Basketball betting fans who kept faith with the Lakers could be on course for a healthy payout in 2008 if the Lakers continue their hot streak in the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Lakers squeaked into the playoffs with a 42-40 record last season, which made them the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and easy pickings for their postseason opponents. However, the Lakers sit at the top of the heap heading into the playoffs this year, and they’ll be looking to pay off for those doing NBA betting on them.
Los Angeles finished two games up on the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division standings, and one game up on both the New Orleans Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference standings. That gives them home-court advantage throughout the western portion of the playoffs, and a first-round date with the Denver Nuggets.
Playing in their own arena, though, isn’t that big of a deal for the Lakers. While Los Angeles was an impressive 30-11 at the Staples Center this season, they were also pretty comfortable on the road, posting a 27-14 mark (best in the Western Conference).
Also comfortable on the road is Kobe Bryant, who doesn’t have any problem pouring in points at any venue. Bryant was as disgruntled as they come in the offseason, and speculation was rampant that he would be dealt to another team to jumpstart the Lakers’ rebuilding efforts. Instead Bryant was kept around, and all he did during the season was score 28.3 points per game to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists.
And Bryant doesn’t have to do it alone during the playoffs – he’s now got some big help in the form of Pau Gasol. The Lakers dealt (some say stole) for Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies during the regular season, and he’s had no trouble becoming a second scoring option for Los Angeles. Gasol averaged 18.8 points per game this year.
Forward Lamar Odom does a little bit of everything for the Lakers – he averaged 14.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game this season. Odom will be counted on to provide support for Bryant and Gasol during the playoffs. Center Andrew Bynum was blossoming this year before a knee injury sidelined him in January; there’s talk he could return for the second round of the playoffs, but he’ll have considerable rust to shake off.
The rest of Los Angeles’ roster is role players, and their main job will be to stay out of the way of the Kobe (and Pau) Show. Those who want to do some basketball betting on the Lakers will find them listed as big favorites in the NBA odds for the first round, and solid contenders to make it to the NBA Finals as the representative of their conference.
