Who will win the NBA Western Conference? Bank on these best bets

Analyzing NBA odds around the NBA Western Conference with best bets to make around the Western Finals.

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The NBA restart is almost here and that means it’s time to look ahead to the NBA Conference Finals. Below, we make our best NBA bets for who will win the Western Conference.

2019-20 NBA Western Conference Finals picks

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, July 22, at 9:45 a.m. ET.

Los Angeles Lakers (+125)

Not only are the Lakers the favorites to win the Western Conference, but they are also the favorites to win the 2019-2020 NBA Championship (+250). And it’s not hard to see why either, as both SF LeBron James and PF Anthony Davis were playing at MVP levels in the final month of the season.

As we have seen over the last decade, James can often will his team to victory despite having lesser talent around him. Luckily, he doesn’t have to shoulder the load as much due to Davis’ presence on the floor. Before the season was suspended, Davis was averaging 26.7 points per game and 9.4 rebounds. With his ability to impact both ends of the floor with his athleticism and intelligence, it will be hard for any team to stop both Davis and James at the same time.

For the Lakers to make it to the NBA Finals, they will need a few of their role players such as SG Danny Green and PF Kyle Kuzma to help on the offensive end. But with Davis and James playing like top-five players in the NBA, they are still a great bet to come out of the West at +125.

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Los Angeles Clippers (+175)

With the size, talent and depth of this roster, you can make a strong case that the Los Angeles Clippers should actually be favored over the Lakers to win the conference. The Clippers have the reigning Finals MVP in SF Kawhi Leonard coming off an extended break and he should be well-rested. The same can be said for SG Paul George, who battled injuries for most of the regular season.

The biggest thing that separates the Clippers from the Lakers is their depth. The Clippers have one of the best bench units in the NBA and have a ton of different players who can contribute in a big game. That can’t be said for the Lakers, who will be without PG Avery Bradley and PG Rajon Rondo.

There is no real disadvantage for the Clippers being the No. 2 seed in the conference rather than No. 1. Picking the Clippers to come out of the West does present some good value ahead of the league’s restart.

Also see:

Houston Rockets (+800)

After the top two teams in the conference, things drop off quite a bit. While teams like the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets were fantastic during the regular season, they just don’t have the same level of talent on the floor as the Lakers and the Clippers.

However, the one team in the Western Conference that does have the star power to match up with the LA teams are the Houston Rockets. Despite just being the No. 6 seed in the West, Houston has two MVP winners on their roster in SG James Harden and PG Russell Westbrook. Both players have a ton of playoff experience and won’t be afraid of the Lakers or Clippers.

While it’s unlikely Houston will be able to navigate their way through an incredibly difficult conference, don’t count them out due to their shooting. They can get hot at a moment’s notice and compete with any team in the league. It will be fascinating to see if their lack of size causes issues for them in the playoffs. Otherwise, they are a fantastic bet at +800 to win the Western Conference.

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