DeMarcus Cousins stunned the NBA world by choosing the Golden State Warriors (and a reduced salary) in free agency and the reactions were swift. Even before adding the All-Star big man, most considered the Warriors to be the favorites for a third consecutive NBA title in 2019, despite any concern of wear and tear on a squad that has made deep playoff runs in four straight seasons.
However, the Cousins news swung the betting odds even more in Golden State’s favor, as the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook now installs the Warriors as 4-to-7 favorites to win the title.
Freshly updated futures odds from @LVSuperBook to win 2018-19 NBA Championship. pic.twitter.com/tguiIT488R
— Covers (@Covers) July 3, 2018
For the uninitiated, this means that handicappers would have to place a $700 bet on the Warriors in order to gain a $400 profit if the Warriors claimed the Larry O’Brien Trophy. At this early juncture, it is almost unfathomable that a team would be this kind of favorite over “the field” and that is particularly jarring given how close Golden State came to losing to Houston just a few weeks ago.
In addition, the Celtics come in as the No. 2 option, which makes sense given the return of Gordon Hayward to join forces with Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford in a loaded starting lineup. It is a bit of a surprise (and indicative of public sentiment) that the Lakers come in ahead of the Rockets, particularly given the strange nature of the transactions since adding LeBron James, but there is real power in having the best player in the world on the roster.
A lot can change between now and training camp but, at this juncture, it appears almost certain that the Warriors will open as strong favorites for a three-peat and, honestly, that doesn’t seem as crazy as it normally would in a 30-team league.
