It’s an exciting time on the court as the NBA Playoffs are just a few days away. After a long season with plenty of action and highlights, it’s time for the best of the best to take the court in search of reaching the NBA Finals. Let’s get into a brief overview of the odds, analysis, and picks for the playoffs.
NBA Finals Odds And Latest Betting Lines
Here are the current odds for each team to win the NBA Finals, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
- Boston Celtics +165
- Denver Nuggets +300
- Dallas Mavericks +1500
- Los Angeles Clippers +1500
- Milwaukee Bucks +1500
- Oklahoma City Thunder +1600
- Philadelphia 76ers +1600
- Minnesota Timberwolves +1900
- Phoenix Suns +1900
- Los Angeles Lakers +2900
- New York Knicks +3300
- Cleveland Cavaliers +4200
- Miami Heat +4200
- Indiana Pacers +9000
- Sacramento Kings +10000
- New Orleans Pelicans +12000
- Orlando Magic +16000
- Chicago Bulls +100000
- Atlanta Hawks +100000
To no surprise, the Celtics find themselves as the heavy favorite to win the title. Boston had a historic regular season with a 64-18 record and a stunning 37-4 record on home court. The Celtics are also clear-cut favorites to win the Eastern Conference Finals, but the more interesting battle happens out west.
The Denver Nuggets appear to be the only team that oddsmakers believe can put up a fight against the Celtics, but the Mavericks, Clippers, and Thunder are not far behind. The Western Conference could feature plenty of upsets with the amount of talent on each roster. However, it brings us back to the same question: can anybody beat the Celtics in seven games?
NBA Playoffs Preview: Boston Celtics +165
As mentioned earlier, the Celtics have high expectations in the playoffs after a phenomenal regular season. While most teams have nothing to lose as they begin the playoffs, it feels different in Boston. With the All-Star stacked lineup and deep bench, it seems like a title-or-bust type of season for the Celtics.
Boston has bullied its way through the regular season and shouldn't have too hard of a path to get to the NBA Finals. Between Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics have arguably the best starting lineup of any playoff team. It seems hard to imagine that a team could beat the Celtics four times in a seven game series.
NBA Playoffs Preview: Denver Nuggets +300
The Western Conference is much more interesting than the East. For example, the Nuggets are viewed as the best chance to defeat the high and mighty Celtics, yet they didn’t even finish in sole first place in the conference. The Thunder tied the Nuggets with the same record, and the Timberwolves finished one game back of both teams.
However, the Nuggets remain the team to beat in the West for one major reason - Nikola Jokic. The two-time MVP nearly averaged a triple-double in the regular season and is backed up by Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Those three players could lead Denver to another conference championship, but will it be good enough to beat Boston?
NBA Playoffs Preview: Dallas Mavericks +1500
A team that has Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic should never be counted out. The Dallas duo was fantastic in the regular season and led the Mavericks to a fifth-place finish in the conference. Doncic finished the season averaging over 33 points per game and nearly a triple-double too.
He is the life and soul of the Dallas offense, but he’s going to need some help from Irving and the rest of the starting five if the Mavericks don’t want to be a one-and-done. Irving was a solid contributor with 25.6 points per game this season which was his lowest season average since he was on the Celtics. If Luka can stay hot and Irving does his job, the Mavericks could make some noise in the west.
NBA Playoffs Preview: Los Angeles Clippers +1500
The Clippers are loaded with talent, yet that talent never seems to be healthy. Los Angeles has Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, but the group never seems to be healthy at the same time.
Leonard and George have dealt with knee injuries for most of the season, Harden has a banged-up foot, and Westbrook injured his hand a few weeks ago. Leonard is questionable to play in the first few games of the playoffs as he continues to rehab his knee. Health will be the biggest enemy for this team down the stretch.
NBA Playoffs Preview: Milwaukee Bucks +1500
Things have gone from bad to worse in Milwaukee. The Bucks were expected to challenge the Celtics for the Eastern Conference, but Milwaukee has been a non-factor in the race. The new star duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard didn’t go as smoothly in their first season as many anticipated. Lillard didn’t seem his usual self on offense and never seemed to develop chemistry with Giannis.
With that said, Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury a few days ago that appears to be very serious. It seems the Bucks are preparing to play the first series of the playoffs without Giannis, and that would leave a lot of responsibility for Lillard and Khris Middleton. Antetokounmpo is the heart of the Bucks offense, so it could be a quick trip to the playoffs if Milwaukee isn’t careful.
NBA Finals Best Bet: Boston Celtics +165
The Celtics are the team to beat in the playoffs. Because of their relatively easy path through the Eastern Conference, the Celtics won’t be as banged up as several of the Western Conference teams. Plus, Boston has a deep bench with plenty of talents like Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Al Horford, and that will give the starting five the chance to rest.
In a seven game series, the Celtics should be able to beat any team in the NBA because of their starting lineup, bench depth, and excellent coaching. Even at short odds, the Celtics are worth a bet as long as they are in plus odds.
BOSTON CELTICS TO WIN NBA FINALS
NBA Finals Longshot Bet: Oklahoma City Thunder +1600
One of the youngest teams in the league also happens to be one of the best. The Thunder had a great regular season as they finished with a 57-25 record and tied for first in the Western Conference. Led by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder have plenty of offensive firepower and can score at least 120 points on any given night.
Along with Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder also have former first-round pick Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey in the starting lineup. Oklahoma City has plenty of youth, but almost no playoff experience. It won’t be an easy path to the NBA Finals, but the Thunder have proved that they can beat some of the best teams in basketball. At +1600, OKC is worth a sprinkle.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER TO WIN NBA FINALS
