NBA Betting Odds: Lakers, Clippers, 76ers and Every Team's Vegas Win Total
Everybody is looking up at the Milwaukee Bucks heading into the 2019-20 NBA season according to Caesars Palace.
Caesars released early wins totals for every team in the league, and Giannis Antetokounmpo's squad checks in with the highest total at 57. The Bucks are followed by the Los Angeles Clippers (55.5), Philadelphia 76ers (54.5), Utah Jazz (52.5), Denver Nuggets (52) and Houston Rockets (52).
It is notable the Bucks—who didn't add any All-Stars this offseason in a summer of significant player movement—are atop the list.
For one, they are in the Eastern Conference and theoretically have an easier path to the NBA Finals than the Western Conference contenders. Milwaukee and the 76ers are the only teams from the East in the top seven on this list, and neither team has to worry about Kawhi Leonard anymore.
Leonard knocked the 76ers and Bucks out of the playoffs last season while leading the Toronto Raptors to the championship, but he joined the Clippers alongside Paul George.
He was one of many notable players to change teams, along with Anthony Davis going to the Los Angeles Lakers, Mike Conley going to the Jazz, Russell Westbrook going to the Rockets, Kemba Walker going to the Celtics, and Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant going to the Brooklyn Nets, among others.
Going with the over on any of the Western Conference teams will be difficult because of the challenging schedule that lies ahead. Even a middle-tier team on this list like the Dallas Mavericks will have Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis leading the way on a nightly basis.
That may be one reason the Lakers are below six other teams even though they will have Davis and LeBron James playing together. They won just 37 games last season and missed the playoffs while Davis trade rumors derailed their chemistry, but they finally have the six-time All-Star leading the frontcourt.
Even with that tandem, they may not be the best team in their own city.
Best of luck figuring out which Western Conference teams will exceed expectations and win totals in that situation.
