NBA Championship Betting Odds, Lines, Props, & Parlays
We’re in the final stretch of the NBA BETTING season with just over a month left before the playoffs. The trade deadline is behind us and most of the big names from the buyout market have found new homes. At the moment we have a pretty good idea of what each of the contenders will bring into the postseason. With rosters mostly settled, it’s the perfect time to check the current NBA championship odds.
What Are The NBA Championship Betting Odds?
For the better part of the season, the Lakers stood as favorites to win it all. However, after injuries to Lebron James and Anthony Davis, it’s the Nets that lead the contenders. Here are the current odds for each team to win Larry O’Brien Trophy:
Brooklyn Nets +250
Los Angeles Lakers +350
Los Angeles Clippers +650
Utah Jazz +950
Milwaukee Bucks +1000
Denver Nuggets +1200
Philadelphia 76ers +1400
Phoenix Suns +2200
Miami Heat +3000
Dallas Mavericks +5000
Boston Celtics +6000
Portland Trail Blazers +6000
Golden State Warriors +12500
Indiana Pacers +12500
Toronto Raptors +15000
Atlanta Hawks +20000
Chicago Bulls +25000
San Antonio Spurs +25000
New Orleans Pelicans +25000
New York Knicks +30000
Charlotte Hornets +30000
Memphis Grizzlies +30000
Washington Wizards +30000
Sacramento Kings +75000
Cleveland Cavaliers +100000
Oklahoma City Thunder +100000
Detroit Pistons +200000
Houston Rockets +200000
Orlando Magic +200000
Minnesota Timberwolves +250000
Why Are the Nets Favored?
At the moment, no NBA team can match the level of talent Brooklyn has on its roster. The last time we saw three stars as big as Durant, Irving, and Harden together was in the Miami Big Three era. The Nets’ odds of winning the championship were at +450 in January but have dropped to only +250 since. Since Harden joined the team they posted a 28-11 record. The Nets played most of these games without Kevin Durant. In fact, the three stars played under 200 minutes together. We can only imagine how good they’ll be with all of them healthy.
The key to Brooklyn’s success is that all three key players have been willing to adjust their game for the better of the team. Harden is the primary playmaker, with Durant and Irving mostly playing off the ball. The Beard leads the league in assist with 11.1 per game. However, in lineups without Irving and Durant, he returns to the iso-heavy play we usually saw in Houston. With his performances since arriving at Brooklyn, Harden has played himself into serious MVP consideration.
Right now, Harden is nursing the injured hamstring and will be out for at least another week. But, Durant came back last week and will surely prove once again why he’s perhaps the best offensive player in the world. He’ll also add some much-needed toughness on defense.
Besides the Big Three, the Nets also feature a couple of perfect complementary role players in Harris, Green, and Brown. In another case of the rich getting richer, they added former all-stars Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge to the roster in the buyout market.
If you took the Nets at +450, you certainly got the great value. At +250, they may be worth a shot, but there are some issues to consider. Offensively, they’re unstoppable, even without one of the stars. But, they’re only 25th in the league in defensive rating. Also, they have a rookie coach, untested in the playoffs. And, there are, of course, health issues to consider. Playing in the East certainly helps, with only Milwaukee and Philadelphia as realistic challengers.
Can the Lakers Win Again?
Injuries to their stars caused the Lakers to drop to second place in the contenders ranking. Still, when healthy, they undoubtedly feature the best duo in the league. Both LeBron and AD should be ready for the playoffs which should make the Lakers No.1 favorites again. In addition to two superstars, they feature an even stronger supporting cast than last year. KCP, Kuzma, and Markieff Morris are still here, while offseason additions Schroder and Harell add some much-needed offense to the second unit. The buyout acquisition of Andre Drummond will make them tougher under the rim.
LA is currently fifth in the West with a tendency to drop even further before the return of their superstars. Especially since they will be likely be brought back slowly to minimize the risk before the postseason. However, with the restricted audiences, the home-court advantage may not be that important this year. They’ll have to face a murderers’ row of opponents in the conference, but +350 may be a great value. Still, it’s probably best to wait a bit until we get more accurate timetables for the return of their two key players.
Is Utah the Real Contender?
The most dominant regular-season team, Utah Jazz, still doesn’t seem to get due respect from the oddsmakers and fans. They currently lead the league with a 40-13 record. Still, they are priced at +950 to win the championship. Plus, they’ve accomplished all that in the ridiculously loaded West.
They say that the defense wins championships and it’s been Utah’s calling card for the past few years. This season, they’re ranking fourth in scoring defense with 107.2 points allowed per game. Of course, the defensive schemes revolve around the leading DPOY contender Rudy Gobert who’s having another incredible season. However, unlike previous years, the Jazz are now also a serious threat on offense. Mike Conley is back to his Memphis form and Donovan Mitchell is unstoppable. The two are surrounded by a roster of shooters and the Jazz shoot the most threes in the league. They’re also fourth in 3pt percentage. Rejuvenated Jordan Clarkson adds a scoring punch from the bench. The shooting guard is the leading contender for the 6th Man of the Year Award.
Utah’s preseason championship odds of +4500 now seem like a joke. The current odds of +950 still offer plenty of value, especially since their regular-season form seems translatable to the playoffs.
