NBA Western Conference Futures: Phoenix Suns the Best Bet

It’s difficult to fathom, but we have less than one month left to go in the NBA’s regular season, which means NBA betting is heating up.

As we enter the home stretch, here’s a look at the current NBA odds for futures in what has been a highly entertaining Western Conference.   

Phoenix Suns (+160)

Boasting an NBA-best 56-14 record, the Suns are the odds-on favorite to make a second straight finals appearance – and rightfully so.

Phoenix has recorded two double-digit win streaks, is 33-9 in conference play (best in the West), and a remarkable 26-5 in games decided by five points or less. That type of clutch play and consistency will be tough for any opponent to match come playoff time.

Frankly, it appears the only thing that can stop the Suns from making another run at the title is the health of point guard Chris Paul.

Injuries have haunted Paul in the postseason and the future Hall-of-Famer is already slated to miss the rest of the regular season with a fractured thumb. However, if healthy, Paul and the Suns have proven themselves a force to be reckoned with and clearly the class of the Western Conference.

For what its worth, the Suns’ NBA championship odds are +400.

Are the @Suns the best team in basketball? pic.twitter.com/iEYlcftM8z

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) March 14, 2022

Golden State Warriors (+200)

The Warriors may not look like the team we witnessed earlier in the season, but they still pose the biggest threat to Phoenix’s title hopes.

To be fair, Golden State had been without perennial defensive player of the year candidate Draymond Green, while Klay Thompson continues to work his way back to pre-injury form. Steve Kerr’s squad boasts perhaps the league’s deepest roster and we all know what this club is capable of when Stephen Curry and Thompson’s shots are falling.

Count these Warriors out at your own risk.    

Utah Jazz (+700)

This will be an important playoff run for the Jazz, as superstar Donovan Mitchell has not exactly been subtle about wanting to play in a larger market.

However, I am finding it difficult to get behind this Utah team, even with its odds set at a reasonable +700. Despite strong regular season performances the past few years, those have yet to translate into postseason success.

Furthermore, this year’s roster does not look dramatically different from those that failed in years past. Lacking the depth of Golden State or Phoenix, a lot will have to go right for the Jazz if Utah is to make its first NBA Finals since 1998.

Denver Nuggets (+1200)

With news that Jamaal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. could return before the end of the regular season, the Denver Nuggets now hold the fourth-best odds to represent the Western Conference.

Despite the pair’s absence, Denver has still managed to compile a 42-28 record, largely thanks to the superb play of reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.

A starting five of Jokic, Murray, Porter Jr., Will Barton, and Aaron Gordon looks strong on paper, and we could see the Nuggets’ odds rise as we get closer to the start of the postseason.

Memphis Grizzlies (+1200)

One of the more entertaining teams in all of basketball, the Memphis Grizzlies hold tremendous value at their current +1200 odds which have shifted from just a week ago (+1300).

Led by MVP candidate Ja Morant, Memphis sits second in the West with a 48-22 record. Their relatively young roster and lack of playoff experience could make bettors wary, but with a conference record of 31-14, it’s time we start taking these upstart Grizzlies seriously.