Welcome to the best and most complete 2009-2010 NBA Western Conference Season Previews & Predictions available online.
When making NBA betting predictions for the upcoming NBA season, the best place to start is who is going to win each conference.
Out West, the LA Lakers are the defending champions and once again the team to beat, with the addition of Ron Artest.
The Los Angeles Lakers are the heavy NBA futures odds -150 favorites to win the wild West.
But the Lakers will have some stiff competition from the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, and Portland Trail Blazers to dethrone them off their NBA championship pedestal.
The San Antonio Spurs (+300) year end and year out are always in the contention race, but this season they have a great mix of veterans and youth which improves their chances.
The rest of the western conference teams that will be battling it out down the stretch for the last few playoff spots will be the New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz.
Here’s a look at the 15 teams that make up the NBA Western Conference:
2009-2010 NBA Pacific Season Previews
2009-2010 Los Angeles Lakers Season Preview
The Los Angeles Lakers essentially swapped Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest, and even the biggest Lakers backer has to admit it’s a bit of a gamble by the NBA champions. Bringing back Lamar adorn is huge, because it matters who Los Angeles has to accompany Kobe Bryant. No. 24 is
still among the game’s elite, but he’s also pushing 30 years old.
(Los Angeles Lakers -120 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Los Angeles Lakers 2009-2010 Season Preview – Los Angeles Lakers 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Phoenix Suns Season Preview
The Phoenix Suns ended the Shaquille O’Neal experiment in the off-season,
and now they’re without both Shaq and Shawn Marion. A return to the run-and gun style would make backers happy, but that’s hard to do with Steve Nash and Grant Hill on the other side of 35. Amare Stoudemire has to come back strong from eye surgery for the Suns to make the playoffs.
(Phoenix Suns +2500 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Phoenix Suns 2009-2010 Season Preview – Phoenix Suns 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Season Preview
The Golden State Warriors have Monta Ellis healthy for the beginning of the season, so the team is able to start off on the right foot. It’ll be interesting to see how Don Nelson incorporates Stephen Curry into the offense, which will be guns-a blazing’ as usual in the Bay Area. Because of the game plan, expect to see plenty of Stephen Jackson at power forward.
(Golden State Warriors +5000 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Golden State Warriors 2009 Season Preview – Golden State Warriors 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Los Angeles Clippers Season Preview
The Los Angeles Clippers took Blake Griffin with the first overall pick in the draft, and now they have a logjam under the basket. Griffin figures to start at the four next to center Marcus Camby, leaving double-double machine Chris Kaman to come off the bench. With Baron Davis running the show, the Clippers have the talent to make some noise.
(Los Angeles Clippers +5000 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Los Angeles Clippers 2009-2010 Season Preview – Los Angeles Clippers 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Sacramento Kings Season Preview
The Sacramento Kings brought in Paul Westphal as head coach, and he has a long season in front of him. Six-foot six point guard Tyreke Evans was a nice choice in the draft, but he’s only 19. Kevin Martin will have to carry the load offensively for the Kings, who are at least two years away from making inroads in the competitive West.
(Sacramento Kings +5000 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Sacramento Kings 2009-2010 Season Preview – Sacramento Kings 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 NBA Southwest Season Previews
2009-2010 San Antonio Spurs Season Preview
The San Antonio Spurs decided to make another run at the championship
by acquiring Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess in the summer. It’s still important that Manu Ginobili remains healthy, only now the Spurs have other options if he has to sit out. With Tony Parker in his prime and Tim Duncan at the end of his, the time is now in San Antonio.
(San Antonio Spurs +300 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
San Antonio Spurs 2009-2010 Season Preview – San Antonio Spurs 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Dallas Mavericks Season Preview
The Dallas Mavericks could have the most versatile lineup in the NBA this season. With Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden on board, the Mavericks have a ton of options surrounding position tweeners Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. Having the ability to match up with any team on any given night makes Dallas a sleeper futures play in the West.
(Dallas Mavericks +1800 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Dallas Mavericks 2009-2010 Season Preview – Dallas Mavericks 2009 Season Schedule
2009 New Orleans Hornets Season Preview
The New Orleans Hornets switched Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler, after the latter disappointed last season. What the Hornets lose in Chandler’S upside they gain in Okafor’s dependability, or at least that’s what they’re hoping. To get over the hump, New Orleans needs to play with the same intensity it did two years ago when it finished second in the West.
(New Orleans Hornets +1800 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
New Orleans Hornets 2009-2010 Season Preview – New Orleans Hornets 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Houston Rockets Season Preview
The Houston Rockets played well without Yao Ming in their playoff loss to the Lakers, but that doesn’t mean they want to take the floor without him all the time. ‘With Yao out for the season, the Rockets don’t have a player in their rotation over 6-foot-9, and have three small forwards in Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier, and the newly acquired Trevor Ariza.
(Houston Rockets +1800 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Houston Rockets 2009-2010 Season Preview – Houston Rockets 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Memphis Grizzlies Season Preview
The Memphis Grizzlies are in the wrong division for rebuilding purposes,
looking up at three teams (four when Yao is healthy) capable of winning the conference. The Grizzlies added 7-foot-3 shot blocker Hasheem Thabeet in the draft, but can he play next to the 7-foot-1 Marc Gasol in today’s NBA? On top of that, Memphis also has to integrate Zach Randolph into the rotation.
(Memphis Grizzlies +5000 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Memphis Grizzlies 2009-2010 Season Preview – Memphis Grizzlies 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 NBA Northwest Season Previews
2009-2010 Denver Nuggets Season Preview
The Denver Nuggets made it out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1994, and gave the Lakers all they could handle in the Western Conference finals. For the Nuggets to get past Los Angeles, Carmelo Anthony needs to become a truly elite player on a nightly basis.
(Denver Nuggets +400 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Denver Nuggets 2009-2010 Season Preview – Denver Nuggets 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Portland Trail Blazers Season Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers weren’t ready for the postseason last year, evidenced by their defeat to Houston in the opening round. Andre Miller will bring some much needed maturity to the point guard position, freeing up Brandon Roy to play off the ball down the stretch. The sky’s the limit for this talented group of young studs.
(Portland Trail Blazers +700 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Portland Trail Blazers 2009-2010 Season Preview – Portland Trail Blazers 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Utah Jazz Season Preview
The Utah Jazz resigned Carlos Boozer in the off-season, so Jerry Sloan will have pretty much the same team he had last year. The key to the season is
the health of key players; Boozer, Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur all missed time last season. That can’t happen again if the Jazz are going to sniff a trip to the West finals.
(Utah Jazz +1200 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Utah Jazz 2009-2010 Season Preview – Utah Jazz 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Minnesota Timberwolves Season Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves said goodbye to Kevin McHale, and welcomed former Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis to the sidelines. The Timberwolves made the curious decision to select point guards Ricky Rubio and Flynn back-to-back in the draft, with the former headed back to Europe for the coming season. Outside of Al Jefferson, it remains to be seen where the future lies.
(Minnesota Timberwolves +5000 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Minnesota Timberwolves 2009-2010 Season Preview – Minnesota Timberwolves 2009 Season Schedule
2009-2010 Oklahoma City Thunder Season Preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder are building quite the stable of talent. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and James Harden form a solid young nucleus, and some quality role players surround them. The signing no one paid attention to was that of Shaun Livingston. He could give the Thunder an added dynamic in the backcourt.
(Oklahoma City Thunder +5000 to win the NBA championship at BetUS)
Oklahoma City Thunder 2009-2010 Season Preview – Oklahoma City Thunder 2009 Season Schedule
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