Over the next few weeks, NBA futures begin to gain traction. Although many people are not quite ready to start wagering on NBA futures, it is definitely not too early to start looking at what is available.
A first look at NBA regular season win totals has revealed some interesting wagering options. A large amount of the most recent lines are set right around where those teams should finish. However, a couple of lines are set too high and a few others too low. Here are the best early over and under bets on NBA regular season win totals.
Best Overs Picks
Two playoff teams from last year look a little underappreciated coming in the 2017-18 season. The sportsbooks are not expecting much improvement from either team. These two though should be able to best their win totals from last year.
Washington Wizards Over 47.5 Wins
As the Atlantic Division of the NBA looks much weaker than it has in the past, especially with the decline of the Atlanta Hawks, the Washington Wizards are completely capable of topping 47 wins this season. The Wizards were one of the few teams in the NBA last season to win games against both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Those victories helped propel the Wizards to 49 wins last season.
Continually is underrated in the NBA. John Wall and Bradley Beal will be playing their fifth year together and their second year with coach Scott Brooks. Wall and Beal are both coming off career highs in points, each averaging just over 23.0 points. The Wizards added depth on their bench and could be in the market come February for a big name player to make a push for a top-two seed. All this adds up to a Washington team that should win 50-plus games for the first time since 1979.
Houston Rockets Over 55.5 Wins
After winning 55 games last season, the sportsbooks have the Rockets finishing right around the same mark in 2017-18. The Rockets are all in for the 2017-18 season, signing Chris Paul to pair with James Harden. If the two can co-exist and find a balance in ball handling duties, the Rockets have the best backcourt in the NBA.
The Rockets still want to add more pieces to their roster, to compete against the Warriors. If the team builds chemistry early and adds the right player for the right price, the Rockets could be a 60-win team. Even if they do not add anyone, Paul and P.J. Tucker give the Rockets and their dominant offense some defensive prowess, making them better and more balanced than last year and a good bet to top 55 wins.
Best Under Picks
Two of the Eastern Conference basement dwellers are getting a little too much love this season from the sportsbooks. One of these teams should definitely improve, but a 14-win improvement is a little much. The other team is likely to get a top-5 pick, not win five more games.
Philadelphia 76ers 42.5 Wins
Even though the Philadelphia 76ers are rich with young talent, expecting a 14-win increase this season is a little much. Health will always be a concern with the 76ers. In fact, looking at last season, it took a historical offense and MVP level performance by James Harden to improve the Rockets win total by 14.
Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, combined to play 31 games last season and the health of their most recent first round pick, Markelle Fultz is a little question. He may not be able to last a full NBA season as a rookie. The 76ers should improve this season, but similar to the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, the team is being overhyped coming into the season. Somewhere between five and ten more wins would be a spectacular improvement and enough to call the 76ers season a rousing success.
Orlando Magic 33.5 Wins
For some reason, the Orlando Magic win over/under is set 4.5 higher than their win total last season. The Magic may be the worst team entering this season, and outside of Aaron Gordon, the franchise is devoid of stars or talent. Heck, even Aaron Gordon struggles to score in the mid-range, making him a flawed player.
The return of head coach Frank Vogel gives the organization some stability, but the changing of the general manager could cause that stability to be short lived. Even if they get along get, there is little reason to believe this team will improve by five wins this season.
The 2017 NBA futures are out. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
