RealGM

So take this for what it's worth.

I have links to the people who set the lines in sports betting at a well-known betting house. Spoke to someone last night after the game who told me that after Monday's game, should the Raptors win as everyone expects, the Lakers + Clippers are going to open next year tied as favorites to win the West.

All of the math models they use bear this out. They are factoring in that KD is gone to a team in the East.

Lebron + 2nd star (doesn't have to be AD, it could be Kemba or Jimmy or Kyrie while keeping the young pieces and pick) and those young pieces project to be better then this Golden State team.

If it's Lebron + AD + some young guys left then the Lakers become the clear favorites to win the West.

Clippers + heavy chance of Kawhi are the only team that would be able to match that squad.

Golden State is going to open up 3rd in odds, well back of the Lakers and Clippers. Livingston retires, KD leaves, Igoudala comes back for the paycheque without being able to contribute, 30 year old Steph, Kerr might leave. It doesn't look good.

Houston + Portland are projected to massively regress.

Anyways, thought I would come by and give y'all the good news. As a guy from Toronto I don't have a huge love for Lebron or the Lakers but facts are facts and these be the facts.

I heard from a guy who knows a guy and I have no proof

My sources; a brother from another mother - tells me that Lakers gonna win chip next year

Same guy who bet on the Warriors over the Raps

I don't mind the premises... It's nice to know math thinks we are going to sway the hearts or wallets of Free Agents, but it's not anything I want to talk about for a few months.

Odds aren't a reflection of the reality of the result but rather a reflection of the amount of people that wish it so.

I think the main takeaway should be that the rest of the conference is going to be very beatable.

JD143726 wrote:I think the main takeaway should be that the rest of the conference is going to be very beatable.

Sounds credible, even feels like back to normal already. Makes sense but the odds presented are a bit nuts even for the most homeriffic Laker fan. I’d bet my money similarly.

The GSW reign is over the second Durant leaves, which can be assumed is within weeks. Rockets are history as we knew them. SAS will be there, so will POR and OKC. It’s still a tough conference. If Kyrie remains back east and if KD moves to the east, the balance still doesn’t shift that much from west to east. Especially not with Leonard going west.

I think some of you ball boys owe me an apology

I was right, even before the trade