To start February, the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Milwaukee Bucks have the best NBA title odds.
There are certain teams that are prepared to contend in the postseason ahead of possible moves. Based on BetMGM’s calculations, the following ten clubs have the best chance of winning the NBA Finals:
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1. Celtics of Boston (+300)
As of February 2, Boston had an NBA-best 37-12 record, and by most measures, they are among the top teams in the league. The only other club in the league to finish in the top three in both defensive (third) and offensive (second) ratings is the Boston Celtics. This season, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both All-Stars again, averaging around 50 points per game. If nothing goes wrong, they appear to be cruising toward another postseason run.
2. Nuggets of Denver (+400)
Despite being fourth in the Western Conference, the reigning champs had one of the league’s top starting lines based on net rating. With the most possessions (1240), Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokić, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are +12.6.
They have the eighth-best offense by net rating and are giving up the fourth fewest points per game in the NBA. With a player efficiency rating (PER) of 31.9, Jokić is ranked second in the league, and his postseason abilities have already been demonstrated.
3. The +500 Milwaukee Bucks
The unexpected decision by Milwaukee to remove coach Adrian Griffin and eventually install Doc Rivers in his stead was made. The Bucks are the only club in the NBA with multiple All-Star starters and one of the strongest offenses.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP, is having his finest shooting season to date. Rivers will have his team in excellent shape going into the All-Star break if he can extract more from one of the league’s finest starting lines by net rating (+16.0).
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4. The Clippers of Los Angeles (+700)
The Clippers sit third in the Western Conference before their road game against the Detroit Pistons, having gone 14-3 since Christmas.
According to Cleaning the Glass data, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were selected for the All-Star team once more. They lead the best five-man lineup with at least 600 possessions. Their combined net rating is +16.4, which is higher than James Harden, Terrence Mann, and Ivica Zubac.
5. Suns of Phoenix (+1200)
After Christmas, Phoenix is likewise getting back on track.That evening’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks brought the team’s record down to 14-15. The Suns have since improved to 14-5 and are rising in the Western Conference rankings.
SuperstarsPhoenix is up to seventh in the league in offensive rating, and two of the NBA’s top scoring tandems are Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. This season, Grayson Allen is even playing the best basketball of his career.
6. The Timberwolves of Minnesota (+1800)
By the end of February, the Timberwolves will have equaled their 42-game victory total from the previous campaign. Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, the top two players in defensive win shares this season, are the main reasons why Minnesota leads the league in defensive rating.
The Timberwolves have four players in the top ten in the NBA in terms of defensive rating: Gobert (first), Towns (fifth), Naz Reid (third), and Kyle Anderson (ninth). Minnesota has a formula to maintain its top spot in the Western Conference, with Towns and Anthony Edwards leading the way offensively.
Hall of Famer Gary Payton lashes out at Lincoln University in California, where he coaches men’s basketball.
7. (+1800) Oklahoma City Thunder
This season, Oklahoma City is the second-youngest NBA team, but they don’t play like it. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an All-Star, tops the league in both offensive win shares (7.3) and steals per game (2.2). This season, he leads the fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA in PER and is their main player.
Oklahoma City’s core is strong because of blocks headed by third-year player Chet Holmgren, who also plays with Jaren Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander. They are too talented to be disregarded, even though they are young and have never played in the postseason.
8. The 76ers of Philadelphia (+1800)
The league’s top scorer and eighth-ranked defensive player (109.0), Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, hurt his knee during the 76ers’ defeat to the Golden State Warriors.
An MRI revealed that Embiid had suffered a meniscus injury, and the team is now considering treatment alternatives. He might miss a lot of time, in which case the 76ers might have trouble. Tyrese Maxey must finish his career-best season in order for them to survive without Embiid.
Overcoming the MVP’s absence: The 76ers report that Joel Embiid will miss extra games due to a meniscus injury.
9. Knicks of New York (+2800)
In the majority of defensive metrics, the Knicks are behind the Timberwolves, and this season, guard Jalen Brunson was named to his first All-Star squad. The second-leading scorer on the squad, Julius Randle, has been sidelined for several weeks due to a shoulder ailment.
Despite having a league-high nine-game winning streak, New York faced teams that were in the running for the playoffs in four of their six games prior to the All-Star break.
10. The Lakers of Los Angeles (+3000)
There are many unanswered concerns over Darvin Ham’s future, and LeBron James and Anthony Davis were not present for Thursday’s road victory over the Celtics. Los Angeles ranks 14th on defense and 20th on offense in the league.
They’ll probably be looking to upgrade around the trade deadline, as is customary, but they might find it difficult to put together a strong deal for a plus player. The Lakers are a threat to contend with as long as James and Davis are on the court.