RealGM

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/2024-25-nba-odds-four-title-futures-buy-now-knicks-mavs

Indiana Pacers (+6000)

It’s much easier for me to float a long shot from the East than the loaded West (which is perhaps 13 teams deep).

No, I don’t think the Pacers will become the 2021 Atlanta Hawks, who made the conference finals, then lost in the first round twice, and then missed the playoffs.

The Pacers are built for the East, with a surplus of guards and wings just like Boston and New York. And they didn’t have former lottery pick Bennedict Mathurin in the playoffs (shoulder injury).

Let’s see if 2023 lottery pick Jarace Walker makes the leap. Losing veteran T.J. McConnell in free agency would hurt, but this feels like a sneaky 45-50 win team.

Nobody played Boston tougher in the playoffs despite getting swept, as Game 1 went to overtime, and two others were determined in the final minute.

PICK: Indiana Pacers to win 2024-25 NBA title (bet $10 to win $610 total)

It's startin early.

I don't bet but I'm curious to see the win total line.

It feels like fourth seed, second round playoff exit is about where things go, and they'll be competing with the Knicks adding talent, Orlando maturing, and Philadelphia just maybe possibly staying halfway healthy.

Wizop wrote:I don't bet but I'm curious to see the win total line.

I don't bet either,... but when I start looking at season predictions,.. over the last 5 or 6 years,... the bookies betting lines & projected win-loss have been WAY more accurate than the analysts & sportswriters,... The other advantage to looking at the bookies,... by looking at the odds,.. they tell you how confident they are in their predictions, numerically. Can't think of any other place that does that?....

Last year,... the posters on this forum predicted a 42.5 win season,... the betting parlors has us at 38.5 wins,... and the sportswriters had us at 33 wins,...

I figure that the people who try to make money on being right or wrong on this stuff, tend to be better at predicting what will actually happen, than those that get paid to right about the possibilities,...

JMaster5K wrote:I figure that the people who try to make money on being right or wrong on this stuff, tend to be better at predicting what will actually happen, than those that get paid to right about the possibilities,...

except a bookie doesn't try to make money by being right. they try to make money by having the same amount bet for and against each proposition. they pay 100% to the winners and collect 110% from the losers. if those percentages are of the same amount, they are guaranteed to make money. think crowd sourcing. the line moves so that the betting public will get it equally right and wrong.

I'll predict Toppin + Nesmith gets traded at the deadline

Topofthekey wrote:I'll predict Toppin + Nesmith gets traded at the deadline

I'll predict Nesmith and Nembhard are both gone by this time next year.

Scoot McGroot wrote:Also, roster tension this year. How do you get Nembhard, McConnell, Mathurin, Nesmith, Sheppard, Walker, and Furphy the minutes they all need/deserve?

I moved this from the Nembhard thread.

I think Furphy will at least initially get minutes with the Ants but even so I agree there will be competition on the wing. assuming Nembhard and Nesmith start based upon having earned the spots last year, that leaves Mathurin, Sheppard, and Walker(now a 3) fighting for second unit minutes.

a Nesmith trade for someone on a cheaper contract wouldn't surprise me.