The NBA lockout has been settled, so hoops bettors can now start to take a close look at the title futures for the 2011/12 season.
The announcement that the league and the players had come to a tentative agreement to end the work stoppage came on Saturday morning. Unless there's a snag in the process, free agency and training camps will get started on December 9.
And NBA betting enthusiasts will then get their first taste of real action on Christmas Day, with Boston at New York, Miami at Dallas, and Chicago at the Lakers in the holiday tripleheader.
Instead of 82 games this season, the NBA will only play 66 games.
So who enters training camp as the favorites on the NBA futures board at the Bodog Sportsbook? That'd be the Heat, who sit at 5/2 odds to win the championship this season.
The Heat lost to the Mavericks in the NBA Finals last season, but the Mavs are fourth on the current futures list at 17/2 to repeat as the champions this time around.
The Lakers (11/2), Bulls (7/1), and Thunder (15/2) are sandwiched between the Heat and the Mavericks on that NBA betting odds list.
Prefer the Celtics' chances of taking the title in a shortened season? They're at 12/1 odds to win it all in 2012, with the Knicks at 20/1, and each of the Grizzlies, Magic, Trail Blazers, and Spurs at 25/1.
Bodog Sportsbook: 2012 NBA Championship Futures
Miami Heat 5/2
Los Angeles Lakers 11/2
Chicago Bulls 7/1
Oklahoma City Thunder 15/2
Dallas Mavericks 17/2
Boston Celtics 12/1
New York Knicks 20/1
Memphis Grizzlies 25/1
Orlando Magic 25/1
Portland Trail Blazers 25/1
San Antonio Spurs 25/1
Atlanta Hawks 40/1
Denver Nuggets 50/1
Houston Rockets 50/1
Los Angeles Clippers 50/1
Phoenix Suns 70/1
Indiana Pacers 75/1
New Jersey Nets 75/1
New Orleans Hornets 75/1
Philadelphia 76ers 75/1
Utah Jazz 75/1
Charlotte Bobcats 100/1
Golden State Warriors 100/1
Milwaukee Bucks 100/1
Minnesota Timberwolves 100/1
Washington Wizards 100/1
Cleveland Cavaliers 150/1
Detroit Pistons 150/1
Sacramento Kings 150/1
Toronto Raptors 150/1