Predictions and Point Spreads for the 2008 NBA Championship Finals

Who will win the NBA Championship in 2008?

Looks like the possibility of a classic style Lakers vs. Celtics NBA Finals is closer to reality than we think now that Los Angeles has traded for Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Best Bet Opportunity

Looks like the Grizzlies are planning to scrap everything and start over from scratch by acquiring a mess of 1st and 2nd round picks, Kwame Brown, and Aaron Mckie's expiring contract. The Lakers on the other hand, get a top flight PF who can cover at C for Andrew Bynum while he is injured and contribute big time to a team that has to now be considered possibly the best bet to go all the way in the Western conference.

To be honest, even though Memphis is my home town, I'm glad to see Pau headed west to L.A. I may hate the Lakers, but I do like Gasol and seeing him get an opportunity to be on a legitimate contender makes me happy. Back in my days bartending at R.P. Tracks in Memphis, Pau actually popped in a few times for a drink and a cigarette and he was never anything but a sweet, gracious guy, so I'm glad to see him with a chance to win. Pau Gasol is a great player, who a lot of people still don't really know about. That is all about to change. Go Lakers, I guess.

The San Antonio Spurs (32-16 SU, 23-25 ATS) are without 2007 NBA Finals MVP Tony Parker, who is out indefinitely due to a heel injury. And contrary to rumors, the injury is basketball-related and nothing to do with a strain from a super kinky sexual position with Eva Longoria. Without Tony Parker in the starting line, the Spurs haven't been as brilliant as we know they can be even though their NBA record may show otherwise. The Spurs have a 4-1 SU record in their last 5 games, but are disappointingly 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games. The Spurs are also 4-9 in their last 13 games on the road.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics (38-9 SU, 29-17-1 ATS) maintain the best Bet on record in the NBA so far this 2007-08 NBA regular season. They've posted a few wins despite having top All-star vote-getter Kevin Garnett sidelined to an abdominal injury. In fact, the Boston Celtics are 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games, including a whopping winning percentage of going 21-4 SU in their last 25 games at home.

The match between the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs might already be a preview of what's to come in the 2008 NBA Finals. However, a KG-less Boston Celtics might have difficulties in overcoming a raging Tim Duncan at the post. Boston will need a big guy like Kevin Garnett to match up against Tim Duncan.

Besides, the San Antonio Spurs are on a 4-game winning streak with all the last 4 wins on the road. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are on a 2-game win streak, and are hoping for another big win. The last win of the Celtics against the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves wasn't that convincing with Boston only winning by 2 points. The last loss of the Boston Celtics was through the hands of Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that was swept by the Spurs during the 2007 NBA Finals.

The Boston Celtics may have the best NBA record in the league, but then they are going up against the current NBA champions San Antonio Spurs. And a 1-point advantage for the Spurs might seem like an easy spread to cover for the Boston Celtics, but without Kevin Garnett to match up with Tim Duncan, the chances of Boston look very slim.

As of this writing, the Phoenix Suns has 30 wins and 12 losses earning them the top spot at the Western Conference standing. With their trademark fast-paced basketball style, they are fun to watch each game they are playing. This is what basketball is all about, not the boring PBA. Save for a rogue referee last year and the team’s fragile defense, the Phoenix Suns could be the 2007 NBA Champions. Instead, one illicit activity is thought to be the culprit of their demise, and fate turned against them. That’s 2007. But right now, the Suns are exacting revenge and this team being my favorite could well be destined for 2008 NBA Finals.

Or so I thought. If they could only beef up their team’s defense, the Suns could well reach for their stars. Hopefully!

8 teams from the Eastern Conference will be :

1. Celtics

2. Pistons

3. Cavs

4. Magic

5. Nets

6. Raptors

7. Hawks

8. Wizards

Western Conference:

1. Suns

2. Lakers

3. Spurs

4. Jazz

5. Hornets

6. Nuggets

7. Mavs

8.Rockets

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

1 Celtics defeat 8 Wizards 4-1

2 Pistons defeat 7 Hawks 4-0

3 Cavs defeat 6 Raptors 4-2

5 Nets defeat 4 magic 4-3

Semifinals

1 Celtics defeat 5 Nets 4-1

2 Pistons defeat 3 Cavs 4-3

Finals

1 Celtics defeat 2 Pistons 4-2

Western Conference Quarterfinals

1 Suns defeat 8 Rockets 4-2

2 Lakers defeat 7 Mavs 4-1

3 Spurs defeat 6 Nuggets 4-2

4 Jazz defeat 5 Hornets 4-3

semifinals

1 Suns defeat 4 Jazz 4-3

2 Lakers defeat 3 Spurs 4-3

Finals

1 Suns defeat 2 Lakers 4-2

NBA Finals

1 Suns defeat 1 Celtics 4-3

NBA playoff predictions

NBA CHAMPIONSHIP 2008 Tickets?

Look to eBay for your NBA Finals Tickets.

Can we see a Celtics / Lakers NBA Championship Final?

Following the Boston Celtics victory on the road against the Detroit Pistons, the odds makers were prompted to adjust the betting odds on the NBA Finals. At the online sportsbook Bodog Sports, the Boston Celtics are now the clear favorite to win the NBA Finals, listed with odds 6/5. The Detroit Pistons were quickly downgraded and the odds on the Pistons to win the BA Finals are now sitting at 9/2. The most likely game we would see at the Finals, according to the bookmaker, is the matchup between the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs, who are listed with odds on winning the 2007/2008 NBA Championship of 7/2.

Following the Spurs come the Phoenix Suns with odds on winning the Finals posted at 4/1. Dallas Mavericks still failed to edge the Pistons and are trailing behind Detroit, the betting odds on the Mavericks to win the NBA Finals are posted at 5/1. The Los Angeles Lakers have though odds of 10/1 to win the Championship, behind them come the Denver Nuggets with odds 14/1 at Bodog Sports. The ultimate underdogs in the 2007/2008 NBA Finals remain the Minnesota Timberwolves with the whopping odds 3000/1, meaning the bookmaker will pay out 3,000 on every 1 bet. The Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks are the other underdogs with odds on winning the NBA Finals currently sitting at 500/1.

Odds to win the 2007-08 NBA Championship as of 2/16/2008