Category: NBA

NBA 2016-2017 Season Preview

There are plenty of teams capable of winning the NBA finals this season but to do that they will have to navigate their way past the likes of Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cleveland Cavaliers managed to get revenge on Golden State Warriors last season in an emphatic 4-3 win after losing 4-2 to them the season before. Cleveland Cavaliers managed to come back from a 3-1 deficit and pip Golden State Warriors to the championship in what would have been the Warriors second on the bounce. It’s not surprising to see both teams heading the list of favourites thanks to getting in the finals for the last two seasons running and odds would suggest both teams will be in the mix for the upcoming 2016/2017 season as well. The NBA betting odds have Golden State Warriors favourites to win the upcoming season at 5/6 with Cleveland Cavaliers following them closely at odds of 3/1. There are a few other teams in the mix this year all capable of winning the finals and with the experience of San Antonio Spurs doesn’t put them out of contention with odds of 7/1 either.

golden-state-warriors

It’s surprising to see Miami Heat struggling in recent years seeing as they were such a force in the previous 4 seasons prior to the last two – but with the loss of Lebron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers hasn’t done them any justice, they can still be backed at 40/1 to win the championship if you think they can change their fortunes around. Other teams such as the New York Knicks and LA Lakers don’t look like they have enough quality in their rosters to compete with the favourites which is why they can be backed at a massive 40/1 and 150/1 respectively.

oklahoma-city-thunderOklahoma City Thunder looked like they were getting backed for a fair amount when they were at 7/1 to win the upcoming championships; however, they have now drifted to a massive 33/1 which was all to do with Kevin Durant ditching them for the Golden State Warriors, making them even more superior in the process. That doesn’t necessarily put Oklahoma City Thunder out of contention either as they have managed to keep the core of their roster from last season so with a brilliant replacement they could be up there come the end of the season. Boston Celtics (20/1), LA Clippers (22/1), and Toronto Raptors (28/1) shouldn’t be written off just yet as they look to their roster for some additional improvements.

The Dallas Mavericks haven’t come up with a lot in recent seasons which is why they can be backed as high as 80/1. Other teams such as the Memphis Grizzlies (66/1) or Indiana Pacers (66/1) might spring a surprise but with the quality in front of them it would be hard to see anything happen. It’s definitely going to take something special for anyone other than the Golden State Warriors to get into another NBA final for the third time in a row especially now as they have Kevin Durant added to their already strong roster. The only teams that can pip them to the title this season is the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs, all of the other teams will definitely have to come up with something spectacular. Cleveland Cavaliers are playing great at the moment and with odds of 3/1 would suggest they have a very good chance of retaining their title. Boston Celtics have been tipped to the title at a massive 20/1, which is good enough for an each way bet at least.

NBA DraftKings 2015 – How to Win Every Night with the Perfect Strategy

Now that the NBA season is in full swing, millions of fans are testing their luck at DraftKings.  Unfortunately, the majority of people that play never see real winnings. Why? They refuse to do the necessary research to increase their odds. We’re going to run through a few of them today, because even by using 1 or 2, you will see an increase in your overall point totals and how you place in each contest entered.

Deciding which Contest to Play

Ask most people who have tried DraftKings, they typically enter a contest with huge potential. After all, 2015 has been their biggest ad campaign yet, especially right before the NFL season started. Their Millionaire Maker opportunity for only $20 offers the chance to change lives, so millions of people are trying their hand in it. Unfortunately, your chances of winning are pretty slim.

In order to reach a point where you’re winning every night, you need to choose your contests wisely. Reduce the amount of people you have to play against and all of the sudden your winning percentages will increase. For instance, the Head-to-Head contests will be a one-on-one competition, so you have a 50% chance of winning. These are the contests where you should be playing for more money. If your bankroll is $100, consider playing head-to-head contests with 25% of your money. (more…)

NBA look at Free Agency 2016

The 2015-16 NBA Season hasn’t even arrived yet but the potential for another exciting offseason next year is building. Yes we know that current NBA offseason is still in place but with a big time increase in the salary cap. This list will include Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant while we expect LeBron James to opt out for a third straight season.

The list along with Durant and James could include players such as Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Nicolas Batum and Mike Conley. That being said this gives us a chance at which of these top stars could find a new home next offseason. The first name we start with is Kevin Durant since rumors have been swirling for the past several months.

Here is what our early thoughts and predictions are for each of the top 2016 NBA free agents.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant: At this stage it is hard to tell who might be in play for Durant come next summer. The first option would be to return to the Oklahoma City Thunder a team he has been the face of since joining the NBA. One concern with that decision is the early rumors that Russell Westbrook could jump ship the following season to head out West. Another strong candidate is the Washington Wizards since Durant has local ties to the area. We like him to return to the Thunder on a long term deal but don’t count out a team like the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks as sleepers.

LeBron James

LeBron James: We don’t even really need to go this route but as we expect to him opt out. We also expect him to sign a long term deal since the salary cap will be rising opening up another big pay day. This could be the same situation for the 2017 NBA season as well with another expected raise to the cap. James will return to the Cavaliers on a new potential two year deal next summer.

Joakim Noah: Noah has been one of the keys to the Chicago Bulls success but another disappointing postseason in 2015 could open up the door for his departure. Noah’s gritty defensive mind could come into play for a team such as the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers or even Miami Heat. The Heat could see Hassan Whiteside hit the open market.

Mike Conley: The Memphis Grizzlies point guard will be one of the top options open on the market next summer. While the Grizzlies would love to get him locked up long term like they did with Marc Gasol this summer. The market could be wide open for a player that is just 27 years old and averaging over 16 points and five assists per game but also connecting on nearly forty percent of his shots from behind the arc.

Next summer should be another dynamic offseason for NBA fans around the country! Get your “we want Durant” t-shirts ready now!

Quick look at the NBA Western Conference

The 2015-16 NBA season is still months away but the excitement is building for what looks to be another excellent season. This comes after one of the best off seasons we have seen in a long term. Unless you might be a fan of the Dallas Mavericks or the Portland Trailblazers as well as a few other teams.

The question we would like to know like the rest of you is which team is the best team in the Western Conference. This isn’t the case in the Eastern Conference as the Cleveland Cavaliers look like the early favorite to return to the NBA Finals for a chance to bring home the teams first title.

NBA Western Conference

For many this might be an easy answer since the Golden State Warriors will be looking to defend the NBA title. On the other hand the San Antonio Spurs have been busy this offseason making sure their own stars return while also adding All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge and veteran David West.

Aldridge is coming off his fifth straight season averaging over 20 points a game. His numbers have been spectacular the past two seasons as he has put up at least 23 points a game to go with at least 10 rebounds a game. West on the other hand will give the team another veteran to come off the bench that can provide both scoring and physical presence on the glass.

Then you have the Los Angeles Clippers who not only managed to find a way to steal DeAndre Jordan back from Dallas but also managed to pry Paul Pierce away from the Washington Wizards. The moves kept coming on Friday as veteran small forward Josh Smith agreed to terms.

Now the Clippers have even more depth then in 2015 where a late game collapse might have kept them out of a chance to play Golden State. The team will also have All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin back in 2015-16.

The early edge looks to go to the Spurs but we could see any of these three teams making some serious noise come postseason time next season.