NBA Preseason Update

There was a ton of offseason action in the NBA this summer to make NBA betting interesting. Marquee names jumped ship while title contenders added to their already impressive rosters.

The defending-champion Los Angles Lakers are the favorites to repeat and win the West. On top of boasting an elite scorer and shut-down defender in Kobe Bryant, the Lakers added Ron Artest to take some of the defensive load off Bryant as well as provide offense when needed. Los Angeles also managed to hang on to sixth man Lamar Odom, returning the versatile forward to a frontcourt that features Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

The Lakers' stiffest competition in the Western Conference are the Denver Nuggets. While the Nuggets didn't make any notable moves to bolster their lineup, they do return leading scorer Carmelo Anthony. The slick forward matured as a player during last year's postseason, stepping up as a leader on the floor and locker room. Much of that maturation has to do with backcourt general Chauncey Billups, who brought a winning attitude to the Mile High City. If Denver can keep forwards Nene and Kenyon Martin healthy they should give Los Angeles a run for its money out West.

The biggest battles will be in the East, where the three top contenders made moves to put them over the top. The defending Eastern Conference champs, the Orlando Magic, brought in scorer Vince Carter to give them a more dynamic offense. Orlando has All-Star center Dwight Howard muscling his way through the paint and Rashard Lewis bombing away from outside - and Carter will add a slashing and playmaking side to the Magic.

The Boston Celtics missed team leader Kevin Garnett when the talented forward went down with a knee injury late in the year. KG is back on the court, but Boston added some depth to its frontcourt by bringing in Detroit Pistons bad boy Rasheed Wallace. Wallace has playoff experience and a mid-range game that can stretch a defense. The Celtics still have Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo lighting it up from the perimeter and should make a run back to the top of the East.

The biggest move, no pun intended, was the Cleveland Cavaliers’ acquisition of future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal. The Diesel gives the Cavs a presence in the paint on both ends of the floor which was missing in past playoff runs. Of course, Cleveland still has the game's top player in LeBron James. The King is coming off an MVP season and is a matchup nightmare for any opponent. The Cavaliers have some solid role players in Mo Williams and Delonte West but need someone to step up when it really counts.

Other notable contenders are the Detroit Pistons. The NBA regular season gets started on October 27.