The NBA Will Be More Competitive This Season, With Injured Stars Set to Return
Injuries are a part of the game and can have a tremendous impact on a team’s chances to win a championship. The anticipated return of injured players is taken into account when sportsbooks are setting their odds for the upcoming season.
With just three weeks to go before basketball season tips off in mid-October, let’s take a look at the current NBA Futures Odds and see which teams are favored to win the 2023 NBA Finals. Some of the biggest names set to make a comeback this season include Kawahi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson, Jamal Murray, Ben Simmons, and Khris Middleton, to name a few.
The 2023 NBA Futures Odds currently has last season’s Finals teams, the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics as favorites to win the 2023 NBA Finals, according to Cesar’s Sportsbook.
Favorites to Win the West
Coming off their fourth NBA Championship since 2015, Golden State is currently listed at +600 odds to win back-to-back titles. With their Championship roster still intact and healthy, there’s no reason to doubt that Golden State can do it again.
Last season, the Phoenix Suns, secured the NBA’s best record but made an early playoff exit thanks to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Phoenix is returning the core lineup that led them to the 2021 NBA Finals. Injured big man, Dario Saric is set to return after a serious injury knocked him out of Game 1 of the 2021 Finals, giving Phoenix a center/power forward that can space the floor. The Suns will also look to move on from 3-and-D specialist, Jae Crowder. Depending on who they trade for, Phoenix could see its current +1000 odds improve.
One of the best duos in the league, Kawahi Leonard and Paul George, are finally both healthy and will return for the Clippers. With a likely starting five of Kawahi Leonard, Paul George, John Wall, Reggie Jackson, and Ivica Zubac, it’s easy to see why the Clippers are among the teams favored to win this year’s NBA Finals, currently at +800 odds. Los Angeles also has one of the deeper benches in the Association, making them a real threat in the playoffs.
Favorites to Win the East
After a deep playoff run that culminated in losing last season’s Finals, Boston has +550 odds to capture their first title since 2008. The Celtics added some key players this offseason, including forward Danilo Gallinari and guard Malcolm Brogdon, to give Boston more depth and options down the line.
Despite all of the off-season drama and trade speculation surrounding Brooklyn All-Stars, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, the duo will return to Barclay’s Center as legitimate contenders with +750 odds to win the Championship. The return of Ben Simmons and Joe Harris will give the Nets much-needed help on defense and more scoring options, lessening the load for KD and Kyrie.
After struggling to find a second scoring option behind Giannis Atentokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks are looking forward to the return of All-Star shooting guard Khris Middleton. The timing of Middleton’s return is unknown, but as long as he is back healthy for the playoffs, he will give Milwaukee a great shot at making a deep playoff run. Cesar’s has the Bucks at +650 odds to win it all.
NBA Futures Odds are constantly changing. In the offseason, trades and free agent signings are some of the bigger factors influencing betting odds. During the season, recent scores, standings, player injuries, and mid-season trades can and will impact the NBA Finals’ odds. If you are looking to get into betting on basketball, NBA Futures is a great way to get your feet wet, and, hopefully, win some money too.
