Heading into free agency, the Golden State Warriors are the favorites to win the title again next season, according to NBA championship odds.
The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in six games to win the 2022 NBA championship, which was also their fourth title over the past eight seasons.
Most of the Warriors’ core is under contract next season, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins, which should inspire confidence in them running it back. In addition, James Wiseman will be available after having an injury-plagued season, which should be a big boost up front.
Defense wins championships.
What's your favorite swat or steal from the 2022 Playoffs? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/6qreeqVLjo
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 29, 2022
There will be some tinkering around the edges, but there’s a reason they hold the highest odds to repeat at +500.
The top five teams with the highest odds currently consist of the Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers at +600, the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics at +650, the Milwaukee Bucks at +700, and the Brooklyn Nets at +850.
There’s plenty of intrigue surrounding these five franchises, specifically the Clippers and Nets.
Kawhi Leonard is rehabbing his torn ACL and has made significant progress, which is good news for the Clippers. Leonard is a force on the court and one of the more dynamic two-way presences in the sport when healthy. With John Wall set to be bought out by the Houston Rockets, the Clippers are reportedly the front-runner to sign him, which should bolster their depth at the guard position.
Meanwhile, the Nets have been a focal point of the offseason with the drama surrounding Kyrie Irving, who recently opted-in to stick with the Nets next season. If Ben Simmons is healthy, this team could have value, but they haven’t shown they can gel as a whole yet.
Early line movement has seen the Warriors increase from +550 to +500, the Los Angeles Lakers rise from +2200 to +1400, and the Los Angeles Clippers elevate from +700 to +600.
Only two clubs currently own more than 10% of tickets, led by the Warriors with 16% and the Lakers with 11.2%. Rounding out the top five are the Clippers and Phoenix Suns with 6.3% of tickets, along with the Celtics owning 6%.
The money has been spread out early on, with the Warriors holding the highest handle percentage at 18.9%, followed by the Lakers with 12.8%. Those two teams are the only ones with more than 10% of the handle.
NBA Championship Odds (as of Sept. 12)
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +600 |
| Golden State Warriors | +600 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +650 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +700 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +700 |
| Phoenix Suns | +1000 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1400 |
| Miami Heat | +1600 |
| Denver Nuggets | +1800 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +1800 |
NBA Finals Betting Odds
When the stakes are raised on the court, you can raise the stakes at with NBA Finals betting. Throughout the championship series, you can bet online with NBA Finals odds for spreads, player props, parlays, and more.
