The play-in teams in the Western Conference are already making some noise, as ninth-place New Orleans swiped the eighth seed from the Clippers – and then went to Phoenix and got the road split, bringing the series back to the Crescent City tied at a game apiece. The Minnesota Timberwolves took the seventh seed and then went to Memphis to put up 130 points on the Grizzlies in a series-opening win. The Grizzlies evened the series at a game apiece, but putting the Timberwolves away will be more difficult than teams anticipated. In the East, Atlanta has lost a pair of ugly games in Miami, while Brooklyn lost the opener in Boston, so those play-in teams are still looking for a win in bracket play. Check out the updated NBA betting odds for each of the teams remaining in contention to win the NBA championship, along with insights about some of the sides.
NBA News: Updated Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Phoenix Suns | +300 |
| Golden State Warriors | +375 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +450 |
| Boston Celtics | +750 |
| Miami Heat | +800 |
| Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers | +1400 |
| Utah Jazz | +3500 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +4000 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +10000 |
| Denver Nuggets | +12500 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +15000 |
| Toronto Raptors | +20000 |
| Chicago Bulls | +25000 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +35000 |
Did you know that Chris Paul has lost 14 straight games in which NBA referee Scott Foster has been an official? Given how well the Phoenix Suns have played with Paul – and how well Paul’s recent teams have played – you have to wonder about this, whether it affects Paul’s preparation and performance. Foster was on the floor in the Suns’ Game 2 loss to New Orleans, and now the Pelicans have swiped home court advantage, at least for now. I expect the Suns to restore order, as they led by 20 for much of Game 1. The games in New Orleans won’t be that easy, but it’s not time to predict an upset.
The Miami Heat are getting the best of Jimmy Butler right now. He had 21 points in their Game 2 win over Atlanta, and then he took over in Game 2, putting up 45 points in a 115-105 victory that has the Hawks in trouble even before they get to play a home game. For Heat fans, it looks like Butler has shaken off the frustration that had him almost get into a fight with coach Erik Spoelstra near the end of the regular season – during a game, no less. The Heat look locked in.
Philadelphia remains an interesting value pick, although the payoff has narrowed in the last few days. We expect to see big numbers from Joel Embiid and James Harden, but it was Tyrese Maxey who hung 38, a playoff career best, in a 20-point win over the Raptors in Game 1. Harden had 22 points and 14 assists, and Embiid had 19 points and 15 boards, but getting this kind of help from the role players will make a deep run for the 76ers even easier.
Boston finished the season with the best record of any team in their last 35 games (27-8). Their “reward” for this was a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets, who have been underperforming much of the season and had to get out of the play-in to make the bracket. In Game 1, there were 19 lead changes, the most important coming at the buzzer, with Jayson Tatum hitting a bucket to seal the one-point win, finishing a 31-point, eight-assist night. It remains to be seen if they can escape the duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to get to the second round, but they do have one of the better defenses in the East.
Golden State has a new scoring star emerging in these playoffs – Jordan Poole, who put up 30 in Game 1, as the Warriors beat Denver, 123-107. With Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry finally on the court at the same time – the trio had just managed eight quarters together during the regular season – Poole’s arrival is just more bad news for Denver, and possibly the rest of the West. After all, the Warriors have never lost a postseason series in which Thompson, Green and Curry play in every game.
NBA Betting Odds
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