Steve Starr
- BetOnline has updated odds for all the teams still in contention for the NBA Championship
- The Golden State Warriors remain heavy favorites at -200 to three-peat
- The Milwaukee Bucks are viewed as the top title contender at +800 in the Eastern Conference
Like the New England Patriots, the Golden State Warriors have three titles and four finals appearances in the past five years. Yet, while the NFL enjoys a reputation as an unpredictable week-to-week league that anyone can win, the NBA is derided for its wildly inevitable outcomes.
Looking at the latest NBA Championship odds from BetOnline, let’s see if it’s still worth it to bet the Dubs at their current price (-200), or if any other teams might offer sneaky value.
Odds to Win the NBA Championship
| Team | Odds to Win 2019 NBA Championship |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | -200 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +800 |
| Houston Rockets | +1200 |
| Toronto Raptors | +1200 |
| Boston Celtics | +1400 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1400 |
| Denver Nuggets | +2500 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +2800 |
| Utah Jazz | +5000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +6600 |
| Indiana Pacers | +8000 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +10000 |
| Portland Trailblazers | +10000 |
| Detroit Pistons | +15000 |
| Miami Heat | +15000 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +25000 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +25000 |
*Odds taken on 03/18/19
The Heavy Favorite: Golden State (-200)
The Warriors offered the rest of the league a few glimmers of hope this season. Draymond Green and Kevin Durant beefed, both Splash Brothers endured lengthy slumps, and the club dropped six of 10 games during an ugly recent stretch.
Draymond Green on Durant: ‘While he’s here, we’re going to win another championship’ https://t.co/8VeOvR6tyu
— Warriors Wire (@TheWarriorsWire) March 18, 2019
Still, it’s hard to believe Golden State will lose to anyone, if healthy. DeMarcus Cousins is showing flashes of his pre-injury form, the Warriors just beat Oklahoma and Houston without Durant, and Draymond is once again making championship guarantees. I’m strangely comfortable with betting $200 to win a hundred.
The Value Bet: Houston (+1200)
While the MVP race remains a toss-up between The Beard and The Freak, James Harden’s Rockets (+1200) offer more present-day value than Giannis’ Bucks (+800). After all, if Chris Paul didn’t strain his hamstring in Game 5 of last year’s Western Conference Finals, the NBA might not seem like such a predictable place.
Chris Paul knows what it takes to take down the Warriors. ? pic.twitter.com/BnoMxEkxpF
— Rockets Nation (@RocketsNationCP) March 14, 2019
With CP3 and Clint Capela now healthy, Houston’s roster isn’t all that different from the one that pushed Golden State to the limit last spring. Hedging a safe Warriors bet with a juicy Rockets ticket (+1200) is just smart business.
The East’s Best Hope: Milwaukee (+800)
The East is difficult to forecast. Milwaukee has the conference’s top record and best player, but they just lost underrated guard Malcolm Brogdon for up to two months. The Raptors continue to rack up wins despite Kahwi Leonard becoming the poster boy for load management.
The Sixers are like the Formula 1 team that keeps souping up their car (in this case, bringing in both Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris) only for it to top out at the same speed. And the Celtics have surprised everyone with a BS regular season that will likely culminate in Kyrie Irving’s departure.
Every bucket as @Giannis_An34 goes off for a CAREER HIGH 52 points!!#FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/hHTZHKQPWb
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) March 18, 2019
Antetokounmpo alone makes the Bucks my pick to come out of the East, but should they meet in the NBA Finals, the Warriors have no reason to fear the deer.
