Warriors: Long odds early, top seed now

The Warriors begin the NBA playoffs Saturday afternoon at Oracle Arena as the owners of the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference after a regular season in which they set a franchise-record for wins (67).In late August, Bovada released its odds for the 2014-15 season and made the Warriors a 22-to-1 longshot to win the NBA championship.Granted, making the playoffs and winning the title are just about as far apart as winning your frst game of the season and locking up the No. 1 seed at the end.Oklahoma City - which didn't make the playoffs, thanks in no small part to the injuries suffered by Kevin Durant - was the fourth choice (6-1) and the Clippers - who knocked the Warriors out in the first round a year ago - were fifth at 12-1.The preseason prognosticators were almost spot-on in the Western Conference where seven of the eight teams to reach the playoffs were among the 16 given the best odds to win the title.The Eastern Conference was a toss-up, however, as Atlanta, Brooklyn, Boston and Milwaukee — all placed outside the top 16 — reached the postseason while preseason playoff picks Indiana, Miami, Charlotte and the Knicks will be watching from home.Courtesy of NBC...