If you’re looking at the odds then laying down money on the NBA championship for next season before taking into account the draft, off-season trades, and where players land during free agency, then you’re brave. Or stupid. Or, just a die-hard fan of the team you bet on. Or some combination of all that.
We don’t even know when next season will start, but the early NBA championship odds are out.
Not surprisingly the Lakers are the favorites — they are the defending champions and will have LeBron James and Anthony Davis back. Oddsmakers have the Clippers and their new coach (whoever it is) and the finally-healthy Warriors not far behind the Lakers in the West. You may also notice not a lot of respect for James Harden and the Rockets, who are sixth among teams in the West.
The oddsmakers do not like the Heat’s chances of making it back to the Finals and winning it this time. The Bucks, Nets, and Celtics are all lower odds to be champs than the Heat are to repeat their bubble magic. Doc Rivers is not getting a lot of love with his move to Philly — or oddsmakers don’t trust the Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons pairing — as the 76ers are projected sixth in the East.
Here’s a look at next season’s championship odds. The odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet.
Los Angeles Lakers +350
Los Angeles Clippers +450
Milwaukee Bucks +550
Golden State Warriors +650
Brooklyn Nets +900
Boston Celtics +1100
Miami Heat +1300
Toronto Raptors +1600
Denver Nuggets +2000
Dallas Mavericks +2200
Houston Rockets +2200
Philadelphia 76ers +2800
Utah Jazz +3300
New Orleans Pelicans +5000
Portland Trail Blazers +5000
Phoenix Suns +6600
Oklahoma City Thunder +8000
Indiana Pacers +9000
Memphis Grizzlies +9000
Atlanta Hawks +15000
Chicago Bulls +15000
Minnesota Timberwolves +15000
Orlando Magic +15000
Sacramento Kings +15000
San Antonio Spurs +15000
Washington Wizards +15000
Cleveland Cavaliers +20000
Detroit Pistons +20000
Charlotte Hornets +30000
New York Knicks +30000
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