The San Antonio Spurs should have similar odds at the bookmaker that they did a year ago since their roster will be virtually the same. The Spurs are an older team but they proved last season they are still a team that can win vs. the online bookmaker NBA odds.
Bookmaker odds list San Antonio as a 28-1 long shot to win the NBA title next season. The Spurs have a lot of recognizable stars but it is tough to win a title when the Los Angeles Lakers are in the same conference. The Spurs are bringing back Richard Jefferson even though he was a bust last season. Jefferson opted out of his contract that would have guaranteed him $15.2 million dollars next season but he found out that the market value for an unproductive forward was not very good. He re-signed with the Spurs for less money although he did get a multi-year deal.
Jefferson was one of the most disappointing players in the league last season. He averaged just 12.3 points per game as bookmaker stats indicated and that was fifth on the Spurs. He was earning more money than any other player on the team other than Tim Duncan. The Spurs were expecting a lot from Jefferson last year but they actually had to bench him at one point because of his lack of production.
Jefferson was considered one of the best forwards in the league but last year he simply didn’t play well. The Spurs need Jefferson to be more of a factor especially since Tim Duncan is not getting any younger. The Spurs roster of Duncan, Jefferson, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker will remain the same for next season. The team did add Brazilian center Tiago Splitter who was the MVP of the Spanish League last season. They also took Oklahoma State’s James Anderson in the NBA Draft.
San Antonio was 50-32 last season and they were 44-37-1 against the NBA bookmaker odds. The Spurs were solid at home vs. the online bookmaker point spread but had a losing record on the road. Duncan led the team in scoring and rebounds while Ginobili led the team in assists and steals. The Spurs were solid on defense but they struggled at times to score and that lack of offense eventually hurt them in the playoffs.