Now that LeBron James has gotten past the milestone that has evaded him for so long, what does the future hold for him and the Miami Heat? Find out where the NBA odds makers have listed them for a shot at next year's title.
The Miami
Heat captured their second title in franchise history last night (the first
legitimate one) and Lebron James finally got his long awaited title. James was
the Finals MVP and it was well deserved. Not even 24 hours after the Heat were
crowned the champs; we take a look at the future odds for next season.
To
absolutely no ones surprise, the Heat are once again the basketball betting favorites to
win it all again next season. They have some company at and near the top however,
so let’s take a look at who’s keeping them company, and who, if anyone, has a
chance to upset them next season.
NBA Odds list the Heat
at 5/2, or +250 to win the title again in 2013. They turned around after last
year’s Finals loss and proved why they get so much hype. Lebron James is the
best player in the league, and the Heat are almost unbeatable when he and the
rest of the team is playing at their best.
As I
mentioned above though, the Heat aren’t alone atop the future odds boards.
Oklahoma City, after suffering a heartbreaking defeat in the Finals, are also
+250 in next season’s future odds. It’s not surprising considering the level of
talent they have and based on their small amount of good play in this year’s
playoffs.
For all of you haters out there, SBR's Bill Dozer has already started a forum thread where you can share yhour thoughts on who we should root for next year to kick the king off of his throne. Let's take a look at some of the other front runners for the 2012-13 season.
Other
teams rounding out the top five are my Chicago Bulls at +500, the San Antonio Spurs at
+700, and the Lakers at +1200. The only way the Bulls have a chance is if
Derrick Rose can come back from his ACL surgery and have enough time to get his
conditioning and game back before the playoffs. Those are two big ifs
considering he might not even come back to be the same player he was before the
injury. That one looks like a slim and none proposition. The Spurs at +700 are intriguing,
because like many others, I still think it should have been them against the
Heat in the Finals. That one depends on if Tim Duncan comes back or not.
The Heat
are easily the odds on favorites to win it all again, and I could not fault
anyone for taking +250 right now. Those odds will only shrink as the season
gets closer and next year’s playoffs get closer. With Derrick Rose sidelined
for the season, there will be almost no competition throughout the Eastern
Conference, unless Rose makes a full and very speedy recovering. The Heat to
win the Eastern Conference again looks to be a lock. The Celtics will most
likely be rebuilding, and teams like the Pacers and Sixers are still too young
(like the Thunder).
I’m not
writing off the Thunder next season, because they too have a great shot at
doing a lot of growing up over the offseason, much like Miami did this past
offseason. However, I will get into them in my article about the Thunder’s
future odds.
I will
say this; it’s not a lock. Derrick Rose’s ACL, and some bold moves from teams
like the Celtics, Thunder, Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers could easily change the Heat’s
outlook on next season’s title run. A lot can change, and it starts next week
with the draft. However, at this point, and at least for next season, it
doesn’t look like anyone is going to stop the Heat from winning it again given
the circumstances facing the NBA’s best teams next season.