2018-2019 NBA Previews – Western Conference Odds
Looking for 2018 NBA Western Conference Predictions? We’ve got your back. The Western Conference, as strong as it as at the top, took got even deeper ahead of the 2018-19 season. LeBron has taken his talents to Southern California and a number of teams will be better by virtue of health. The question is, of course, can anyone truly challenge the defending champion Golden State Warriors?
2018 Western Conference Season Preview
Conference Favorite: Golden State Warriors -245
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Here’s a look at the top teams out West in terms of odds to win the conference:
2018 Golden State Warriors Western Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Steve Kerr
2018-19 Record: 58-24
Odds To Win Conference: -245
Odds To Win NBA Championship: -195
The Golden State Warriors are going to be favored all season, not just in terms of winning the West but with an eventual NBA championship on the line.
This group, with the eventual addition of DeMarcus Cousins, has five legitimate All-Stars in its starting lineup. They won’t be able to deploy all five at once until Boogie makes a full recovery from his Achilles rupture that ended his 2017-18 campaign early, but have four to tip off the year doesn’t exactly make them underdogs.
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Although the Dubs took a backseat to the Houston Rockets last season in terms of overall regular-season records, the Rockets are likely to take a step back this year. Look for the Dubs to be the No. 1 team out West once the playoffs begin.
2018 Houston Rockets Western Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Mike D’Antoni
2015-16 Record: 65-17
Odds To Win Conference: +550
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +850
The Houston Rockets finally put it all together last season. They won the West as far as earning the No. 1 seed went, and they were up 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
Then, the Dubs went Full Dubs—and maybe more accurately, the Rockets gave it away.
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Now, Houston looks to bounce back with a slightly downgraded roster. Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah Moute are gone, replaced by Carmelo Anthony (who was recently announced will come off the bench behind Eric Gordon).
The Rockets aren’t going to be doormats by any means this season, but they’ll need to prove they’re on the same level as 2017-18 before we can take them seriously as contenders behind the Warriors.
2018 Los Angeles Lakers Western Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Luke Walton
2018-19 Record: 35-47
Odds To Win Conference: +650
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +1000
From 35 wins and an 11th seed to the West’s projected third-best team and top-four odds to win an NBA championship.
Welcome to the LeBron James Effect.
With LeBron in town, you can likely book this team a ticket to the playoffs, even in the West. But the truth is that being a top-three seed in the league’s tougher conference is a bit of a stretch. Los Angeles will be one of the league’s most interesting stories all year long.
Just don’t think that the LeBron James Effect works as quickly as oddsmakers are indicating it will.
2018 Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Billy Donovan
2017-18 Record: 48-34
Odds To Win Conference: +1500
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +3000
The Oklahoma City Thunder have a legitimate shot to be the West’s second-best team this season. Paul George is back and now has a year under his belt playing alongside Russell Westbrook.
Consider the fact that Melo’s absence will likely be addition by subtraction and you have a team to watch out for as a dark horse challenger out West.
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2018 NBA Western Conference Prediction
There are a few other teams besides the Thunder that could be considered dark horse contenders, and that list starts with the Utah Jazz. Utah, assuming Rudy Robert can stay on the court more consistently than a year ago, could legitimately be a two or three seed if Donovan Mitchell can improve his efficiency on offense.
But all dark horses aside, something would have to go wrong in Golden State (or LeBron’s Lakers would have to be way more ready than anyone believes) for the Warriors to not win the West.
This is their conference. The rest are just living in it.
Full 2018 Western Conference Odds
- Golden State Warriors -245
- Houston Rockets +550
- Los Angeles Lakers +650
- Oklahoma City Thunder +1500
- Utah Jazz +3500
- San Antonio Spurs +4000
- New Orleans Pelicans +6000
- Denver Nuggets +7500
- Portland Trail Blazers +7500
- Minnesota Timberwolves +8000
- Dallas Mavericks +9000
- LA Clippers + 10000
- Memphis Grizzlies +17500
- Phoenix Suns +17500
- Sacramento Kings +30000
2018 NBA Gambling
What do you think about our 2018 Western Conference predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in the 2018-2019 NBA Season!
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