A Close Look at the Updated 2016 NBA Championship Odds

It’s a very good time of year for those who like the championship rounds in sports, as we have the NHL and NBA both now ready to close out the season with their main event. While the betting lines have already been decided for the Stanley Cup Final, we are still waiting for the NBA Western Conference Final to be decided before we can see who will head in as the NBA betting lines favorite for the Championship series. The Cleveland Cavaliers are now just sitting back and waiting to see who the winner of the massive Game 7 in the West will be, as the Golden State Warrior look to complete the comeback from 3-1 down in their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. By the time the last barbecues have been snugged out for the night on Memorial Day, we will know who will be matched up in the NBA Finals.

Reviewing the Updated 2016 NBA Championship Odds

The @cavs are crowned Eastern Conference Champs! https://t.co/uBsKU0XpkY

— NBA (@NBA) May 28, 2016

A closer look at the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers look a much better bet to win the NBA Finals than they did during the regular season. Despite winning the Eastern Conference in rather comfortable fashion, the talk was that this was a team lacking in harmony, and therefore lacking the basic elements of a champion. There aren’t many people saying that now, as the Cavs breezed through the playoffs in some style. They actually won 10 straight games in the postseason before dropping a pair on the road against Toronto. Unbeaten at home so far, this is a formidable team that has been shooting the lights out during postseason play. You get the sense now that this was a team that was just waiting for the postseason to arrive so that they could step things up a notch and quiet the critics. The trio of James, Love, and Irving has been as advertised, and the Cavs are going to be a tough team to stop.

Which team wins the Western Conference

The answer to that question is very different today to what it was in the middle of last week. The Oklahoma City Thunder had taken an unexpected 3-1 series lead, and still had a home game waiting ahead of them. The Warriors were impressive in Game 5, but then spent a large portion of Game 6 in OKC playing from behind. One of the biggest knocks on the Thunder this season has been their habit of going into a 4th quarter swoon. It is something that they have avoided during the playoffs, but it once again reared its ugly head in that all-important Game 6. Instead of closing out the series, they are now a huge underdog heading into the Game 7 in Oakland. The Warriors launched a dagger to the heart of the Thunder in that 6th game, and I don’t see the OKC boys recovering from that wound.

Odds to win the NBA Finals

Right now, the Warriors (-170) are still the favorites, followed by Cleveland (+350) and OKC (+1200). That will all change depending on the outcome of Game 7 in the West. If the Warriors win, they will likely remain favorites, whereas the Cavaliers will likely be favored if the Thunder win the day.