2011 NBA Finals Betting Predictions: Oklahoma City Thunder the Underdog to Place a Bet On: Anyone can bet on an underdog to win the NBA title, but if you want to actually hit it big, you need to focus your bets on an underdog that has a legitimate shot to win it all. A lot of factors go into winning an NBA championship. A team’s overall talent is obviously important, but matchups and momentum have an impact as well.
Taking these factors into account, the Oklahoma City Thunder make an excellent sleeper pick for bettors looking to make a big score. At +1500, the payoff for a Thunder championship is favorable. More importantly, there is a reasonable possibility of a Thunder championship in 2011.
Oklahoma City has been firmly entrenched as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference for the majority of the season. The Thunder are going to win the Northwest division and are going to win 50-plus games. In other words, they are a darn good basketball team.
Led by the NBA’s leading scorer Kevin Durant, the Thunder have a star player that isn’t afraid to take over games when necessary and isn’t afraid to take and make big shots. They also have one of the top young point guards in the league in Russell Westbrook. The 1-2 punch has been more than enough to power the Thunder on offense.
On defense, OKC has been energized by a mid-season trade for Kendrick Perkins. Teamed with Serge Ibaka, the Thunder big men have been terrorizing opposing offenses. Oklahoma City is giving up 10.5 fewer points per game since acquiring Perkins, and it is a big reason that the team has won nine of its last 10 games.
Bettors should be intrigued by the Thunder’s potential road to the finals as well. Oklahoma City will have home court advantage during a likely first round matchup with the Denver Nuggets. As good as the Nuggets are at home, they are nearly as bad on the road. The Thunder are great at home as well, and they can take care of business in the four home games they will get by virtue of being the higher seed.
Projecting ahead, the Thunder would presumably play No. 1 San Antonio in the second round. Oklahoma City is a young, hungry squad, and the Spurs are an aging group that has stars Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili nursing injuries. Yes, the Spurs have the experience, but the Thunder have more than a fighting chance.
In this scenario, Oklahoma City would probably have to go through the defending champion Lakers to get to the finals. The addition of Perkins allows the Thunder to compete with the massive front line of the Lakers. Not to mention the fact that the Thunder gave Los Angeles a run for its money last season even without Perkins anchoring the middle.
If the Thunder get a shot to play for the NBA title, they have a shot against any team coming out of the Eastern Conference. Westbrook can matchup against Chicago’s Derek Rose or Boston’s Rajon Rondo, and he can tear Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers to shreds if Miami wins the Eastern Conference.
The Thunder are flying under the radar as the 2011 NBA playoffs approach, but they could reward the bettors that take a chance on them now. The further they advance, the smaller the payout is going to become. Get in on the ground floor and hope they can make a run. They have the pieces in place and a somewhat favorable path.
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