Online sportsbooks are taking bets on championship now that labor dispute is over.
The moment all basketball fans are waiting for is nearly upon us. After a two-month delay because of the player strike, the National Basketball Association 2011-12 season will finally get underway late next week.
Who Can Win the Title?The Dallas Mavericks will be back for a shot at back-to-back NBA championships, with their aging squad led by franchise star Dirk Nowitzki. But the all-star Miami Heat trio of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh will be out for revenge for last year's embarrassing NBA finals defeat.
The Chicago Bulls, led by Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, are looking to resurrect their golden era of the 1990s, while perennial contenders the Los Angeles Lakers are in with another shot at glory while Kobe Bryant is around, and the Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder also pose a championship threat.
NBA Title OddsA browse of the odds from various sports betting websites shows little difference in the order of where teams are expected to finish up. Online bookmakers William Hill, 888Sports, Sports Interaction and bet365 all offer a healthy range of NBA betting options.
William Hill Online bookmaker lists its top eight contenders as: Miami, 2/1, Chicago, Los Angeles Lakers, 6/1, OKC, 15/2, Dallas, 10/1, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, 16/1, San Antonio Spurs 25/1.
Over at 888Sports, Miami leads with 11/5 odds. They are followed by the Lakers, 9/2, Bulls, 13/2, Thunder, 7/1, Dallas, 17/2, Knicks and Celtics, 16/1, Orlando Magic, 25/1, and San Antonio, 33/1.
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