NBA: 5 best value bets for when the league returns to play

NBA’s best odds: Mavericks to win Southwest Division (+163)

The Dallas Mavericks trail the Rockets in the division by 1.5 games so it won’t be easy to catch them in the abbreviated eight-game schedule. But if there were odds out there for the team most likely to struggle out of the gates in Orlando, I think the Rockets would be the favorites.

Two things that we’re likely to see when play resumes: players won’t be in basketball shape and shooters will struggle after not getting consistent reps for months. That’s trouble for the Rockets, who space the floor with five capable shooters at all times and if shots aren’t falling they aren’t winning.

The NBA bubble will favor teams that are good away from home and can win games when shots aren’t falling from the perimeter. The Rockets don’t check either of those boxes. If the Rockets were a baseball player they’d be the cleanup hitter who either strikes out or hits a home run. Sure, they’ll hit a lot of home runs over time, but if they haven’t seen a live pitch for months then it’s not going to look good for a few games.