Will Thunder Rumble to Another Title?
Oklahoma City Enters Postseason as Favorite
The Thunder had the best record in the NBA in the regular season. That means, in addition to being defending champions, they will have homecourt advantage in every series they play in the postseason. NBA Finals odds have Oklahoma City at +120 to win it all. The Thunder started the season 24-1, went through a dip, but bounced back to have the best record by open lengths. They are going to be a tough team to take down.
What is interesting is the “disrespect” in the NBA futures odds shown to the team that won the Eastern Conference’s best record. The Detroit Pistons are +2000 in this area. That makes them no better than the third team in their half of the league. The Boston Celtics are +550, and the New York Knicks are +1800 in NBA odds for championship glory. With Cade Cunningham back, Detroit is a live team to get out of the East and play for the NBA title.
Is the Time Right for Wemby and the Spurs?
San Antonio has made a remarkable turnaround from the years when it suffered many losses. The key is Victor Wembanyama, who will be the face of the league for years to come. He dominates all 94 feet of the basketball court. Should the Spurs represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, Wemby would be a major player in the NBA Finals MVP odds.
But they have to get their first. San Antonio is the second pick overall in NBA odds for championship. They likely would face OKC in the Western Conference Finals if both teams are able to navigate their way there. The Spurs are +450 to win it all. Wembanyama and his teammates are still young and could use a season or more of postseason experience before scaling the run to the championship. That said, they had the second-best regular season record and have been playing incredible basketball over the last few months. Would a Thunder-Spurs matchup in the postseason be the actual NBA Finals?
Boston Celtics a Live Team to Fear
The Celtics have the second-best record in the East. That’s incredible when one considers how sluggish their start was and how they missed the great Jayson Tatum for much of the season. The green magic always exists in the NBA, and this is a team that can never be discounted when it comes to NBA futures odds.
Joe Mazzula is in the running for NBA Coach of the Year, and getting this team to 55 wins probably should earn him the honor, given how much of the work was done without the team’s best player. Boston is almost an equal threat to win at home and on the road. That’s the mark of a champion, being able to win away as much as one can on its own court.
The Rest of the Field Is Risky Business
For all the wins the New York Knicks have, they are a liability on the road. That is why +1800 on them in NBA Finals odds feels like an underlay. They are the opposite of the Celtics. More likely to lose on the road than to thrive.
The Houston Rockets have a veteran team and are stuck in the Western Conference with the Thunder and Spurs. That explains how they are +6000. And speaking of talent, imagine a team with LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves being +30000. If the trio somehow remains healthy, could the Lakers put it together and make a run for the title? Yes, they were just blitzed by OKC a couple of times, but that was without Reaves and Doncic. Putting that trifecta on the court at 100%, and anything could happen.
