NBA Championship Odds: Playoff Brackets Starting To Take Shape

The NBA postseason is almost here, and NBA Championship odds are available at legal US sportsbooks. There are just a few weeks left of the 2022-23 NBA regular season, so the field will narrow soon. But since 20 of the league’s 30 teams qualify for the postseason/play-in tournament, no one has officially been eliminated yet.

The play-in tournament is scheduled for April 11-14 with the first round of the NBA Playoffs to start on April 15. Boston +340 has been the top of betting boards since odds to win the NBA Championship 2023 opened, but the Bucks +330 have been hot on their tail.

With the moves a handful of team made prior to the trade deadline, some serious contenders have emerged, i.e., Phoenix Suns +450, Dallas Mavericks +2500. Let’s take a look at the latest odds to win the NBA Championship:

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NBA Championship Odds 2023

	Bet Now	Bet Now	Bet Now	Bet Now	Bet Now	Average Odds	Chance of Winning	7 Day Change	14 Day Change	21 Day Change
MIL Bucks	+330	+325	+325	+275	+260	+303	24.95%	0.75%	2.37%	7.17%
BOS Celtics	+340	+400	+350	+350	+330	+354	22.09%	-0.86%	-2.20%	-3.31%
PHO Suns	+450	+450	+475	+500	+800	+535	16.31%	-0.44%	-1.04%	-2.22%
DEN Nuggets	+800	+700	+750	+600	+750	+720	12.29%	-0.31%	-1.81%	-0.27%
PHI 76ers	+1000	+1100	+900	+1000	+950	+990	9.21%	1.13%	1.58%	1.44%
GS Warriors	+1200	+1200	+1000	+1200	+1200	+1160	7.97%	0.11%	0.31%	1.16%
MEM Grizzlies	+1500	+2000	+1600	+1600	+1200	+1580	6.09%	1.58%	1.05%	0.46%
LA Clippers	+2000	+1300	+1500	+1400	+2700	+1780	5.68%	-1.62%	-0.37%	-2.31%
DAL Mavericks	+2500	+3000	+3000	+3000	+3600	+3020	3.25%	-0.41%	-1.43%	-1.99%
LA Lakers	+2800	+3500	+2000	+4000	+4900	+3440	3.09%	0.02%	0.42%	0.19%
CLE Cavaliers	+4500	+3000	+2800	+3000	+3300	+3320	3.00%	0.15%	-0.03%	-0.41%
SAC Kings	+7000	+5000	+4000	+4000	+6500	+5300	1.95%	0.20%	0.78%	0.91%
MIA Heat	+9000	+8000	+7500	+5000	+8000	+7500	1.37%	-0.10%	-0.23%	-0.29%
NY Knicks	+8000	+6600	+7500	+8000	+8000	+7620	1.30%	0.04%	-0.02%	0.31%
TOR Raptors	+25000	+15000	+15000	+25000	+11000	+18200	0.60%	0.06%	0.10%	0.01%
MIN Timberwolves	+20000	+15000	+20000	+25000	+13000	+18600	0.56%	0.12%	0.16%	0.25%
ATL Hawks	+25000	+20000	+20000	+25000	+21000	+22200	0.45%	-0.09%	-0.15%	-0.25%
NO Pelicans	+25000	+20000	+20000	+25000	+24000	+22800	0.44%	-0.09%	-0.16%	-0.94%
BKN Nets	+35000	+20000	+35000	+25000	+21000	+27200	0.39%	-0.04%	-0.08%	-0.16%
CHI Bulls	+100000	+30000	+50000	+50000	+24000	+50800	0.25%	0.06%	0.11%	0.03%
OKC Thunder	+80000	+25000	+75000	–	+49000	+57250	0.21%	0.06%	0.06%	0.04%
POR Trail Blazers	+100000	+50000	+100000	+50000	+50000	+70000	0.16%	-0.01%	-0.02%	-0.06%
UTA Jazz	+100000	+50000	+50000	+100000	+50000	+70000	0.16%	0.02%	0.02%	-0.06%
WAS Wizards	+100000	+50000	+100000	+100000	+50000	+80000	0.14%	-0.01%	-0.02%	-0.05%
ORL Magic	+100000	+100000	+100000	+100000	+50000	+90000	0.12%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IND Pacers	+100000	+100000	+100000	+100000	+50000	+90000	0.12%	0.00%	0.00%	-0.02%

Boston has remained at the top of betting boards throughout the season for a reason—no one has played as well or as consistently as they have. If they can remain healthy throughout the postseason, they will be tough to eliminate. But the competition is going to be fierce, especially from their own conference.

Next to the Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks have been the most consistent team in the league. Their only issue—is health; when they are missing key players, they are not the dominant team fans know and love (and want to bet on). With how they have looked during their current win streak, they look ready to win an NBA Championship this season.

Of course, the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks will have something to say about that, Then there’s the competition from the Western Conference. Denver has been the team to beat for most of the season, but Memphis has played well and Sacramento has been a pleasant surprise.

But by acquiring Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns may very well be the team to beat in the Western Conference. However, if Kyrie Irving and Luke Doncic can play like they did Thursday night against the 76ers (combined for 82 points in a 133-126 win), the Mavericks may be the team no one wants to face when the playoffs begin.

Odds Of Winning the NBA Championship: Best Bets

As talented as the Boston Celtics are, the NBA postseason is a long one and lots of things can happen. So, while they are the betting favorite, there are several teams that are shaping up to be legitimate contenders:

Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo is good enough to get the Bucks to the postseason almost on his own. But it’s the roster the Bucks have created around him that makes Milwaukee a team that could go all the way.

Phoenix Suns

Donovan Mitchell, Deandre Ayton, and Chris Paul had the Suns in a position to contend for the NBA Championship. The acquisition of Kevin Durant could certainly push them over the top and into the Finals.

Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA going on for three years now. But the Nuggets have struggled the last two seasons once the playoffs got underway. However, the roster is better suited for the playoffs this season. If they can stay healthy, the Nuggets have what it takes to win it all.

Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid and James Harden have been getting it done this season, and at one time, had the 76ers playing like the best team in the league (Dec.- Jan.). But their downfall come playoff time could be their suspect bench.

NBA Championship Odds: Value Picks and Longshots

The Celtics, Bucks, Suns, 76ers, and Nuggets may be the teams to beat, but they are not the only teams with enough talent to win the NBA Finals. They’ll need a few bounces to go their way and for their chemistry to improve by the time the postseason starts.

But if they do not suffer any setbacks heading into the playoffs, they could make a deep run in the playoffs—and might even win it all!

Dallas Mavericks

It’s all about whether Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic can get on the same page by the time the playoffs start. Thursday night’s win over the 76ers showed just how potent they can be as a duo, but it remains to be seen if they can play like that on a consistent basis.

Los Angeles Clippers

The team has talent in the starting lineup and a deep roster, but whether they can stay healthy is the issue. It’s the reason why they are just a few games over .500 and currently (as of Friday, Mar. 3) part of the play-in tournament.

Memphis Grizzlies

Despite having an up-and-down year, the Grizzlies have played well to sit in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference (as of Friday, Mar. 3). They have struggled some without Steve Adams, but he is due to return before the postseason gets underway.

Golden State Warriors

The defending champs have been a .500 team all season, but not because of talent or skill. They have struggled with injuries this season. But despite missing key players at various times, they have managed to play well enough to remain in the hunt. With Steph Curry due to come back soon, the Warriors could be the team no one wants to face (if they can remain healthy throughout the playoffs).

Where Can I Bet On The NBA Championship Online?

Every mobile sports betting app that operates in the US will carry odds on the NBA Finals. Your ability to bet will depend on which state you live in and whether the state permits sports betting.

You are better off sticking with one of the major online sportsbooks like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetRivers, BetMGM, PointsBet, or Caesars for the most reliable service and competitive odds.

But every book is not available in every state:

• DraftKings: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV & WY
• BetMGM: AZ, CO, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, MS, NJ, OH, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV & WY
• Caesars: AZ, CO, IN, IA, IL, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA & WV
• BetRivers: AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MI, NY, PA, WV & VA, CT & NJ
• FanDuel: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY
• PointsBet: CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA & WV

Because the odds will be competitive no matter who you decide to bet with, it can be hard to determine which sportsbook you should bet with. That is where you can/should factor in the site’s bonus offer.

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DraftKings

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BetMGM

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• Not available in NY

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BetRivers

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FanDuel

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PointsBet

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NBA Championship Line Movement And Implied Probability To Win

Why Do NBA Championship Betting Lines Move?

The betting lines for a game can move for a number of reasons. One or both teams could have key players ruled out, inclement weather conditions to deal with, or a group of other variables at play. But the primary reason why a line will move is that a significant amount of money has been placed on one side of the bet.

In such a situation, should that side of the bet win, the house loses. So, to protect themselves, sportsbooks will adjust the odds to encourage betting on the other side of the line. Unexpected line movements can happen when a lot of money is placed on one side of a bet by a small number of big bettors (sharps).

When it comes to futures odds, i.e, NBA Championship odds 2023, the same principle applies. But during the postseason, odds will move because there are fewer teams alive, and each remaining team has a better chance of winning the NBA Finals simply because they are still playing.

What is Implied Probability?

Implied probability refers to the likelihood of a particular outcome based on the odds.  For example, DraftKings list the Celtics at

NBA Championship Odds FAQ