The 2021-22 NBA season begins Oct. 19, as does the push to make it to the playoffs and then to win the title. Who are the teams to pick for the championship? Below, we look at the 2021-22 NBA Championship odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Milwaukee Bucks are the defending champions but there will be challengers.
In the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets still have the trio of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant. The Atlanta Hawks gave a strong showing last season.
The Los Angeles Lakers still have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and they added Russell Westbrook to enter the season as the favorites from the Western Conference. The Phoenix Suns still have the same core that took them to last season’s NBA Finals. The Los Angeles Clippers still will be contenders and the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets were great last season despite being affected by injuries.
2021-2022 NBA Championship odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 12:40 p.m. ET.
These are the 10 teams with the shortest odds to win the title.
- Brooklyn Nets +230
- Los Angeles Lakers +300
- Milwaukee Bucks +750
- Golden State Warriors +1000
- Utah Jazz +1300
- Phoenix Suns +1500
- Los Angeles Clippers +1500
- Denver Nuggets +2000
- Miami Heat +2000
- Philadelphia 76ers +2000
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2021-2022 NBA Championships picks and predictions
Brooklyn Nets (+230)
Bet $100 to win $230
The Nets have three of the best playmakers in the league. With Irving, Harden and Durant, they really just need two of them healthy. With only Durant healthy, they were a basket away from the NBA Finals last season. There are concerns about Irving and his vaccination status, but if there is one team to bet on, it is the Nets.
Milwaukee Bucks (+750)
Bet $100 to win $750
The Bucks finally got over the hump with their six-game Finals win over the Suns. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday emerged. The Eastern Conference looks like a two-team conference this year.
Phoenix Suns (+1500)
Bet $100 to win $1,500
The Suns were perhaps the biggest surprise of last season with the addition of PG Chris Paul. They will maintain their core of players but now add G Landry Shamet to their bench and have a legitimate backup center in JaVale McGee. They have an elite point guard, an elite scorer in Devin Booker, an emerging big man in Deandre Ayton and a talented wing in Mikal Bridges. They make for a nice value pick.
Denver Nuggets (+2000)
Bet $100 to win $2,000
The Nuggets have the highest odds I’m looking to bet for the 2021-22 NBA Championship. They have the reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic, and they have Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. locked up, but as good as they were last year, they get PG Jamal Murray back, their most dynamic scorer. If he had been healthy, they would have made it further last season.
No Lakers?
With the second-shortest odds to win the title, they would seem like the best bet, especially with James and Davis healthy entering the season. After all, they won the title two seasons ago. The problem has always been that it isn’t about James. It is all about Davis’ health.
If he can be healthy in the postseason, they are great. The problem is betting on him being healthy after an 82-game season is a bad idea. Westbrook gives them another playmaker but doesn’t make them significantly better. So for me, the Lakers do not make a good bet at +320.
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