The 20 teams headed to the NBA postseason are set, although some movement is still possible in the seedings, as most teams have either two or three games left on the schedule. In the Eastern Conference, any of the top four teams could still end up with the top seed; in the Western Conference, Denver has yet to clinch the sixth spot and could end up ceding it to Minnesota and fall into the play-in tournament. Let’s take a look at the updated NBA betting odds for the 20 remaining teams to win the NBA championship and talk about some team trends.
NBA News: Updated Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
| Phoenix Suns | +300 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +500 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +700 |
| Boston Celtics | +900 |
| Golden State Warriors | +1000 |
| Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat | +1100 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +1400 |
| Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets | +2500 |
| Utah Jazz | +2800 |
| L.A. Clippers | +3500 |
| Chicago Bulls | +6600 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors | +8000 |
| Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers | +12500 |
| New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets | +25000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +50000 |
Phoenix is the clear favorite for a reason. They sewed up the best record in the NBA a couple of weeks ago, and that combination of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton has produced a formula that is tough to stop. However, a solid value pick is the Memphis Grizzlies. They have the second-best overall record in the league, and they also have the second-best record against opponents with winning records. Why are their odds so high? They don’t play in a large media market, and they don’t have a reputation for advancing in the postseason. Their top scorer, Ja Morant, has been out since March 18 with a knee injury. However, he is expected to return for the playoffs, but the Grizzlies haven’t missed a beat; in games without Morant this season, Memphis is 20-2. This is a team that will surprise a lot of people and could pay off big-time for bettors.
Is Brooklyn overrated? That question really boils down to what you think of Kyrie Irving. He can handle the ball and score at an elite level. He has performed on the game’s biggest stage, knocking down the game-winner in the last game of the NBA Finals in 2016 to bring an NBA championship to Cleveland. He also broke the 60-point barrier in an NBA game this season. However, there are the intangible factors at work, such as the extended personal absences, ther refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine (which would have allowed him to play home games with his team all season). Kevin Durant is also an elite scorer – and an elite performer, without the same sort of questions that dog Irving, who forced his way out of both Cleveland and Boston, leaving both of those teams with gaping holes in the lineup. It’s hard to say that the Nets can even come out of the East, let alone win a title, without Ben Simmons.
What about Dallas? The team started 16-18 but just picked up its 50th win with two games remaining on the schedule. Since January 1, the Mavericks have been one of the top teams in the league. The only teams in the West that they have consistently struggled with since the calendar flipped are Phoenix and Memphis, but everyone has struggled with them. Over the last few weeks, they have shown more of a lockdown defense, and Luka Doncic has exploded on offense. Since January 1, he is averaging 291 points per game, along with 10.1 rebounds and 9.0 assists.
Players such as Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell, and Jalen Brunson have also contributed on offense, and Reggie Bullock has led a culture change toward tougher defense. This is another value pick that is worth a long look.
NBA Betting Odds
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