So why have the defending champions been assigned an ‘over/under’ total of just 56 ½ wins? Mike Seba, senior oddsmaker at Las Vegas Sports Consultants, explains.

“It’s very rare that we assign a win total of more than 58 ½ wins at the beginning of any season,” reported Seba. “The Celtics had a monster year, but repeating that performance with a mostly older club and no new blood will be very difficult. I really believe the Celtics overachieved last season.”

The Lakers were 57-25 last season, so the 56 ½ win total seems to be a bit low considering they should have a healthy Andrew Bynum for the entire year. The seven-foot, 285-pound center played in just 35 games last season because of injury, but still averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds per game.

“The Lakers could improve on last season’s win total if Bynum can stay healthy the entire year,” Seba added.

The Houston Rockets have been assigned the third highest win total at 53 ½, though the club managed 55 victories last year.

“Adding Ron Artest should really help Houston’s inside game,” Seba continued. “If Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming can stay healthy all year – which is a big if – then the Rockets could be the surprise team of the Western Conference.”

Another Western Conference team that may be headed for considerably more victories this season is the Portland Trailblazers.

“Getting Jerryd Bayless in the draft gives Portland a big upgrade at the point guard position,” reports Seba. “That, and the fact the team will have a healthy Greg Oden for the entire year, should be enough to give the Blazers more than the 41 wins they had last season.”

Las Vegas Sports Consultants assigned the Trailblazers and ‘over/under’ total of 42 ½ wins.

There are a couple of teams that Seba believes might struggle to reach last season’s success.

“Golden State might have a tough time reaching the 48 wins it collected last year,” said Seba. The club no longer has Baron Davis, and now the team has suspended Monta Ellis for the first month of the season for violating terms of his contract.”

Ellis, who averaged 16.5 PPG last season, severely sprained his ankle while riding a moped during the offseason and will miss at least two more months after the suspension is lifted. Davis led the team in both points (20.1 PPG) and assists (8.1 APG).

“The San Antonio Spurs might finally be headed for a downward spiral,” reported Seba. “Manu Ginobili will be out the first couple of months, and that will really hurt a team that might finally be showing its age.”

The Spurs, winners of 56 games last season, have been assigned an ‘over/under’ win total of 52 ½ this time around.

The old Seattle Supersonics franchise has moved to Oklahoma City and has changed its nickname to the Thunder. However, don’t expect a big increase in last year’s 20 wins, even with the expected improvement of Kevin Durant (20.3 PPG). LVSC has opened the Thunder’s ‘over/under’ season win total at 26 ½.

The opening 2008-2009 NBA season win totals appear below.

TEAM       WIN TOTAL
               Lakers     56 ½
               Celtics    56 ½
               Rockets    53 ½
               Spurs      52 ½
               Hornets    52 ½
               Pistons    51 ½
               Suns       51 ½
               Jazz       51 ½
               Magic      50 ½
               Mavs       48 ½
               Cavs       48 ½
               Raptors    47 ½
               76ers      46 ½
               Nuggets    45 ½
               Blazers    42 ½
               Bulls      41 ½
               Warriors   39 ½
               Hawks      39 ½
               Wizards    38 ½
               Pacers     34 ½
               Bobcats    34 ½
               Nets       33 ½
               Clippers   33 ½
               Heat       33 ½
               Bucks      32 ½
               Kings      31 ½
               T-wolves   30 ½
               Knicks     29 ½
               Thunder    26 ½
               Grizzlies  23 ½