By MARK ANDERSON<\/p>\n
LAS VEGAS (AP) \u2014 LeBron James<\/a> might have shifted the power in the Eastern Conference \u2014 and perhaps the NBA in general \u2014 when he ended eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers to sign with Philadelphia<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 76ers are consensus favorites \u2014 from 8-1 to 9-1 odds \u2014 in the East to win it all, even ahead of the defending champion New York Knicks<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a Sixers fan, so I was very thrilled about it myself,\u201d BetMGM Sportsbook trader Christian Cipollini said of King James going to Philadelphia. \u201cFar and away, our most bet-on team, far and away our biggest liability (among contending teams).\u201d<\/p>\n How much James has left at age 41 will be a big question as the NBA season opens Tuesday<\/a>, but he remained among the league\u2019s top players last season in LA.<\/p>\n And he\u2019s not the only reason for high hopes in Philadelphia. The Sixers also added Jaylen Brown<\/a> in a marquee trade with Boston.<\/p>\n But Joel Embiid\u2019s health could put a major dent in any championship plans. The seven-time All-Star has played in fewer than 40 games each of the past three seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s more Embiid, keeping him in one piece, that\u2019s going to be the key for them more than LeBron,\u201d longtime handicapper Bruce Marshall said. \u201cIt sort of all goes through him, and that\u2019s been tough for Philly.\u201d<\/p>\n What about the champs?<\/p>\n Jalen Brunson and the Knicks overcame the odds to win the title last season, and they will have to do it again if they are to repeat.<\/p>\n Other than DraftKings Sportsbook, where they are 9-1 with the Sixers among Eastern teams to win the title, the Knicks sit just behind Philadelphia at BetMGM (10-1) and Caesars Sportsbook (9-1).<\/p>\n \u201cJust with the hype of Philly and LeBron going there, it\u2019s just been more 76ers money than Knicks money,\u201d Caesars NBA oddsmaker David Lieberman said. \u201cIt\u2019s so hard to repeat, but obviously their run was so dominant in the postseason, it\u2019s hard to doubt them until they (actually) lose in the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n Thunder and Spurs again the favorites<\/p>\n San Antonio and Oklahoma City are co-favorites at BetMGM (+260) and DraftKings (+270), with the Spurs at +270, just a touch ahead of the Thunders at +280 at Caesars.<\/p>\n Both teams were in similar positions at the end of last season, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder looking to repeat<\/a> and the young Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama playing as well as any team in the league.<\/p>\n The Spurs beat the Thunder in seven games to advance to the NBA Finals<\/a> before losing in five games to the Knicks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Spurs look like they\u2019re probably the team to beat in the West,\u201d Marshall said. \u201cSo I think that\u2019s probably the way it goes, and it might be that way for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n The Eastern Conference might be deeper<\/p>\n Though the Western Conference has long been the NBA\u2019s best and deepest, times could be changing, even with the two favorites being on that side of the bracket.<\/p>\n After the Spurs and Thunder, the next five teams \u2014 depending on the sportsbook \u2014 reside in the East.<\/p>\n \u201cOutside the top two teams, I think the East has more maybe viable candidates,\u201d Lieberman said. \u201cIt\u2019s almost like you can pretty much write down the 11 teams that make the playoffs maybe in both conferences. But given there\u2019s no tanking incentives anymore<\/a>, there could be a couple of surprise teams that make it in one of the conferences.\u201d<\/p>\n Haliburton boosts overlooked Pacers<\/p>\n Indiana was in the NBA Finals just two seasons ago, its chances all but going up in smoke when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon<\/a> in Game 7 against OKC.<\/p>\n Now he\u2019s back, but the Pacers are 35-1 across the board to win the championship.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the East is stronger than a couple of years ago, and it would be tougher for them to do it,\u201d Marshall said. \u201cThis is sort of the year it\u2019s got to happen. They\u2019ve got a lot of guys coming up on free agency, so we\u2019ll see. Most of the guys are there that were on it a couple of years ago. If Haliburton hadn\u2019t gotten hurt, I thought they could\u2019ve won that last game.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch out for the \u2026 Jazz?<\/p>\n Few expect Utah to be a true contender this season, but there is optimism the Jazz could be on the way back<\/a> with recent high draft picks Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson and a core that includes Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like there\u2019s times where a team can make really big jumps,\u201d Cipollini said. \u201cThe Jazz could be one of those, and just looking at the bets that were coming in, of the unrealistic teams to win, certainly the most amount of bets and one of our highest liability.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n