NBA Finals Odds: Brooklyn Nets value at +250
Ever since James Harden forced his way out of Houston and was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, the Nets have been labeled as the favorite to win the NBA Finals.
On paper, the overall collection of talent currently in Brooklyn is truly something we’ve never seen before. While Durant has been hurt and Kyrie Irving basically taking a game or two off when he feels like it, Harden has looked like an MVP candidate. The offense runs through Harden, much like it did in his Houston days. When Irving needs his, Harden will get it to him and pretty much let him isolate and let him work.
Early on, we wondered how the three players would mesh together. Again, we haven’t seen how the three of them would play together over a prolonged period and how they would react to adversity.
But as it sits right now, I’m not sure if anyone can beat Brooklyn in a best-of-seven series. They were already an incredible collection of talent with those core three, but then they went and added Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge after the two were bought out from their respective teams.
In a match-up with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, I think Brooklyn comes out slightly ahead. I know the Lakers got a heck of a buyout guy when they signed Andre Drummond, but Drummond’s free-throw shooting is nothing short of awful. That means, in a close game, the Nets, or anybody, could go hack-a-shaq on him and force Lakers coach Frank Vogel to take him out in pivotal parts of the game.
Drummond has never been a defensive anchor a lot of people thought he should’ve been for his size, and Montrezl Harrell is too small to guard Aldridge or Griffin for an entire series.
The Aldridge signing doesn’t give the Nets much if anything defensively, but it does give them another guy who they can dump it into to get a bucket, whether in the low or high post.
The Nets are currently the favorite at +250 to win the title, slightly ahead of the Lakers at +325. I plan on jumping on that. There’s still too many lingering questions around the Lakers at this point.
We don’t know the status of LeBron James and when he’ll return from the high ankle sprain. High ankle sprains tend to linger, and many times, timetables for return are pushed back. Hames has seemed like a superhuman since the day he walked into the league and still is. But at 36 years old, I think it’s fair to question how it will affect him when he comes back.
Supposedly, Anthony Davis could be returning soon, but his history with injuries is worrisome as well. If neither of them are at 100 percent for the playoffs, I don’t see the Lakers being able to keep up with Brooklyn’s firepower for seven games. Give me the Nets at +250.
