The Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and defending champion Denver Nuggets were among the three co-favorites to win the 2023-24 NBA championship at the start of the season in October.
All three teams are still at the top of the NBA futures, according to BetMGM, as they approach the midpoint of the season. The Celtics are the consensus title favorite at +325 odds. They are followed by the Nuggets at +425, and the Bucks at +450.
Big Trades Paying Off for Celtics and Bucks
After a disappointing exit in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics revamped their team to rebuild a contender around stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics traded point guard Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade to bring in center Kristaps “The Unicorn” Porzingis. They also traded guard Malcolm Brogdon – last season’s Sixth Man of the Year – and defensive stopper Robert Williams III to bolster their backcourt with two-way star Jrue Holiday.
As of last Friday, the Celtics have the best record in the NBA (29-9). They also boast the best home-court advantage in the league (18-0). The Celtics opened at +550 odds to win the title, but they since improved to +325 at BetMGM.
The Bucks acquired All-Star point guard Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in a trade that felt like it came out of nowhere. The Miami Heat were favorites to land Lillard, but Portland’s asking price was too high so the Heat stood pat. The Bucks made the aggressive move to upgrade their offense with high-volume scorer in Lillard. After the Lillard trade, the Bucks saw their title odds jump to +600.
The Bucks also parted ways with Mike Budenholzer in the offseason, and hired rookie head coach Adrian Griffin. After a bumpy transition period, the Bucks (26-12) have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics. You can back the Bucks at +450 odds to win their second championship in the last four seasons.
Timberwolves, Thunder Lead the West
The Nuggets (26-13) attempt to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Warriors in 2018. The Nuggets were installed as the favorite to run it back at +500 odds,. They are now +425 odds as they approach the midpoint of the season.
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a disappointing 2022-23 season in their first year after acquiring center Rudy Gobert in a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz. The Timberwolves are now thriving in Gobert’s second season in the Twin Cities. Despite incessant trade rumors surrounding big man Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves (26-11) emerged as the top team in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves began the season at +7500 odds to win the championship. They’re now +1600 odds to win the title at Caesars.
After spending multiple seasons as the doormat in the Northwest Division, the Oklahoma City Thunder (26-11) are vying for the top spot in the Western Conference standings with the Thunder and Nuggets. All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.4 ppg) is a legit MVP candidate. Center Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, is now the betting favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year after a sensational start.
The Thunder saw the most significant movement on the futures board. They opened the season at +8000 odds to win the title, and you can currently back them at +1500 odds at Caesars.
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Pacific Let Down: Suns, Lakers, Warriors
In the stacked Pacific Division, the Phoenix Suns (20-18) and Los Angeles Lakers (19-20) are struggling to stay above .500. The Golden State Warriors (17-20) are a hot mess.
The Suns fired Monty Williams and hired Frank Vogel as their new head coach in the offseason. They also pulled off a huge trade to acquire All-Star guard Bradley Beal in a deal with the Washington Wizards. The Suns became a popular pick to win the NBA title with a “Big 3” consisting of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Beal. However, Beal sustained a back injury in the preseason and missed 24 games.
The Suns began the season in the top five on the futures board at +650. They have since slipped to +1200 odds after an inconsistent season.
The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals last postseason, but were swept by the Nuggets. The Lakers entered this season with high hopes, and the injury-prone Anthony Davis and aging LeBron James remained somewhat healthy. Yet, something is not quite right. There are rumblings in the City of Angels that head coach Darvin Ham is losing the locker room. The Lakers, a popular team with bettors, are currently +2500 odds to win a second title with James.
The Warriors made a puzzling move when they traded away sixth man Jordan Poole in exchange for veteran point guard Chris Paul. Paul’s health has always been a liability, and he fractured his left hand last week. Paul could miss four to six weeks, and his injury could not happen at a worst time. Power forward Draymond Green hasn’t played since mid-December. The NBA suspended the mercurial veteran for 12 games after he struck Suns’ center Jusuf Nurkic.
The subpar Warriors opened the season at +1200 odds to win a second title in three seasons,. However, they’ve since sunk to +4000.
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