The NBA season is currently in full swing. Since its kick-off on October 18, 2022, various teams have already made headlines as they slowly push toward the Finals in June. Only the best of every division will finally get a chance in the playoffs to secure their spot for the NBA Finals.
As early in this season, bettors, sportsbooks, and fans have already gathered in trying to determine the final teams who will get to play in the playoffs and the Finals. NBA odds and future betting lines were presented to the public.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics appeared in the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, losing 103-90. Their key players for the 2021-22 NBA season were Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and Robert Williams. Ime Udoka, the Celtics Head Coach was suspended for violations of team policies. So, the Celtics are now under a new head coach, Joe Mazzulla.
Although they lost the last season this year, the Celtics are still one of the favorites to win the 2023 NBA Finals with a +338 average odds. The team is in first place in the NBA standings with 38-16 under their name. They started the season with a relatively good 25-10 record but suddenly faltered in the next ten games with 5-5. Nonetheless, they’ve maintained their NBA standing and continue to possess the NBA’s best net rating and record.
Denver Nuggets
Next on this list are the Denver Nuggets, with an average odds of +700. Predictions state that the Nuggets have a solid chance to appear in the Playoffs or the Finals if Nikola Jokic stays healthy. This year too, he’s in his top condition, playing at an MVP-level streak for three seasons straight. Aside from that, they have the upper hand if the Memphis Grizzlies also remain second in the Western Conference.
After the continuing struggles between the Warriors and the Suns, the Nuggets have been steadily doing well, finally taking over the Western Conference. Although they have never won a championship before, they’ve shown their skills by making 25 appearances in the playoffs.
If all goes well and Jokic stays formidable as he is, the Nuggets can continue to walk through the bright end of the tunnel for this season.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks were the league champion in the 2020-21 season of the NBA. They had the chance to defend their title in the 2021-22 NBA season, but Khris Middleton faced an injury, which significantly affected their performance against Celtics during the 2022 Playoffs. Nonetheless, with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Bucks, they’re still one of the favorites to win in the 2023 NBA Finals.
The Bucks continued to prove their strong power as they started the season successfully. The team made a 9-1 record in their last ten contests and had a seven-day win streak. As of this writing, they’re currently holding a 37-17 record, sitting just below the Celtics and above the 76ers in the Eastern Conference, which makes the “Big Three” present for the Playoffs if all things go well for them.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are sitting in second place in Western Conference of the current NBA standings with an average of +1060 odds. Currently holding a 33-21 record, they have a 2-8 record for their recent games, which is not very nice for a team who might make it to the postseason.
Aside from that, they were also featured in several sports headlines for all the wrong reasons. Nonetheless, they made it to the top five in the current standings, so there might still be a good chance for them to redeem themselves before the end of the regular season.
Still, you shouldn’t take the Grizzlies lightly. The ever-capable Ja Morant is still currently actively playing, and with him on the stage, the team has a good chance of winning their games.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers (LA Clippers) are also one of the favorites to win the 2022-23 NBA Finals with an average odds of +1100. With the recent acquisitions of Bones Hyland, Mason Plumlee, and Eric Gordon, the Clippers fill in their roster with youth, additional rebounding, and 3-point shooting.
If the team continues to do well for the remaining weeks, they may be able to defend their spot, make another appearance in the playoffs, and finally, have the chance to win their very first NBA title.
Final Thoughts
With the Golden State Warriors out of the favorites to win, will they still be able to defend their title and earn their fifth title in nine seasons, or will there be a new winner this time? As new events continue to unfold during the season, different candidates to win the FInals continue to change each time.
Nonetheless, these five teams were considered the favorites, and despite the unfortunate news coming their way, many people still expected from them. What do you think?