NBA Playoffs 2012: Los Angeles Lakers Offer Value to Win the Western Conference

The Los Angeles Lakers came away with a 103-88 win over the Denver Nuggets as 4.5-point home favorites to open up their best-of-seven first-round series on Sunday. But they are still providing value in the current futures market.   

Los Angeles is currently the third choice to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals at betting odds of 9/2 at Bovada Sportsbook, which is surprising due to the amount of playoff experience on its roster.

Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 31 points in the Game 1 victory, while big men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol combined to grab 21 rebounds.

Let's take a closer look at the betting odds for all eight teams that could potentially represent the West versus the Eastern Conference this summer.

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