First look at 2014-15 NBA win totals betting
As the dog days of summer drag on in the NBA, fans turn their attention from the drama of player movement to the excitement of a new schedule and the debate over off-season prognostications.
The 2014-15 schedule is expected to be released on Wednesday, some outlets are already trying their hand at predictions, and now, online betting site bwin has released win totals for gamblers to bet over or under on.
Below are the win totals currently available to bet on for each team at bwin:
| Team | Win Total |
|---|---|
| Spurs | 57.5 |
| Cavaliers | 57.5 |
| Thunder | 56.5 |
| Bulls | 55.5 |
| Clippers | 54.5 |
| Wizards | 50.5 |
| Warriors | 49.5 |
| Rockets | 48.5 |
| Grizzlies | 48.5 |
| Raptors | 47.5 |
| Mavericks | 46.5 |
| Trail Blazers | 45.5 |
| Hawks | 44.5 |
| Nuggets | 43.5 |
| Heat | 43.5 |
| Hornets | 43.5 |
| Suns | 41.5 |
| Pelicans | 41.5 |
| Nets | 39.5 |
| Pacers | 38.5 |
| Knicks | 36.5 |
| Pistons | 36.5 |
| Lakers | 33.5 |
| Celtics | 28.5 |
| Magic | 27.5 |
| Kings | 26.5 |
| Timberwolves | 25.5 |
| Bucks | 20.5 |
| Jazz | 19.5 |
| 76ers | 17.5 |
The totals look pretty spot on and you won't find anything egregious, but a few things might catch your eye.
The Wizards at 50.5 - the sixth-highest total - might seem like a stretch at first glance, but considering that their schedule is Eastern-Conference-heavy and that the division-rival Heat are no longer a LeBron-led powerhouse, 50-51 wins in Washington isn't out of the question by any means.
Out West, the Mavericks won 49 games last season and have gotten better this summer, so seeing them at 46.5 should tempt plenty of buyers into an "over" bet. Meanwhile the young Jazz won 25 games last season and have added to their upside with the drafting of Dante Exum and Rodney Hood, among some other minor moves, but they still sit at 19.5. Betting on Utah to be anything of significance this season would be ill-advised, but betting on their young talent to scratch out a measly 20 wins could be a sound investment.
It's no surprise to see the five clear-cut championship contenders - San Antonio, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Chicago and the Clippers - at the top and the shamelessly-tanking 76ers at the bottom, but you have to figure one of those top-five teams is good for 60 wins, particularly one of the Cavs or Bulls in the weak East.
For what it's worth, the last time a non-lockout year ended without a single 60-game winner (and even in 2011-12, the Spurs and Bulls won at a 60-plus pace) was the 2000-01 season.