by Ben Perks
After locking up the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns hold on to the top spot in the NBA championship odds table. Close behind are the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Jets.
Check out who Vegas oddsmakers think are the top contenders to lift the NBA Championship title before the playoffs start.
Phoenix Suns: NBA Championship Favorites
As the Suns have been on fire (sorry) all season, it’s unsurprising to see NBA betting sites listing them as +260 favorites before the playoffs. In fact, many think it would be an underachievement if Phoenix didn’t make it to the NBA finals.
And rightly so after finishing 64-18 while setting a franchise record for most wins in a single season. Two stars were the driving force behind this incredible season: Devin Booker and Chris Paul.
Booker was the eighth-best scorer in the league, averaging 26.8 points per game, and Paul was the league’s leader in assists, averaging 10.8 assists.
Therefore, the Suns will likely be hot favorites against all upcoming opponents in the next few weeks.
Can The Bucks Do It Again?
Although the Suns sit at the top of the table, the Milwaukee Bucks have an unchanged squad after winning the NBA Championship in 2021.
With Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, and Jrue Holiday in their ranks, no sane person could count them out. Moreover, they’ve even improved their roster at the deadline, acquiring Serge Ibaka from the Clippers to give the Bucks a solid rotation and backup option.
After finishing as the No. 3 seed in the East, the Bucks drew Chicago in the first round. Because the Bulls have been poor down the stretch, Milwaukee should make light work of them.
Therefore, many futures bettors will be placing action on the Bucks to win the championship before their odds shorten.
Nets Have Superstar Power
Considering the wealth of talent in their ranks, it will be a disaster if the Nets don’t get close to the NBA finals. However, despite acquiring Ben Simmons from the Sixers, he hasn’t featured once for the Nets and looks unlikely to make an appearance in the playoffs.
Yet with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leading the way, Brooklyn should be able to cope. But as their next game is against the Boston Celtics, it won’t be plain sailing.
Seeing how the Nets fare against the Celtics will be a decent litmus test for Brooklyn’s title-run credentials.
Longshot Option: Miami Heat
Despite having a roster brimming with game-changing talent – Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson, and P.J. Tucker – Vegas oddsmakers have Miami at +1000 to win the NBA Championship.
Other stats that will make bettors wager on the Heat to go all the way are that they finished the regular season ranked sixth in net rating and the fourth-best in defense while being the best three-point shooting team in the NBA.
So, if you’re looking for more attractive returns, the Heat could be your team.
Check out the latest betting odds for upcoming NBA games.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
