The Golden State Warriors aren’t even 24 hours removed from winning the 2015 NBA Finals, yet they’re already thinking up ways to change their roster for the 2015-16 NBA season. Their first big change should come via David Lee, who is set to be traded at some point this summer.

Lee was surprisingly useful in the latter stages of Golden State’s playoff run, but largely fell out of favor due to the Warriors being so deep. The emergence of versatile forward Draymond Green was reason number one, while Lee simply didn’t fit head coach Steve Kerr’s system perfectly. Whatever the case, reports are already out that the Warriors are shopping Lee, and it only makes sense since the 32-year old big man is still quite useful, but his $15 million paycheck makes little sense given his role with the team.

Golden State was rumored to be close to dealing Lee before this year’s trade deadline, so it’s likely only a matter of time before he finds a new home. Here are five possibilities that make sense in terms of potential landing spots:

Sacramento Kings

Sac-town looks like the top option on paper, as they don’t have a true power forward at the moment and could really use one. Getting Lee would take care of the #4 spot and allow Rudy Gay to slide back to his normal small forward position full-time. From there, the Kings could focus on point guard and shooting guard, rather than continue to worry about their bigs under-performing next to DeMarcus Cousins.

Detroit Pistons

Greg Monroe is hitting free agency and is probably a goner, while all the Pistons have to show for that big loss right now is a trade with the Bucks that landed them Ersan Ilyasova. Ilyasova is a solid, versatile forward who can shoot, but he’s super inconsistent and struggles to stay healthy. Lee would be a solid one-year rental that would play hard and give Detroit solid production at the four spot.

Toronto Raptors

Amir Johnson could be out the door this summer, which could leave a solid Raptors squad with either Tyler Hansbrough or Patrick Patterson as their starting power forward. That’s not good. Lee is a defensive liability, to be sure, but he’d bring a serious offensive punch and help on the boards.

New York Knicks

Lee started his career with the Knicks and it’d be ironic to see him shipped back to New York. The Knicks probably don’t want his fat contract, but it’s an expiring one and he would serve as an immediate upgrade over spares like Andrea Bargnani and Travis Wear. New York is trying to get better and even at 32, Lee could play a helping hand in doing just that.

Houston Rockets

It’s unlikely the Warriors would do anything to assist the Rockets, who they faced in this year’s Western Conference Finals, but it’d otherwise make some sense. Josh Smith could jet in free agency and while Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas are solid, the Rockets could use another consistent offensive force down low. That could be Lee, who can still slash in the paint and get quick, easy buckets.

The Golden State Warriors took back control in game five on Sunday night, as they broke a tight game open in the third quarter to take over the 2015 NBA Finals with a 3-2 series lead. LeBron James was as good as ever with 40 points and yet another triple-double, but it was Stephen Curry (37 points) who stepped up the most in the fourth quarter.

That was just one game, though, and the Cavs will play host in game six as they try to close out the series with two straight wins and their first ever NBA title. James seems more than confident, as he proclaimed himself the “best player in the world” and suggested he believes Cleveland can win two games in a row – just as they did in games three and four. That may happen and our original pick of the Cavs being the champs just might hold up. Let’s break down game six to see if that’s the case, though:

Golden State Warriors (1) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (2) on ABC at 9:00 pm ET

We’ve gone 3-2 in this series so far, as it’s basically been a pick’em run even with some fairly big lines in favor of the Warriors. Golden State had another nice spread in game five and ended up covering, while they enter game six at Quicken Loans Arena with another -4.5 line in their favor. That’s not a big one, and frankly it’s at least a tad surprising given the fact that the Cavs are at their best on their home court. Part of me can’t see James losing an NBA Finals in front of his home crowd, but on the other side it’s pretty obvious the Warriors have adapted over the past two games and have figured out precisely how to beat the Cavaliers. Curry has found his offense in that span and Golden State has gone small, eliminating the effectiveness of Timofey Mozgov and giving them an extra quick defender to rotate onto James.

Game six should come down to pride mostly, but if the Cavs squeak it out game seven could obviously go either way. Something tells me Golden State doesn’t want to leave that to chance, but it may not be up to them. Then again, if it’s just about James “getting his” and scoring 40+ with a triple-double, I can’t see Cleveland winning. That recipe just hasn’t consistently been working and their main advantage (their defense on Curry) looks to be gone.

Cleveland’s best chance is to play the Warriors straight up and have either Iman Shumpert or James himself on Curry the entire time. That would keep Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson in the lane to keep the Warriors perimeter oriented, which should have the Cavs playing better defense and winning the battle of the boards. Defensively, I think Curry would have a much more difficult time with James or Shump on him, as they’re both elite athletes with more size and length than Matthew Dellavedova. Of course, David Blatt hasn’t made all the right moves in this series, instead seemingly deciding to only roll with what Steve Kerr decides to do (Kerr went small, so Blatt followed suit). If the series just stays the course, Golden State wins in six. If the Cavs make the right adjustment and find a way to once again take the life out of Curry’s offense, we’ll see a game seven.

I definitely see the Cavs beating the +4.5 spread, and as much as I personally want to see Golden State end this series in six, I can’t see James coming up lame on his home floor with so much on the line. He might drop 50 in this one and the Cavs could win a nail-biter. Take the Cavs straight up and ATS but given the inconsistent of these games, I don’t love the idea of chasing the Total (195).

Pick: Cavaliers 98, Warriors 96

The Atlanta Hawks soared to the top of the Eastern Conference during the 2014-15 NBA season, largely due to a team-first mentality and sound defense. Their offense thrived on ball movement and finding the open man, while their team defense worked due to communication and effort. Thanks to free agency, though, things could change dramatically in both departments before next season.

Per reports, the Hawks may look different for the 2015-16 NBA season due to free agency, as they could potentially lose small forward DeMarre Carroll or power forward Paul Millsap. Both would be huge losses as they played key roles in Atlanta’s rise to greatness. Atlanta broke down due to injuries as their playoff run winded down, but Carroll and Millsap still played a huge hand in helping the team get to the Eastern Conference Finals.

There is always the awful reality that both players could bolt for a better chance to win elsewhere, but the odds appear to be in their favor that they’ll keep at least one of them. Ideally one or both agree to a discounted price and the Hawks can maintain continuity and make another deep playoff run, but in today’s NBA, that’s simply not very realistic.

Carroll vs. Millsap

Carroll is younger and arguably a little more versatile, has developed into the better three-point shooter and is also a lockdown defender. At 28 years old, he’s still very much in his prime and looks to have tapped into some of his upside, which means the Hawks could sign him and watch him develop into an even better player. At 30 years old, Millsap is an under-sized power forward who should slowly exit his prime over the next 2-3 seasons. He’s probably the guy who is closer to being a “superstar” of the two, while he’s also a solid defender who can easily score the ball and rebound at a higher rate.

Truth be told, Atlanta isn’t going to lose with either player. The question, then, may be how much they’re going to cost to keep and which is going to be easier to replace. Carroll’s shooting can be replaced via Kent Bazemore and Mike Scott off the bench, while the team could also bring in shooting talent via the draft or sign a specialist off the street in free agency. Millsap could be replaced by either Scott or Mike Muscala, but neither are the defender he is and he has more versatility, as well.

The current situation has Atlanta looking at $23 million to spend in free agency. They could try to sign both of these guys, but both players are at their peak value and bring a tremendous amount of versatility and value to the table for whoever wants them the most. Carroll alone is expected to ask for something along the lines of five years and $40 million, if not more. Millsap’s contract would probably be even fatter because he’s the better player on the surface, so signing both players doesn’t look good unless there is a discount.

Millsap’s value is tough to gauge, as he plays at a position where there are some bigger studs that people will be waiting on (LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love, most notably). What happens with them could dictate his value an where he winds up. Carroll might be an easier player to gauge, then, as he can fit in any system as a hard-nosed defender that can knock down three’s. He’s already been loosely tied to rebuilding teams like the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, two teams that could probably pay him what he wants.

Verdict?

Millap’s perspective on Atlanta is interesting, as he noted the team is “a family”. That may make him a little more likely to take a discount or at least choose the Hawks if it’s close. Carroll might be the wild card, as this is his one big chance to make bank. Ultimately, if one goes, I think it’s Carroll, but the Hawks still technically could sign both, especially if they unload someone like Dennis Schroder and/or Mike Scott to free up some extra cap space. Carroll may have more left in the tank, but Millsap would arguably be tougher to replace, while the Hawks do have some guys already on the roster that they could give more minutes to.

Playoff Odds

The big question, of course, is what either situation means for Atlanta’s playoff hopes for the 2015-16 NBA season. As long as Atlanta keeps one of Carroll or Millsap, they’ll be right back in the playoff mix, just like they have been the past two years. Bringing them both back could make them legit title contenders, while losing both could have them take quite a hit. Luckily the East is still pretty weak, so as long as the Hawks don’t lose both of their top free agents they should remain one of the conference’s top-four teams.

Game four of the 2015 NBA Finals served up a mild surprise: the old Golden State Warriors actually showed up. They didn’t show up in their purest form, but they showed up, nonetheless, and got a much needed win to keep this a series. It took Steve Kerr listening to a 28-year old assistant to get Andre Iguodala in the starting lineup and offer center Andrew Bogut just three minutes. It also took a 3-14 shooting performance from Matthew Dellavedova and a tired-looking LeBron James.

Regardless, the Warriors bounced back, made this their series to lose and enter game five at Oracle Arena with all of the momentum. The big question, of course, is if they’ll actually take advantage of it. In what has been a highly entertaining series, it very well could be anyone’s guess. For those trying to conduct some NBA playoff betting on Sunday, though, they need more than a guess. Let’s break tonight’s matchup down and see what we may be in for:

Cleveland Cavaliers (2) @ Golden State Warriors (1) on ABC at 8:00 pm ET

One key to game five is just how much of what the Warriors did in game five will trickle down into game five. Will Golden State really keep Bogut off the floor that much, can Iggy step up with yet another big game on both ends of the court, and can we finally see a vintage outing by the Splash Brothers? Considering the Warriors have now lost just four games at home all year, one also has to factor in their elite home court advantage – although few would balk at the idea that there is no such thing in these playoffs.

On the flip side, LeBron James looked flat out tired in the game four loss, and he should be well rested for this massive clash. The same can be said for his lackluster supporting cast. Dellavedova, Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson have all for the most part had a positive impact in this series, but both Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith definitely disappeared last game. For Cleveland to win another game at Oracle Arena, it may take some fine shooting from one or both of their wing players.

There’s another wrinkle the Cavs could throw in here, too. Just like the Warriors switched things up, Cleveland could dig deeper into it’s bench and try to beat some life out of the likes of Mike Miller, Shawn Marion and/or Kendrick Perkins. These guys are mostly has-been’s at this point but all have distinct attributes they could bring to the table to help shake things up a bit. Marion is a total x-factor who can bring hustle plays and defense to the table, Perkins offers toughness and Miller can hit open shots and space out the floor. Of course, it’s also pretty arguable that if the Cavs are reaching back into the dumpster bin for extra help, they already can see their fate written on the wall.

Saying the NBA Finals has shifted is one thing, but when the oddsmakers made the Warriors -8.5 favorites for game five, you can really believe that momentum shift is real. I’m still very concerned about James and these Cavs and at this point, I see this thing going the full seven games. However, Golden State is extremely tough to beat at home and of the two sides, they’re the first to really show serious adjustment and depth. If the Cavs are forced to explore either on their own squad, they could get exploited further in game five. I still like Cleveland to stay within the +8.5 (ATS) but I’ll take the Warriors straight up. With this shifted back to Oracle Arena, I also like the Warriors to play more their pace which should drive the score up and give bettors a crack at the Total (195.5).

Pick: Warriors 104, Cavaliers 101

For the second straight game, Stephen Curry struggled mightily to find this shot and for the second straight game, the Golden State Warriors suffered a loss. There have been two massive story-lines in these 2015 NBA Finals. One has obviously been the lights out shooting Curry suddenly running extremely cold. The other has been LeBron James willing his team to win with at least 30 points and six assists in all three games.

Heading into game four, something has to break if the Warriors are going to keep this a series. Going down 3-1 isn’t an option, even with two more of the remaining games scheduled at Oracle Arena. The Warriors either need to contain James’ impact in one regard or they at least need to have Curry rise to his level and keep the game tight. That just hasn’t happened to this point, and it’s clear the Golden State offense (and seemingly the entire team’s morale) lives and dies with how Curry is playing.

Let’s take a close look at this matchup and see which team is the safer pick in all regards tonight:

Golden State Warriors (1) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (2) on ABC at 9:00 pm ET

The harsh reality is this: LeBron James has convinced a battered and stripped down Cavs team that they can be NBA champions. I was afraid of this heading into the Finals, when I picked the Cavs to win the series, 4-2. Once Kyrie Irving went down, I felt the Warriors would take advantage and possibly kill my initial pick. Now I’m convinced this is Cleveland’s title to lose again. There is still wiggle room left for the Warriors to storm out of the gates tonight, find their shooting touch and make this one of the better NBA Finals series we’ve ever seen.

For the casual NBA fans or a Warriors fan, that’s the logic you have to roll with. The Warriors get hot and actually play the elite defense they are supposed to be able to play – rather than run cold and get shut down by a band of misfits that James has inspired. Unfortunately, he has inspired them and they do believe this is their title to lose. In game four, they’re at home with all of the momentum and the Warriors haven’t given us much reason to believe anything will suddenly change. Curry’s too-little, too-late flurry to end game three? That was nice, but I chalk that up more to Cleveland’s inexperience and relief after being up so much to close that game. That’s about the Cavaliers being young and stupid, not Curry “figuring their defense out” and finding his groove. It could be a mix, but even if it is, I’m not sold it’s enough.

I’ve been pulling for the Warriors all year. They haven’t won a title in 40 years and while the Cavs deserve to win their first ever, we all know if they don’t win this year, they’ll surely win next year with a healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. But as one banner in Cleveland said “there’s always this year”, I tend to think the Cavs aren’t taking this awesome chance at a championship lightly. If Golden State pulls game four out of their magic hat, I think the series shifts in their favor. If they can’t finally solve the Cavs’ defense and keep James from destroying them, though, this series is in the bag.

Golden State is a mild favorite to bounce back (-2.5), but I just am not seeing it. They did this before in round two against the Memphis Grizzlies and they won the next three games to close the series, but the Grizz didn’t have LeBron James or the offense Cleveland can bring to the table when they’re clicking. At this point it’s not about what makes sense. Cleveland winning before the series started didn’t really make sense, but as I predicted, they’re in position to win the Finals and I can’t see anything stopping them now. Because of that, I like Cleveland ATS and straight up tonight. Despite there being strong defense in this series, I do like the Total (193) enough to chase if you’re feeling lucky.

Pick: Cavs 101, Warriors 98

The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked the world in game two of the 2015 NBA Finals, as they upset the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena and enter game three with a 1-1 tie. More shocking could be Stephen Curry’s woeful shooting display on his own court, as he hit just 2-15 on three’s and 5-23 from the floor, overall. Curry simply coughed up his worst shooting night of the year at the worst possible time. The Warriors also played their second straight overtime game and looked tired near the end of it.

That all being said, James carried this team with a sick triple double (39-16-11) and may have mapped out a blueprint to beat these Warriors. That, or the Cavs gave one great effort that we’ll look back on and respect, but ultimately not admire in a lost NBA Finals. It’s tough to gauge which direction this series is headed. Cleveland has forced two overtime games on the road thanks to gritty defense and James beasting out, while we also really haven’t seen Golden State at their best yet, either. Can the Cavs really withstand injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving to go on and win their first ever NBA title? It sure will be interesting to find out, and they’ll aim to do so by taking a 2-1 lead tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. Let’s break the matchup down for tonight and see who comes away with the win:

Golden State Warriors (1) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (2) on ABC at 9:00 pm ET

There are two big keys to this game and the series and they remain obvious: Cleveland slowing down Curry and the Warriors making James beat them. In game three, Curry did Cleveland’s job for them by missing a ton of good looks and James both crushed as a scorer and also got his teammates involved (11 assists). The encouraging thing is despite neither of those huge keys going Golden State’s way, they still went to overtime and only lost by two.

That says something about the Cavs, but it probably says more about Golden State and how perfect the Cavs have to be in every facet to beat them. Then again, Cleveland has played the Warriors so hard that they conceivably could be up 2-0 right now. Curry suggested he’ll never shoot this badly again in these Finals, and I tend to buy that. For game three, I expect Curry to come out and ball and everyone should follow suit on the Warriors once they see their leader has his mojo back. Of course, that doesn’t take care of James. The Warriors need to continue to battle him straight up and hope he doesn’t create as well as he did last game. On top of that, Andrew Bogut needs to win his battles with Timofey Mozgov. Mozgov has grabbed 17 boards in the first two games and has been far too efficient as a scorer (33 points scored). Bogut is a better defender than that and if the Warriors are going to slow Cleveland’s momentum, it’s going to have to actually show.

After having better than a -6.5 line in each of the first two games, game three is suddenly basically a pick’em with the Warriors narrow -1.5 favorites. I’m not buying either as a favorite right now, so working the spread is out the window and you’ll just have to trust your gut on who to pick straight up. Before this series started, I took the Cavs. There was something about their journey to this point, James’ desire to get the city of Cleveland it’s first NBA title and the “us against the world” mentality. Also, as good as the Warriors are, this is their first trip to a stage this big. Like I’ve said all throughout the playoffs, I’m pulling for the Warriors, but even with the injuries it’s clear that Cleveland is on even footing with these Warriors and they absolutely could still win this series. I feel they might put the fear in Golden State tonight with a big win in front of their home crowd.

Pick: Cavs 101, Warriors 98

The Cleveland Cavaliers were so close they could taste it in game one, but they grew complacent down the stretch in regulation and completely fell apart in overtime. In the blink of an eye, a Cavs team that gave the Golden State Warriors all it could handle blew their best chance to taking over the 2015 NBA Finals. Add Kyrie Irving’s season-ending kneecap fracture to the mix and this Cavs squad just might be sunk.

Of course, the Warriors need to win three more games before that’s truly the case and if LeBron James has some more of those 44-point efforts left up his sleeve, the Cavaliers at least have a chance. Let’s break tonight’s game two down and see which side you should be leaning on when it comes to NBA betting:

Cleveland Cavaliers (2) @ Golden State Warriors (1) on ABC at 8:00 pm ET

With Kyrie Irving out for the remainder of the Finals, a huge amount of pressure goes on LeBron James to find a way to win this series almost completely by himself. He’s now down both Irving and Kevin Love and something called a Matthew Dellavedova is slated to start at the point. Ideally the Cavs just start either Iman Shumpert or James there, though. That would allow James to score and make plays at will, while Shumpert is a passable point guard who can shoot and create. He can also defend extremely well. Unfortunately for Cleveland fans, neither is likely to be the route David Blatt goes, so what Dellavedova can do offensively (and on Stephen Curry defensively) could truly dictate the way the rest of this series goes. In other words, on the surface, it’s not looking good.

We saw what the Cavs look like when James scores a ton. They almost beat the Warriors, but then they didn’t. Golden State seems completely content letting James try to do everything himself – provided he also doesn’t dish out 10+ dimes and get everyone else involved. If that continues to happen – as it probably should – the Warriors will have the Cavs right where they want them. They already do with a 1-0 series lead, and here they are in game two at the Oracle Arena, where they’ve lost a total of three times all year. That really can’t be said enough, can it?

LeBron James is going to come into game two like a mad man and he should keep things interesting, but Cleveland will need a miracle to keep it tight late and actually win the game. The oddsmakers agree that it won’t be easy for the Cavs, who come in as +7.5 underdogs. That being said, Golden State pushed the pace and both teams can score, so the 199.5 Total is worth chasing. I’ll take the Cavs against the spread just because James is insane and I still like Golden State at home, straight up.

Pick: Warriors 107, Cavs 101

The 2015 NBA Finals finally arrive on Thursday, June 4th, when the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will go to battle at Oracle Arena. The setting is simple to follow. LeBron James has returned home to lead the Cavs to their first ever title, while league MVP Stephen Curry aims to get the Warriors their first championship in 40 years. Fans who don’t already have a dog in this race could lean either way, but which way should you be leaning if you’re doing some NBA betting?

Logic says the Warriors win it all (ESPN is giving them a 72% chance and they own the odds) but we already reluctantly predicted James would pull it off and get the Cavs their first title. That being said, game one is in Golden State and one previous prediction will not dictate how we pick each individual game. With that said, let’s dive into the NBA Finals and call game one:

Cleveland Cavaliers (2) @ Golden State Warriors (1) on ABC at 9:00 pm ET

The first thing we need to realize is that both of these teams have been extremely dominant in these playoffs. Golden State has lost one game at home and three games total, while the Cavs dropped two games to the Bulls and notched two sweeps in their other series. Cleveland has been more impressive overall, as they’ve done it all without Kevin Love, missed J.R. Smith for two games (suspension) and have had a hobbled Kyrie Irving. This is largely why I’m picking the Cavs to win the serioes. But game one, I feel, is in Golden State’s favor. They’re at home, they’ve lost three games all year at Oracle Arena and that crowd is going to be hoppin‘.

Both of these teams can run the floor and play in halfcourt sets, they can hit outside shots and they can defend. Neither have a real go-to inside scorer and prefer to shoot jumpers and play perimeter offense. In a sense, they’re the worst/best possible opponent for each other and there’s a very good chance they push each other to the brink right away, starting in game one. I’m expecting a six game series at the very least and I personally am pulling for the Warriors (I’m sick of James getting to/winning Finals, okay?). But more importantly, the Warriors are just more fun to watch. Curry is really only going to be stopped in this series if LeBron James is guarding him and I think the Warriors have the arsenal of defenders (Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes) to throw on James and weigh him down. That will all work for at least game one and heck, maybe for the entire series.

I like the Total tonight (203), and I like it a lot. I’d chase that all day and I’ll also take the Cavs against the spread (Warriors -6 favorites), but Golden State straight up. I’m expecting a high-scoring but close affair. Both of these teams will be extremely focused and they know the importance of this first game. I just think Golden State is the better overall team and they’re extremely tough to beat at home. Cleveland could figure that out eventually, but not in game one.

Pick: Warriors 106, Cavs 104

The 2015 NBA Finals haven’t even gotten started yet and other NBA teams are already planning their futures. That seems to be necessary if the team that aren’t playing in the final series of the NBA season want to change that, come next season. The Chicago Bulls have been one of those active teams, as they decided to cut loose head coach Tom Thibodeau last week and now have finally come to terms with his long-term replacement.

Per reports, the Bulls have decided on former Iowa State head coach and NBA player Fred Hoiberg, who agreed to a five-year, $25 million deal.

Youth Movement

Hoiberg is next in a long line of young coaching hires that include big names like Brian Shaw, Derek Fisher, Jason Kidd and Steve Kerr. Shaw has since been fired after joining the Denver Nuggets only a few years ago, Fisher suffered through a rough first season with the New York Knicks and Jason Kidd has coached two different teams in his first two seasons as a coach. He did, however, lead both to the playoffs and may be the best of the crop of young coaches. Kerr isn’t necessarily young by coaching standards, but was signed on as a rookie coach with the Golden State Warriors, who are now playing for the 2015 NBA Finals in his very first season.

It’s possible the Bulls could be following a similar recipe, and trying to land elite coaching talent before it’s molded by someone or something else. That could work out in Hoiberg’s case when you look at his recent resume, or it could backfire horribly.

Hoiberg’s Resume

Hoiberg wrapped up a solid five-year run at Iowa State, where he also spent his college career. During that time Hoiberg’s teams were known for their up-tempo and efficient offenses and Hoiberg displayed sound in-game management and an ability to get through to his players in crunch time. Hoiberg’s Cyclones progressed ever season he was at the helm, as they cracked the Men’s NCAA tourney in his final four years and even advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013.

While Hoiberg’s coaching looks spot on, his playing days (with the Bulls, among other teams) showcased what kind of coach he would set out to be. Hoiberg became known for his hustle play and even developed into a lights out three-point specialist. Hoiberg spent time with the Bulls from 1999-2003 before retiring with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005.

Finals Bound?

We know Hoiberg can coach at the college level and at 42 years old, he’s a solid investment for the future for a Bulls franchise that was looking for a quality, long-term answer. The big question is if his coaching will translate to the NBA level and whether his new team will buy into his system. Obviously Chicago believes this will happen, and if it does, Hoiberg could easily turn into another success story when it comes to rookie coaches. Chicago is built to make title runs, after all, as they boast a studly starting five featuring Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah. There could be change in that unit and the overall roster before the 2015-16 NBA season hits, but if it works off the signing of Hoiberg, it might be for the best.

There is no telling if Hoiberg will come in and be the next Kidd or Kerr and lead his team to the playoffs or further. However, the Bulls had clearly plateaued with Thibodeau and the time to move on had come. It seems the Bulls found a more than suitable replacement and from here all they can do is surround him with a team that can win.

It’s insanely early to seriously look at week one of the NFL. We don’t even know the outcome of some key position battles, we don’t know if Tom Brady’s suspension will stick and numerous injuries could re-shape the landscape of how we see pro football at the moment. Of course, it’s really never too early to look ahead, though, and if you have a pretty good feeling about a game, the earlier you can place a bet, sometimes it’s for the better.

Regardless of when you plan on conducting your NFL betting, we have a few upsets for week one we’ll be monitoring as we get closer and closer to the first slate of games. There’s only so many pro football games in a year, after all, so time’s a wasting. There are some good lines to start with that we think can be taken advantage of. Let’s break them down and see what upsets are worth attacking for the first week of 2015:

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys (Favorite: Dallas, -5.5)

Dallas has to be on upset alert for several reasons in this week one battle. They lost stud rusher DeMarco Murray in free agency and don’t have a clear answer, for one, their defense is still a question mark and they could come out slow after fizzling in the playoffs last year. On top of that, the G-Men closed 2014 strong and look much better on paper heading into 2015. These divisional contests tend to be toss-ups, too, while the road team seems to often find a way to pull out the win. Even if the Giants can’t get the upset win, they could be a good bet ATS.

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos (Denver, -4)

Peyton Manning seemed to regress last year, the Broncos lost numerous players to free agency and injury and the Ravens are one of the more balanced teams in the entire league. Baltimore absolutely is a strong bet to pull off a week one upset and we should get a pretty good indication of who the Broncos are out of this game. The interesting under-lying storyline will be Gary Kubiak taking on the team he just helped a year ago. That could mean Denver shuts down Baltimore’s offense, but I still like the Ravens to keep this one close and possibly earn the upset.

Minnesota Vikings @ San Francisco 49ers (San Francisco, -4)

The 49ers took a big step back last year, have a new coach in town and still don’t really know what they have in Colin Kaepernick. The Niners also lost Frank Gore, the Vikes might have Adrian Peterson back and it’s very possible these are just two NFC teams going in very opposite directions. Winning in San Francisco is quite a big step for Teddy Bridgewater and co., but with a rising defense and weapons to work with on offense, Minnesota is shaping up as a real threat. They could show why right away with a big road win over the Niners.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots (New England, -2.5)

This is a tricky game to get in on the ground floor, as it remains a possibility that Tom Brady gets his suspension wiped out. If that happened, few are going to feel great about the Steelers marching into Foxboro and getting a huge road win to start the year. However, as it stands, the Steelers would be facing second-year passer Jimmy Garappolo and that could play hugely into their favor.

Pittsburgh will be short-handed themselves with running back Le’Veon Bell serving his own suspension, but they’d be facing a young quarterback and a Patriots defense that lost several huge names to free agency. It’s not a huge line to attack and it’s always tough to go against the defending champs, but if Brady remains out, the Steelers are going to be one of the most active underdogs for the opening week.