Sportsbook action plays out in strange ways and often it’s the offseason moves rather than any events in competition that shape the sports book outcomes. Take for example the LA Lakers the defending NBA champs and one of the most popular teams in the sportsbook lines. After winning the title the team has seen a flurry of offseason moves and so far the sports book public doesn’t seem quite to know what to make of it all.
Sportsbook gurus have watched with interest as the team has dealt with free agents both coming and going. The biggest move this offseason for the Lakers and perhaps all of the NBA sportsbook action was the acquisition of Ron Artest. Artest is a divisive figure in the minds of many basketball fans but there isn’t a sports book fan out there that doesn’t recognize his talent.
With Artest the Lakers get one of the best perimeter defenders in NBA sportsbook action, probably the best. They also get a player that can and should average 15 points a night and a player that can distribute the ball surprisingly well. He’s an athletic player who can lineup at three different spots on the floor and a player that every NBA sportsbook team would love to have.
He’s also a noticeable upgrade over Trevor Ariza, who had a terrific NBA sports book postseason, but simply isn’t as talented as Artest. The Lakers also got rid of a huge road block for Kobe Bryant who has had mixed success against Artest in both the regular season and the playoffs.
But the Lakers still have other free agent concerns, namely resigning Lamar Odom, the most versatile big man in the NBA sportsbook action. Odom is being courted hard by the Miami Heat, among other NBA sportsbook teams. The Lakers recently retracted their offer to Odom who would receive less money from the Heat. However, Odom is likely to remain a Laker. The money, will obviously be a consideration but so will the team’s recent success in the sportsbook lines.
The Heat are an average team at best, and in an ever improving Eastern Conference don’t look they’ll be featured in the NBA Finals sportsbook lines any time soon. Odom will sign with the Lakers because the pay is better and so are his chances of returning to the height of NBA sportsbook’s biggest stage.
If the Lakers retain Odom, chances are they’ll be back in the NBA Finals in 2010.