The Miami Heat were busted up over the past week as the Dallas Mavericks won the 2011 NBA Championship over LeBron James and friends. But, as you'd expect, the Heat are still the overwhelming favorites to win the 2012 NBA Championship, according to Covers (via Darren Rovell).
2012 NBA Championship Odds: Miami Heat Favored Heavily Over Bulls, Mavericks, Lakers
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The Heat opened Monday as 2/1 favorites to win the 2012 title, assuming a lockout doesn't kill the NBA's next regular season. The Chicago Bulls, who were beaten 4-1 by the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, follow at 6/1. The champion Mavericks, along with the L.A. Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder, are at 7/1.
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The Heat were heavily favored to win the 2011 championship, of course, even over the Lakers, who'd won the two preceding titles. The Mavericks aced the Lakers in four games in the second round this year. What remains to be seen is how a new collective bargaining agreement limits the abilities of a team like the Heat to re-sign complementary pieces (looking at you, mid-level exception and Samuel Dalembert) or allow the Mavericks to re-sign free agents like Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea.
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