NBA Western Conference Playoffs: Lakers Will Face A Tough Road

James BrownApr 16, 2010

2010 Western Conference Playoffs Preview

The NBA playoffs are here and all the games will be covered with free picks and predictions on every series leading all the way up to the championship. The West is packed with talent and the seeds are set so let’s look at the field of eight teams that will be vying to represent the West in the NBA Finals.

The Favorite: LA Lakers
The Lakers are the defending champions so it is fairly obvious that they are the ones that will be the favorites to return to the western conference finals and have a shot at winning another ring. This year this is a different team and they have struggled on the road and are dealing with injuries once again. If they are going back to the Finals they will need more than points from Kobe and great coaching from Phil. They will need a team effort and be able to fend off the rest of the West that are hungry for a title.

Sportsbook.com has the Lakers at -190 to win the West. Sign up today and get a free $100 to bet the NBA playoffs!

Player to Watch: This is the place where I will discuss a player in the NBA playoffs that can take a team on his shoulders and bring his team to the finals. Kobe Bryant is the obvious choice but I want to focus on another player: Kevin Durant. It might be a reach to say that he will beat the Lakers in the first round, but it will be fun to watch. Kevin Durant is one of the most explosive young players in the game and will soon be mentioned in the same breath as Lebron and Kobe.

Surprise Team in the West: The team in the west that could surprise is the Phoenix Suns. They ended the season on a high note and they have one of the best records in the NBA since the All-Star break. They have a poised Steve Nash running the show and with the injury prone Blazers up first they should move on in the playoffs.

Bet Phoenix has the Phoenix Suns at +700 to win the west. Sign up at today and get a 50% bonus to bet the NBA playoffs!

And the Winner is: The team that will emerge as Champion of the Western conference is the Dallas Mavericks. The Dallas Mavericks have home court advantage in the first and the second round and would only lose it in a meeting with the Lakers. They are extremely deep in more than one position and are versatile in the way they play. They have size with Brandon Haywood and can score from anywhere on the floor with basically any player. The Mavericks are the team to watch.

Bet Jamaica has the Dallas Mavericks at +500 to win the West. Sign up today and get a free $100 to bet the NBA playoffs!