Heat ‘superteam’ ignites action in sports books
In the five weeks since the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship, Kobe Bryant has stayed mostly under the radar while the rest of the league has been caught in an uproar. The summer is supposed to be a quiet time.
This summer, it’s as if the Hells Angels rode into David Stern’s town and unleashed mayhem.
LeBron James ditched Cleveland for Miami, and Las Vegas sports books instantly propped up the Heat as favorites to win the title in 2011. That was only the beginning.
Countless points are being debated on the issue of James jumping on Dwyane Wade’s back and forming a so-called “superteam” near South Beach. Most who have offered opinions see the whole deal as some sort of skullduggery that will negatively impact the NBA.
I see the Heat as an energizing force for the league in more ways than one, with one being more intense interest in betting.
“If the Lakers and Heat end up in the Finals, it could be the biggest Finals ever,” Las Vegas Hilton sports book director Jay Kornegay said. “The Heat definitely have the ability to heighten interest in the NBA.”
It’s already happening. The Hilton has posted regular-season win totals for the Heat (62½) and Lakers (58½) as well as Yes/No propositions on the Heat and Lakers winning the title. Those are things you never see in July.
Miami is the favorite at 9-5 odds, with the Lakers at 3-1.
The playoffs always matter to bettors. Now, the regular season becomes more intriguing, especially in November and December. Expect the public to ride the Heat wave far more often than not.
“I think it could be good for the books,” Kornegay said. “But I think it’s only going to be good for the books when the Heat don’t cover. We’re actually taking a lot of money on the Heat. Just like every other book in town, we’re not going to be rooting for the Heat.”
At this point, Miami is an overrated team because it’s not yet a team. It’s a collection of players who don’t know each other on the floor. Wade and James play similar styles, and it will take time for two superstars to learn to play together. Chris Bosh is solid but overhyped when referred to as the third superstar.
The surrounding cast pieced together by president Pat Riley looks impressive. But there could be a problem brewing on the bench, where coach Erik Spoelstra appears to be in over his head. Boston’s Doc Rivers put a dunce cap on Spoelstra in the playoffs, and if the “superteam” struggles, you can bet on Riley taking charge.
The Eastern Conference is improved. It’s a mistake for anyone to count out the Celtics as too old. Orlando is an obvious contender. Chicago made upgrades with Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver.
None of those concerns is dogging the Lakers. Phil Jackson is back with basically his whole roster intact. Bryant is the best player in the league, and he has an unmatched killer instinct that will drive him to bury Miami. Pau Gasol is about as good as it gets in the post.
The biggest question is Andrew Bynum’s durability. In Gasol and Bynum, the Lakers can present an unbeatable pair of 7-footers.
“I think the Heat might be better than the Lakers, but the Lakers have a slightly better chance to win the title because their path through the West will not be as treacherous,” The Gold Sheet handicapper Bruce Marshall said.
An avid NBA bettor recently suggested to me the Heat should be 4½-point favorites over the Lakers on a neutral floor now. I’ll disagree and take the Lakers and the points.
The Heat will create a circus of fanfare, but as a team it’s still nowhere near Jackson’s dominant Bulls of the late 1990s with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. The public probably will treat the Heat like those Bulls, however, and the oddsmakers are preparing for it.
We could see the Heat favored by as many as 20 points in a game, and expect to see spreads in the 12 to 15 range with regularity.
The biggest spread in an NBA game last season was 17 points, which Golden State covered in a 109-95 loss at Boston.
“Maybe we over-inflate the lines on Miami,” Kornegay said. “There’s a chance of that happening as well.”
It has been a wild summer in the NBA. Jackson put off retirement. Tom Izzo turned down the Cavaliers. James and his media puppet, Jim Gray, made fools of themselves on ESPN. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert went berserk. Stern fined Gilbert. Jordan, Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson took shots at James. Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson were grossly overpaid. Carmelo Anthony got married. Mel Gibson lost his mind and his money and said he had to sell his luxury box at Lakers games.
It’s only the beginning. It can be argued James screwed up “The Decision” by picking Miami, but there’s no question the new-look Heat will add intrigue to next season.
Contact sports betting columnist Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.