NBA Betting Preview: The beauty of basketball

Basketball / Alsy / 08 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

The Celtics will be the team to beat again this season but the draft has delivered talent and talking points in equal measure. Is there another LeBron James among the class of 2008/09? wonders Alister Morgan.

As the NBA season tips-off most eyes will be on the new generation of rookies joining the big show. They will boast the freshest haircuts and the latest tattoos and top of the pile is No1 draft pick Derrick Rose. Drafted by his hometown club, can this point guard inspire the Bulls and will No2 pick, Miami's 6ft 8" forward Michael Beasley, really hit jumpers with either hand in the NBA?

The draft delivered talent and talking points in equal measure but is there another LeBron James among this class? I doubt it! Foreign imports were also nowhere to be seen but the No6 pick, 20-year-old Italian Danilo Gallinari, should make an instinct impact at the New York Nicks. His professional career began aged-15 and he'd developed into the best young player in Europe before switching to the NBA. Frankly that puts him a little behind many contemporaries in the draft but he's young and talented enough to handle the steep learning curve. Elsewhere keep an eye out for the formidable Hamed Haddadi. Standing 7ft 2" the Iranian center will be hard to miss at the Memphis Grizzlies this season.

As far as existing players are concerned there is always a frenzy of pre-season trades especially as NBA teams sometimes trade four or five players in one deal. Ron Artest has joined Yao Ming and T-Mac at Houston adding some much needed help on the defensive boards while Mo Williams moves from the Bucks to Cavaliers to help "King" LeBron James fulfil his NBA destiny.

The beauty of basketball is that one new player could alter the fortunes of a franchise. New talent equals fresh energy in team play but behind the multi-million Dollar endorsement deals and pre-season hype the NBA is still run by the old guard - and I'm not just referring to commissioner David Stern!

The Boston Celtics remain the team to beat this season and for the defending NBA Champions "three" remains the magic number. The Holy Trinity of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen led the Celtics to a season record of 66 wins and 16 losses on the way to their first NBA Championship since 1986. All three players are also in their thirties so if Boston are to successfully defend their title their respective fitness will be key.

On song the Celtics remain an impressive machine so I'd definitely back them at the generous price of [5.0] to retain their title this season. Admittedly there's not a huge amount of cover for clutch shooter Paul Pierce but in Garnett they have a superstar-player well practised in leading from the front.

Kobe Bryant's LA Lakers remain the team most likely to pose the biggest threat to the Celtics. You can back them at [5.3] to win a Championship illustrating that there is little to choose between these two juggernaut franchises. The LA Clippers brought in five new players this season but the Lakers resisted the call for new headline acquisitions - they simply need fine tuning, not a complete overhaul. A problem remains at point guard where Derek Fisher seems increasingly ineffective but fans will be buoyed by the return to fitness of 7ft center Andrew Bynum. Aged just 20 he'll be a face to watch this season.

While everyone rushes to back either the Celtics or Lakers this season I'd recommend keeping an eye on the San Antonio Spurs. Currently you can back them to win a Championship at [13.0] - that's hugely generous for team who won a title as recently as 2007 and features Tony Parker, Michael Finley and Tim Duncan. This team is experienced and talented and could easily creep in under the radar if there's complacency elsewhere. At such a good price it's a long-shot well worth taking.