NBA Pacific Division betting preview: Nothing but contenders

The Pacific Division is the best in basketball. All five teams have a chance to make the NBA Finals, and it's the only division in which every team has a better chance to make the playoffs than miss them.

The Pacific Division is the favorite to lead all other divisions in combined wins at -250. The closest is the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division at +250.

Before we break down the Suns, Lakers, Warriors, Clippers, and Kings, don't forget to check out our other division previews.

East:

• Atlantic
• Southeast
• Central

• Northwest
• Southwest

Futures odds

Suns win total and odds to make playoffs

Projected starting lineup:

• Devin Booker
• Bradley Beal
• Josh Okogie
• Kevin Durant
• Jusuf Nurkic

The Suns mortgaged their future to win now, and they're equipped to compete with the best in the West.

Phoenix traded for Beal this offseason to create a Big Three. Beal's health and efficiency have taken a hit in recent years. And he's never been an elite perimeter defender. The Suns hope an opportunity on a true contender - the first one Beal has played for in the NBA - can reignite his career.

Depth and 3-point shooting were the Suns' biggest needs following last year's second-round exit. Phoenix got involved in the Damian Lillard trade, giving up Deandre Ayton and acquiring Nurkic and Grayson Allen. Allen will likely come off the bench as a career 39.5% 3-point shooter who's averaged double figures the last three years.

Bet: Pass

Warriors win total and odds to make playoffs

Projected starting lineup:

• Chris Paul
• Steph Curry
• Klay Thompson
• Andrew Wiggins
• Draymond Green

The Warriors' window is closing. Two years ago, the team appeared to be heading toward a youth movement, with a perfect balance of elite veterans and complementary young pieces that led to an NBA championship. Now, the Warriors have aged by shipping off Jordan Poole and James Wiseman and adding Paul.

There are questions surrounding Paul's fit. However, he's adapted to a variety of situations before. He served as a ball-dominant point guard for the Clippers, played off the ball with the Rockets, and filled different roles in Phoenix before and after Durant arrived.

He'll adapt again and even provide some relief for Curry in certain situations. Yes, Curry is lethal with the ball in his hands running the pick-and-roll, but he's also a phenomenal catch-and-shoot sniper coming off screens. As an initiator, Paul will open up looks for Curry and Thompson. The primary concern is whether Paul can stay healthy throughout an entire season at 38 given his injury history.

Thompson, meanwhile, is entering the last year of his contract without an extension in place. Green signed an extension with the Warriors this summer.

Bet: Pass

Lakers win total and odds to make playoffs

Projected starting lineup:

• D'Angelo Russell
• Austin Reaves
• LeBron James
• Jarred Vanderbilt
• Anthony Davis

James is entering his 20th season and will turn 39 in December. He's the oldest player in the league. Last season was the first time it truly felt like he was beginning to slow down, as he only played in 55 games.

Despite that, James averaged 28.9 points while playing 35 minutes per game. The Lakers also have a contending roster beyond James. Reaves is an emerging star, Russell is a capable guard who shot 41% from three last season, Vanderbilt is a good defender, Rui Hachimura is a great role player, and Gabe Vincent and Christian Wood are solid, low-risk signings.

But the most important player on the team is Davis. With James no longer the unstoppable force he once was, this is Davis' team.

Davis hasn't made an All-Star Game since 2021 or an All-NBA team since 2020. His injury history is well-documented. He played 56 games last year, 40 the year prior, and 36 during the 2020-21 season.

He's constantly managing nagging injuries that force him to sit or be limited. When healthy, he's dominant in the mid-to-low post and as a rim-protector on defense.

Davis does, however, need to improve his shooting. He shot 23% from three the last three seasons. His career percentage is third-worst among all active players with at least 1,000 attempts.

If Davis wants to be considered among the best bigs in the league alongside Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid - and he needs to be in order for the Lakers to win a championship - he must be a threat from long range.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Davis' jumper has improved and he wants the big man to shoot more threes. Either way, this Lakers season comes down to Davis.

Bet: Pass

Clippers win total and odds to make playoffs

Projected starting lineup:

• Russell Westbrook
• Paul George
• Kawhi Leonard
• Nicolas Batum
• Ivica Zubac

At media day, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue - whom I picked to win Coach of the Year - said, "Let's do everything we can in the regular season and let's let the playoffs take care of itself."

It's no secret the Clippers haven't exactly prioritized the regular season in recent years because some of their stars either weren't healthy to start the season or had injuries throughout.

With Leonard and George - who have both missed almost as many games as they've played since they joined the squad - seemingly healthy to open the campaign, the Clippers can truly build as a team throughout this regular season.

It's a pivotal time for the franchise with Leonard's and George's contracts expiring after the season and no extensions in place. Nevertheless, the Clippers are flying under the radar.

If healthy - and the "if" is paramount here - George and Leonard are one of the best duos in the league. At this stage of his career, Westbrook has limitations, but he still serves a purpose on a team that lacked a point guard before he arrived halfway through last season.

The Clippers also have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA with Terance Mann, Norman Powell, Mason Plumlee, and Bones Hyland coming off the bench.

Los Angeles will shock some people and earn a top seed in the West.

Bet: Over 46.5 wins

Kings win total and odds to make playoffs

Projected starting lineup:

• De'Aaron Fox
• Kevin Huerter
• Harrison Barnes
• Keegan Murray
• Domantas Sabonis

The Kings shockingly had the most wins in this division last year and earned the 3-seed in the West with 48 wins, ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history. However, oddsmakers expect a regression. Sacramento has the lowest win total in the division despite bringing back virtually the same team.

It's possible Sacramento overachieved last season, but it has the pieces to replicate its success. Although they aren't considered one of the best duos in the league, Fox and Sabonis' two-man game is unmatched. They've mastered the pick-and-roll and dribble handoffs. The next step for Sabonis is developing a more dependable jump shot.

Huerter, Barnes, Murray, and Malik Monk are reliable scorers and great distance shooters.

Bet: Pass

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage.