We’re through the first round of the NBA playoffs, and eight teams remain. One of them is Utah, who advanced to the second round after taking down the Memphis Grizzlies 4-1.
The top-seeded Jazz have championship odds on BetUS listed at +275, best in a loaded Western Conference, and second in the NBA behind Brooklyn.
Utah has had one of the strongest teams in the NBA all season, on both ends. With the defending champion Lakers losing in the first round, the West is up for grabs. What would it take for the Utah Jazz to win it all?
Utah’s Path to the Finals
The Jazz took down Memphis in five games, displaying their offensive explosiveness throughout the series.
Their next series remains to be determined, with Utah either playing the Los Angeles Clippers or Dallas Mavericks in the conference semis.
If the Jazz gets past either of those teams, they will either meet Phoenix or Denver in the Conference Finals.
It has been a constant for the past ten years and is no different this year: the Western Conference is loaded with talent.
All of the remaining teams have a realistic chance of winning the NBA championship. It’s a testament to how strong Utah looks that they have the best odds to win it all out of this conference.
Maintaining Consistency Key to Deep Run
The Jazz’s calling card all season has been their elite level of play on both ends. When breaking down rankings by points, field goal percentage, and efficiency, the Utah offense, and defense each rank third in the NBA.
That is incredible balance, with no team matching their consistency on each end.
Donovan Mitchell leads an explosive offense that tops the league in three-point shooting. Mitchell averaged 28.5 points per game in the first round on 45/40/90% shooting splits. The team as a whole shot 40.3% from deep, if they can continue that lights-out shooting, Utah can take down anyone.
Not only is Utah the best at making threes, but they’re also the best at stopping them. Their perimeter defense ranks first in the league – another reason to consider betting on the Jazz to win their first NBA championship.
Odds to Win Championship
BetUS has odds for every remaining team in the NBA playoffs. As mentioned, the Jazz’s odds come in at +275, the best odds in the West.
The Jazz won the regular-season series against both the Clippers and Mavericks, 2-1, matching up well against both teams. Of the two, a second-round matchup against Dallas, who are the favorites to advance over the Clippers, is the more favorable scenario.
The Mavericks are just slightly above-average at shooting and stopping the three, giving the Jazz an advantage on both ends.
Looking ahead, a Western Conference Finals against Phoenix would be the worst-case scenario for Utah. The Suns swept the Jazz in the regular season.
Utah has been the best team in the NBA all season and deserves your respect. They can win it all. At +275 and multiple rounds remaining, there’s likely better value on the board. Still, Utah has proven they can get it done – they are a fine bet to take home an NBA championship in July.
