NBA Odds – KD Favored for Bounce Back Year

Regular season NBA action is back on the betting menu next week. (Tasty dish!) The fresh slate of games will present new opportunities for players, coaches, teams, and, most importantly, basketball bettors.

An active free agent market and an above average draft will give the 2015-16 season a different look. The lengthy list of offseason transactions makes for a difficult league to predict. Summer leagues and preseason match-ups have given us some indication of what to expect, but the development of the newcomers and the chemistry of revamped squads must be continuously monitored if you’re going to have a fighting chance against the sportsbooks.

Despite the comings and goings, the early odds show familiar teams and individuals are favored to emerge as the league’s elite – Kevin Durant, in particular, is pegged to have a solid season, sitting as co-favorite for the scoring title after averaging just 25.4 PPG in limited action last year (his lowest PPG total since 2008-09).

Of course, you should expect subtle shifts in power as players and coaches acclimate to their new surroundings. The odds below reflect these changes and provide a starting point for a profitable season.

2015-16 NBA Odds and Props:

Odds to win the NBA scoring title:
Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder): 7/2
James Harden (Houston Rockets): 7/2
Russell Westbrook (OKC Thunder): 5/1
LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers): 10/1
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans): 12/1
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings): 15/1
Stephen Curry (GS Warriors): 15/1
Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers): 25/1

Over/Under on games played for the following oft-injured players:
Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder): 77.5
LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers): 74
Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors): 72.5
Tim Duncan (SA Spurs): 69
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans): 67.5
Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat): 54.5
Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers): 52.5

Odds on the first Orlando Magic player to be benched by Scott Skiles:
Mario Hezonja: 5/2
Elfrid Payton: 5/2
Victor Oladipo: 8/1
Tobias Harris: 20/1
Nikola Vucevic: 20/1

 

Odds on the first Sacramento Kings player to be benched by George Karl:
Willie Cauley-Stein: 1/1
Rajon Rondo: 4/1
DeMarcus Cousins: 6/1
Rudy Gay: 20/1

Over/Under on wins for the Knicks in their first 15 Games (11 of which are against 2014-15 playoff teams):
4.5

Odds on which game will be the NY Knicks’ first win of the season:
at Milwaukee (Game 1): 7/2
vs. Atlanta (Game 2): 4/1
at Washington (Game 3): 7/1
vs. Milwaukee (Game 6): 8/1
vs. San Antonio (Game 4): 11/1
vs. L.A. Lakers (Game 7): 16/1
at Cleveland (Game 5): 40/1

Odds on which game will be the Philadelphia 76ers’ first win of the season:
vs. Utah (Game 2): 5/2
at Boston (Game 1): 4/1
vs. Cleveland (Game 3): 10/1
vs. Orlando (Game 6): 10/1
at Milwaukee (Game 4): 16/1
vs. Chicago (Game 7): 25/1
vs. Toronto (Game 8): 33/1
at Cleveland (Game 5): 50/1
vs. Dallas (Game 11): 50/1

Odds to be the first coach fired:
Randy Wittman (Washington Wizards): 2/1
Brett Brown (Philadelphia 76ers): 5/1
Steve Clifford (Charlotte Hornets): 6/1
Jeff Hornacek (Phoenix Suns): 6/1
Derek Fisher (NY Knicks): 8/1
George Karl (Sacramento Kings): 12/1
Byron Scott (LA Lakers): 15/1
Lionel Hollins (Brooklyn Nets): 25/1
Dave Blatt (Cleveland Cavaliers): 50/1

Odds to win Rookie of the Year:
Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver Nuggets): 4/1
D’Angelo Russell (LA Lakers): 4/1
Jahlil Okafor (Philadelphia 76ers): 5/1
Karl Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves): 8/1
Stanley Johnson (Detroit Pistons): 15/1
Kristaps Porzingis (NY Knicks): 15/1
Mario Hezonja (Orlando Magic): 20/1
Frank Kaminsky (Charlotte Hornets): 20/1
Justise Winslow (Miami Heat): 20/1

Over/Under on record improvement (measured in wins) from 2014-15: 
OKC Thunder: 12.5 (45 wins in 2014-15)
NY Knicks: 12 (17 wins in 2014-15)
Miami Heat: 10.5 (37 wins in 2014-15)
Orlando Magic: 9.5 (25 wins in 2014-15)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 9 (16 wins in 2014-15)
LA Lakers: 7.5 (25 wins in 2014-15)
Boston Celtics: 5 (40 wins in 2014-15)
Utah Jazz: 4.5 (38 wins in 2014-15)
New Orleans Pelicans: 3.5 (45 wins in 2014-15)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 (53 wins in 2014-15)
Indiana Pacers: 2 (38 wins in 2014-15)
Philadelphia 76ers: 1.5 (18 wins in 2014-15)

Over/Under on record decrease (measured in losses) from 2014-15:
Portland Trail Blazers: 24 (31 losses in 2014-15)
Dallas Mavericks: 14 (32 losses in 2014-15)
Atlanta Hawks: 11 (22 losses in 2014-15)
Brooklyn Nets: 10 (44 losses in 2014-15)
Golden State Warriors: 7.5 (15 losses in 2014-15)

Odds on being the worst free agent signing of 2015 (measured in Player Efficiency Rating):
Rajon Rondo (Sacramento Kings): 5/1
DeMarre Carroll (Toronto Raptors): 8/1
Paul Pierce (LA Clippers): 8/1
Tyson Chandler (Phoenix Suns): 10/1
Monta Ellis (Indiana Pacers): 10/1
Josh Smith (LA Clippers): 12/1
Wesley Matthews (Dallas Mavericks): 15/1
Robin Lopez (NY Knicks): 20/1
Greg Monroe (Milwaukee Bucks): 20/1
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA Spurs): 25/1

Odds on being the best free agent signing of 2015 (measured in Player Efficiency Rating):
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA Spurs): 3/1
Greg Monroe (Milwaukee Bucks): 4/1
Robin Lopez (NY Knicks): 4/1
Wesley Matthews (Dallas Mavericks): 10/1
Monta Ellis (Indiana Pacers): 20/1
Josh Smith (LA Clippers): 25/1
DeMarre Carroll (Toronto Raptors): 50/1
Paul Pierce (LA Clippers): 50/1
Rajon Rondo (Sacramento Kings): 50/1
Tyson Chandler (Phoenix Suns) 100/1

Odds to finish with the NBA’s worst record:
Philadelphia 76ers: 2/1
Portland Trail Blazers: 4/1
Denver Nuggets: 5/1
Minnesota Timberwolves: 8/1
Brooklyn Nets: 10/1
NY Knicks: 20/1
LA Lakers: 20/1
Sacramento Kings: 50/1

Odds to meet in the NBA Finals:
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors: 6/1
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs: 8/1
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. OKC Thunder: 10/1

 

(Photo credit: Keith Allison (flickr) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode]. Photo has been cropped.)