Miami Heat are 2-1 favorites to win 2014 championship
By Corey Leahy
According to the odds maker Bovada, the two-time defending champions Miami Heat are big favorites to win it again. At 2-1, they are ahead of every other team, and are seen as potential three-peat contenders.
The next two teams with the highest odds are the Chicago Bulls, who have D-Rose returning, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have lost Russell Westbrook due to injury. They are both tied with 8-1 odds to win the championship.
The rest of the highest group is rounded out by the Clippers (9-1), Rockets (10-1), Pacers (10-1), and Nets (10-1).
Last season, the Heat were listed as 11-5 favorites to win the title, and that’s exactly what they did.
But where there’s a top of the list, there’s always a bottom. This year, the Bobcats, Magic, Sixers, Suns, and Kings made up that list. Charlotte and Orlando are listed as 500-1, while Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Sacramento are at 300-1 odds.
It will be an interesting season to say the least, an team could end up anywhere in the rankings. So many teams got new players, and other lost key players. The Heat will continue to be one of the favorites every year as long as they have LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, so I don’t expect to see their name drop to the bottom of the pool anytime soon.