So my editors here at Mybookie want me to predict the Western Conference winner in the NBA this season. That’s like asking me to predict whether the sun rises in the East or West. I’m speaking tongue in cheek of course, but the only way the Golden State Warriors don’t win a third straight Western Conference title is if the season is canceled or their team plane crashes. But being serious, really the only thing that can derail the Warriors would be injuries. Let’s check what the NBA lines have to say.
Let’s Have a Closer Look at the 2016 NBA Western Conference Season Win Total Prediction
Of course the Warriors had the best record in NBA history last regular season at 73-9 but an injury to Steph Curry somewhat derailed them in the playoffs. The Warriors were down 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals but became only the ninth team in league history to rally from that deficit and win a series. Alas, fortune wasn’t smiling on the Warriors in the NBA Finals as they became the first team to ever blow a 3-1 series lead and lose in the Finals. It took a super-human effort from LeBron James to win Game 7 back in Oakland. No team had a better offseason than the Warriors as they were able to convince Kevin Durant to leave Oklahoma City in free agency and sign with them. A lot of players didn’t like that decision as in the old days, a star player didn’t leave his team to join a rival. The Clippers Paul Pierce is an old-school guy and last week he said this about Durant: “I’m an old-school guy. I’m a competitor. I never believed that — when you want to be the best, you’ve to beat the best. And Oklahoma, I felt like, was a contending team. They had Golden State on the ropes. I’ve been in that position. I could have left Boston years ago, but I stuck it out. I just feel like when you’re that close, as a competitor, you don’t go join the team that just put you out.” The Warriors are -190 favorites to win their second NBA title in three years. I only believe there are two teams that can beat the Warriors in the West.ICYMI EPISODE 174 – NBA | Western Conference Preview #NBAintheUK https://t.co/2S027xSCNn
— Double Clutch NBA UK (@DoubleClutchUK) October 13, 2016