NBA Odds & Early Predictions for 2019 Championship

Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors may have just blitzed LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their second straight NBA Championship, but in today’s fast-paced, year-round betting times, it’s never too soon to start making preparations for a brand new NBA Betting campaign. With that thought in mind, this look at the recently released odds to win the 2019 NBA Championship and the expert insight I’m about to provide on which teams are offering the best betting value when it comes to their chances of winning next season’s championship hardware, could help you cash in big come next season. Okay, with that said, let’s get started.

NBA Betting Odds & Super Early Predictions for 2019 Championship

Summer of LeBron: Part 3. May the odds be ever in your favor. pic.twitter.com/gfD7hUhepX

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 11 de junio de 2018

Top NBA Betting Favorites

• Golden State Warriors 5/4
• Houston Rockets 7/2
• Philadelphia 76ers 7/2
• Boston Celtics 8/1

Look, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the Warriors are virtual locks to reach the conference finals against next season barring an injury to Kevin Durant. The Dubs have four all-stars, a bunch of super cohesive and competent bench players and arguably the best head coach in the league today. If you miss the days of competitive basketball, then the state of the NBA today is a bit sickening. The Houston Rockets will have a good shot again next season if they can stay healthy. James Harden and company nearly pulled off the win in the conference finals but were without superstar floor leader Chris Paul who really took over in Games 4 and 5 to give the Rockets a 3-2 series lead. I like the Philadelphia 76ers. I really do. they’ve got an all-star center in Joel Embiid and one of the best all-around players in the league today in Ben Simmons. They’ve got a good group of role players and could have another star in No. 1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz, though that remains to be seen right now. Still, I don’t see how they’re higher favorites than a Boston Celtics team that dispatched them with ease in the second round of the playoffs. And speaking of the Celtics, they could be scary good next season after reaching the conference finals this year without all-stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Boston has a future superstar in forward Jayson Tatum, another good young perimeter player in swingman Jaylen Brown, a super intelligent all-star center in Al Horford and what many believe is the best coach in the game today in Brad Stevens. Make no mistake about it, Boston will contend next season!

NBA Betting Contenders

• Los Angeles Lakers 20/1
• Miami Heat 20/1
• San Antonio Spurs 25/1
• Cleveland Cavaliers 30/1
• Toronto Raptors 40/1
• Oklahoma City Thunder 60/1
• Utah Jazz 60/1
• Minnesota Timberwolves 80/1
• New Orleans Pelicans 80/1
• Portland Blazers 80/1
• Denver Nuggets 100/1
• Indiana Pacers 100/1

I have no idea why the Los Angeles Lakers are so high up on the odds list, seeing as how they went just 35-47 last season and have yet to make a big free agent addition, but, I’m thinking several other Western Conference teams have a better shot at winning next season’s title than they do – and ditto for the Miami Heat. The San Antonio Spurs may or may not contend next season depending on the return of Kawhi Leonard. Even if he does come back fully healthy, which I do expect, there’s some bad feeling between him and management, not to mention the impending retirements of both, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

Depending on LeBron

The Cavaliers won’t contend – ever – unless LeBron James surprises everyone and decides to return. The Toronto Raptors are a bunch of spineless quitters. The Oklahoma City Thunder won’t contend as long as Russell Westbrook is jacking up shots by the dozen. The Utah Jazz is offering excellent value for a team that has a blossoming superstar in Donovan Mitchell and a bunch of other really good talents on their roster. Minnesota could challenge to make a deeper playoff run, but I’m not sure head coach Tom Thibodeau is the right guy to motivate a bunch of young players that aren’t interested in playing defense very much and just want to get out and run. The New Orleans Pelicans are offering some excellent value if you saw the way they came alive down the stretch run of the regular season and into the playoffs. The Portland Trail Blazers have a phenomenal backcourt, but jeez, they need to get Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum some help up front in the worst way. The Denver Nuggets are on the rise and could be next season’s Utah Jazz if everything goes right and the Indiana Pacers just look absolutely fantastic to me after they improved in a huge way this season led by Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, and Myles Turner.

NBA Betting Long-Shots

• Los Angeles Clippers 100/1
• Milwaukee Bucks 100/1
• New York Knicks 100/1
• Washington Wizards 100/1
• Phoenix Suns 200/1
• Brooklyn Nets 300/1
• Charlotte Hornets 300/1
• Chicago Bulls 300/1
• Dallas Mavericks 300/1
• Detroit Pistons 300/1
• Sacramento Kings 300/1
• Memphis Grizzlies 500/1
• Orlando Magic 500/1
• Atlanta Hawks 1000/1

Out of this group, I like the Milwaukee Bucks to improve, particularly, if they can learn to get back to sharing the ball a bit more on offense. I also like the Washington Wizards to put up a fight next season after they underachieved this past campaign, mostly because John Wall was out for half the season.