NBA Finals Odds Favorites, Dark Horses, Longshots

We are now heading down the home stretch in the NBA regular season, with the playoffs now very much in sight. If you haven’t already wagered on who you think will win the NBA Championship, now might be a good time to think about putting some money down. This is especially true if you are looking at one of the current favorites, as it’s likely that those teams will see their NBA Championship odds continue to shorten with each new batch of wins. We thought it might be a good idea to take a look at the current odds and try to break down how things might play out. Keep in mind that the standings are going to change, with the battle for seedings and home court advantage set to heat up.

Betting Favorites, Dark Horses and Potential Surprises for the NBA Championship

The Favorites

Starting off in the Eastern Conference, it looks as though we are down to a 2-horse race, with the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks tied at the top. The Bucks have seen their odds really begin to shrink, as they are currently on a 14-game win streak and seem like a bit of a steal right now at odds of +480. The Celtics are still in as the favorite at odds of +280, but if they end up losing the #1 seed, those odds might just move in your favor.

Over in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets have a 5 ½ game lead, but they are not the favorite in the West, with that label going to the Phoenix Suns, who are at +420. The Nuggets are currently in at odds of +690.

The Dark Horses

While we understand that there are a pair of clear favorites in the East, there are a couple of teams who could make some noise in the postseason. There is a definite pick that I am saving for the surprise section of this piece, but outside of them, you could also make a case for the Philadelphia 76ers (+1100) or the Cleveland Cavaliers (+2500). It’s tough to see beyond the top two right now, but there are definitely options.

The Phoenix Suns need to go down as a dark horse right now regardless of their current odds. They have had to battle against injury issues all season long, but they are getting healthy and on the rise. Can they stay healthy, though? The Sacramento Kings (+3500) are also a potential dark horse in the West.

The Longshots

Okay, let’s take a look at both conferences to see if we can identify a lower seed that might make some noise. I am not counting any teams in the play-in zone at the moment, as that thing is a crapshoot. In the Eastern Conference, how about the New York Knicks (+14000). Yes, they are a huge longshot, and while I’m not suggesting they will win it all, the could make some noise. The Knicks, who are currently seeded #5 have a better conference record than the Bucks and are 6 games above .500 on the road.

In the West, the Dallas Mavericks (+1675) are down in the #6 spot. Their road record is a concern, but they have been solid in conference games, going 24-17, which is second only to the Denver Nuggets.