding machine, but has had trouble with injuries as well as foul trouble. If he stays healthy and stays on the court, good things will come for Portland who is receiving +1500 odds.

2009-10 NBA Finals Prediction:

If the Boston Celtics can stay healthy, their lineup is ridiculously talented. The Cavaliers may be even better this season, but the Celtics will be as well. Boston will take down the Eastern Conference and meet up with the Lakers who will again edge out Denver in the Western Conference. However the Lakers will not defend their title, as 2008 repeats itself and the Celtics will beat the Lakers 4-2 while taking home the hardware for the 18th time.

2010 NBA Finals Odds From JustBet Sportsbook (as of 11/5/2009):
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Atlanta Hawks – 40 to 1
Boston Celtics – 3 to 1
Charlotte Bobcats – 100 to 1
Chicago Bulls – 60 to 1
Cleveland Cavaliers – 9 to 2
Dallas Mavericks – 30 to 1
Denver Nuggets – 15 to 1
Detroit Pistons – 75 to 1
Golden State Warriors – 100 to 1
Houston Rockets – 50 to 1
Indiana Pacers – 100 to 1
Los Angeles Clippers – 100 to 1
Los Angeles Lakers – 7 to 4
Memphis Grizzlies – 100 to 1
Miami Heat – 40 to 1
Milwaukee Bucks – 100 to 1
Minnesota Timberwolves – 100 to 1
New Jersey Nets – 100 to 1
New Orleans Hornes – 50 to 1
New York Knicks – 100 to 1
Oklahoma City Thunder – 100 to 1
Orlando Magic – 7 to 1
Philadelphia 76ers – 75 to 1
Phoenix Suns – 70 to 1
Portland Blazers – 15 to 1
Sacramento Kings – 10 to 1
San Antonio Spurs – 7 to 1
Toronto Raptors – 100 to 1
Utah Jazz – 30 to 1
Washington Wizards – 50 to 1