NBA Championship Best Bets Before The Playoffs
The NBA has reached its annual postseason fanfare, with 20 teams fighting for a chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy come June.
There are plenty of teams that have a chance at this ultimate prize, while others are trying to separate themselves from the bunch. Let’s try and predict the future with these best bets to win the NBA championship ahead of the postseason.
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NBA Finals Odds
Boston Celtics +165
This is perhaps the first time I can ever remember odds being this short for a team to win the NBA title entering the playoffs. The Boston Celtics have proved to be on their own perch, boasting what is likely the best starting five in the entire league. Following up on a 64-18 regular season, they’re ready for more.
The Celtics are great at basketball, headlined by star Jayson Tatum, who’s attempting to bring this team a championship after one of their greatest regular seasons ever. Tatum is piecing together an MVP caliber season, averaging 26.9 points per game (7th), 8.1 rebounds (24th) and 4.9 assists (43rd). His counterparts Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis have both been significant, averaging over 20 PPG. Jrue Holiday and Derrick White add to the efficiency of this incredible starting unit.
Beyond the Celtics, the East looks somewhat deflated. There’s a reason why this team is -190 to win the conference. Milwaukee was looking like a threat, but will be without Giannis for some of the playoffs. Philadelphia perhaps could make a charge with Joel Embiid but must get out of the play-in first. This Boston team should reign supreme and is without a doubt the NBA’s best entering the playoffs. If you have the bankroll, this is a confident championship bet.
Los Angeles Clippers +1400
The West is going to be a cutthroat conference all spring during the postseason. The Denver Nuggets sit at the top by a significant margin in the odds, but I’m thinking someone spoils their repeat bid. One of the squads I’m really interested in are the Los Angeles Clippers.
This team has depth and can go toe to toe with any of the other West teams. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden all lead the way with their scoring abilities and savvy decision making. Off the bench comes Russell Westbrook and sixth man of the year candidate Norman Powell, who are key roleplayers for this Clippers team. The road is going to be tough in these playoffs, but they have the talent on this roster.
The Clippers are relatively efficient on both sides of the ball. They rank 10th in the NBA in opponent points per game (112.3) and their offensive efficiency is good for 4th. For the first time, it feels like this roster is fully healthy and has a legitimate chance to chase down a title. The West feels like it’s anyone’s game, despite the Nuggets being looked at as the overwhelming favorite by oddsmakers. I like the exceptional value here for a Clippers team that can be very sneaky in the playoffs.
Phoenix Suns +1900
There’s another West team that intrigues me for the value. The Phoenix Suns were at the top of the list preseason to win the Finals, but the team's regular season was somewhat underwhelming based on expectations of it being a title or bust type of season. The Suns finished with a record of 49-33.
One thing that has to be emphasized about the NBA, the Playoffs are completely different.
There is more energy, physicality and chemistry out on the court. The regular season in the NBA can be deceiving because some teams don’t push the effort to 100 percent. We saw this with the Suns lack of defense during the regular season as they blew multiple games in the 4th quarter and ranked 13th in the NBA allowing 113.2 points on average to their opponents.
Despite those concerns, this Phoenix team is capable of making a run with their offensive prowess.
I’m not going to doubt a Kevin Durant and Devin Booker led team in the springtime months. They’ve been down this road before, and are about to go on another playoff journey together. The Suns rank 11th in offensive efficiency and 5th in three point shooting (38.2 percent). That’s convincing enough to throw a small unit size on them with incredible value in this spot.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.