NBA Championship Odds Update: Nets Without Irving Favorites

The 2022 NBA season has gotten off to a furious start, with fans trickling back into full-capacity stadiums for the first time in over a year.

Among the many headlines, several of the preseason favorites for the upcoming Larry O’Brien trophy have been having rough starts to the season; the Phoenix Suns have been the exception, surging behind an 11-game win streak.

Although the picture is not as clear as many thought that it would be, there are a few familiar faces still leading the way, while an MVP charge from Stephen Curry has added one more contender to the favorites.

Here are the top five teams in the updated 2022 NBA Championship odds.

NBA Betting Update | Odds to Win the 2021-22 Championship

Brooklyn Nets (+240)

Kyrie Irving or no Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets are the out-and-out favorite for the 2022 NBA championship thanks to All-Stars Kevin Durant and James Harden and a talented supporting cast that features Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Patty Mills, among others.

The Nets currently lead the Eastern Conference at 12-5 and have the best road record of their competitors.

Los Angeles Lakers (+535)

The Los Angeles Lakers just might have the greatest boom-or-bust potential of every team on this list; right now, they are only 8-9, and LeBron James has already missed ten games with different injuries. LA’s defense is also among the worst in the paint and often relinquishes staggering bursts, which has been a major contributor to their early-season struggles.

Still, this roster has two former MVPs, a generational talent, and plenty of experienced veterans that should get better as the season progresses— not to mention the potential additions that will come at the trade deadline.

Golden State Warriors (+580)

No team in the NBA has a better record than the 14-2 Golden State Warriors, and they are getting Klay Thompson back around Christmas time. Jordan Poole’s development has been crucial in the Warriors’ overachieving, and Stephen Curry has to be the frontrunner for his third MVP award.

The most impressive of Golden State’s squad is their defensive tenacity, and they now look fairly similar to the dynasty they had before Kevin Durant joined.

Milwaukee Bucks (+710)

Last year’s Finals winners are only a game above .500 at 9-8, but their recent 109-102 win over the Lakers, a game in which Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 47 points, reminded the world as to how lethal they can be when they are fully healthy.

The biggest roadblock for Milwaukee reaching a second-straight championship is the team atop the odds list, the Brooklyn Nets, who they will likely have to beat once again after they knocked them out in seven games last year.

Utah Jazz (+930)

The Utah Jazz are currently third in the Western Conference at 11-5 and have officially established themselves as a perennial threat to the league’s leaders. They play tough defense, share the ball, and last year, they made more threes than any team in the league.

Donovan Mitchell will have to be the best player on the court for them to fulfill their championship aspirations, but he has some serious help from last year’s Sixth Man of the Year, Jordan Clarkson.