You’ve waited long enough and finally the National Basketball Association has returned. With the debut of the lockout-shortened season on Christmas Day comes the return of NBA betting, ushered in by a rematch of last June’s NBA Finals.

Think the Dallas Mavericks can prove their title was no fluke? They’re not exactly what you would call the basketball odds makers’ first choice in preseason.

Heading into the 2011-12 campaign the Mavs have 11/1 odds of winning the NBA championship. It’s an impressive mark, but not much higher than the revamped Los Angeles Clippers at 12/1.

The Heat, however, still sit as league favorites with NBA futures as high as 2/1. Though they dominated NBA betting lines for much of last season, Miami’s dramatic collapse in the best-of-seven against Dallas didn’t go unnoticed.

Is this the year LeBron James shakes his inability to produce when it matters most?

As the Mavs age and the rest of the NBA seems to catch up to the Heat in sheer star power, we may not see these two teams repeat as conference champions. But, until somebody officially unseats them, they’re certainly the teams to beat.

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