The 2022/23 NBA season is two months old now and this makes it a great time to have a revised look at the NBA futures markets to win both the conferences.
The defending NBA champions are the Golden State Warriors, and as a result, Steve Kerr’s team started the season as one of favorites with the best NBA finals betting sites to win again in 2023. It’s fair to say that this season hasn’t gone to plan for the Warriors, and they have now been hit with the news that Steph Curry is likely to be out for a few weeks with a shoulder injury.
The fall from grace of the Warriors so far this season has been spectacular. They’re in the bottom half of the Western Conference, and have been quite frankly abysmal on the road, losing well over ten matches already.
Thanks to the makeup of the NBA season, they are not out of the running to win the NBA Championship, and are only down to third (+850) in the betting to retain their title. This is down to the fact that they can qualify in last place for the postseason, and still win the championship.
But such is their current predicament, they are all but out of the running to win their division. In the betting to win the Pacific Division, the Warriors are at +700, which makes them third favorites behind the Clippers (+375), and the Phoenix Suns at -190. Warriors fans, don’t panic, you’re still well ahead of the Lakers (+4000).
In the betting to win the Western Conference, the best NBA betting sites are still expecting the old timers to come good, with BetOnline making the Warriors their +375 favorites.
| Betting to Win 2023 NBA Western Conference |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | +375 | +375 | +375 |
| LA Clippers | +450 | +400 | +450 |
| Phoenix Suns | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Denver Nuggets | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +750 | +750 | +750 |
At the start of the season, the Warriors were around +300 to win the conference, some sportsbooks were +325, and BetUS were as short as +285. The Warriors are now +375, so there hasn’t been a major shift in the odds there.
Behind the Warriors, the LA Clippers were +350, and the Phoenix Suns were +500, two months back. The Clippers are now still second favorites at +450, and the Suns are still +500. After the top three, the odds on the Nuggets have barely moved either. Michael Malone’s team started the season at +700, and they are now +650.
It’s after the top four that the big shifts in the betting have taken place. The New Orlean Pelicans have seen their odds shrink from +1600 to +650, that is some gear change. And the Memphis Grizzlies have been cut from +1200 to +750.
The form of the Pelicans and the Grizzlies – in particular – has led to the odds to win the conference become extremely open and competitive. It’s effectively a six-horse race now, and that makes predicting a winner more difficult.
For me though, in such an open field, I’m going to have to stick – for now – with my original choice of the Warriors. They’re home form is bang on, and I expect them to sort out their trouble on the road soon enough.
The legs on some of the older players may be getting slower, but they’re not gone yet. And what they make have lost in athleticism, they have certainly replaced it with experience and game know how.
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Over in the Eastern Conference, the market is basically between the Boston Celtics (+150) and Milwaukee Bucks (+280). Behind the two runaway leaders are the Nets (+750) and the Cavaliers (+850).
| Betting to Win 2023 NBA Eastern Conference | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +150 | +150 | +150 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +280 | +280 | +280 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +850 | +850 | +850 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1100 | +1000 | +1100 |
| Miami Heat | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
The Celtic and the Bucks have already established a decent sized lead over the rest of the conference. And even if one of the two teams blows up, it’s hard to see the other one follow suit.
Both Boston and Milwaukee started the season as the two favorites, so nothing has changed there. The Celtics were +275, and the Bucks were +325. The two have just seen their respective odds shorten as they pull away from the rest of the field.
The big movers are the Brooklyn Nets, but unfortunately for them, in the wrong direction. The change of coach from Steve Nash to Jacque Vaughn seems to have worked, as the Nets have won twice as many as they have lost under Vaughn. But they’ve gone from +325 to win the conference at the start of the season, to +750.
And although that makes them good value. It would take a massive leap of faith to believe all the Nets’ problems are really behind them.
As things stand, it’s hard to see past the Boston Celtics. As we’ve already alluded to, they’ve been the form team in the NBA this season. And with the experience gained from making it to the NBA Championship finals last year, the Celtics know what it takes to get the job done.
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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