NBA odds: Lakers and Nets losing seasons equal wins for the sportsbooks
The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers were the preseason favorites to win the NBA championship. But Kevin Durant's Nets and LeBron James' Lakers will be remembered as two of the biggest flops in recent gambling history.
Let's take a look at why, from a sportsbook's perspective.
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Going into the NBA season, the Nets were the consensus preseason favorites to win the title and the Lakers were the second choice at many sportsbooks. FOX Bet sports trader Dylan Brossman said Brooklyn was +230 (bet $10 to win $33 total) to win the title prior to the season, and the Lakers were the second at +400 (bet $10 to win $50).
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BetMGM data analyst John Ewing said the Nets were +225 and the Lakers were +450 prior to the season at BetMGM.
"I can’t recall the top two combined being such a bust, but I’m sure somewhere down the road it has happened," BetMGM director of trading Jeff Stoneback said. "Probably would have been college as the pros usually play more to form."
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The Brooklyn Nets were defeated by the Boston Celtics in Game 4 116-112. Kevin Durant led the way for the Nets with 39 points, Kyrie Irving added 20 and Seth Curry added another 23 points. However it was not enough to overcome the Celtics led by Jayson Tatum’s 29 points. This marks the first time Kevin Durant has been swept out of the playoffs. Emmanuel Acho answers how much the Celtics sweep effect Kevin Durant’s legacy.
The Lakers never got going, finishing 33-49 and missing the expanded playoffs. The preseason over/under for Lakers wins was 52.5. LeBron & Co. falling 19.5 wins short of the preseason line was the worst among NBA teams this season, Brossman said.
"The 2021-2022 Lakers team was constructed under the assumption that the star power of LeBron, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook could carry a lackluster supporting cast to another Finals," Brossman said. "After missing the playoffs, the Lakers pointed to the fact that their big three played just 21 games together thanks to injuries, but L.A. was just 11-10 in those games."
The Nets also failed to live up to the preseason hype, needing a play-in victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance to the first round of the playoffs.
Brooklyn then got swept by the Boston Celtics. SportsOddsHistory.com said the Nets are the first preseason favorite to not win a postseason game, dating back to the 1985-86 season. Brooklyn backers, though, will point out the Nets were outscored by only a combined 18 points in the sweep.
"The Nets could blame their first-round sweep on the fact that, like L.A., they were playing at less than full strength — Ben Simmons played exactly zero minutes after being acquired in the James Harden trade," Brossman said. "Brooklyn was also without Joe Harris — a career 44% 3-point shooter — for all but 14 games this season."
And while sportsbooks were profiting from Los Angeles and Brooklyn losing, a little NBA history was in the making. For the first time in 17 years, both LeBron and Kevin Durant will be absent from the second round of the postseason. Ultimately, the books came out on top while the superstars watched from the sidelines.
Now that the two preseason favorites are out of the picture, which team are you wagering to win it all? Head over to FOX Bet and place your bets!
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