Which NBA Teams Have The Best Title Odds In 2022-23?
The 2022-23 NBA campaign is just a few short weeks away. This means that the discussion will shift to season predictions and NBA parlay picks. And basketball fans are salivating for what promises to be another memorable season. The Golden State Warriors reclaimed their status as one of the association’s best teams. They concluded the 2021-22 campaign with their fourth title in the last eight seasons.
That being said, the Warriors should be on the short list of teams that can be considered legitimate title contenders, correct?
Is there a dark horse who will emerge as an unexpected contender like the Memphis Grizzlies did last season? Now, without further ado, here are the teams with the best odds to win it all in 2022-23.
Fifth best NBA title odds: Milwaukee Bucks (+800)
The Milwaukee Bucks won their first title in five decades when they defeated the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the 2021 NBA Finals. The Bucks appeared to be on track to repeat after dispatching the Chicago Bulls in five games in the opening round of the playoffs. However, Khris Middleton sustained a knee injury during that series. He was sidelined with the injury for the rest of the playoffs. Without Middleton in the mix, the Bucks bowed out to the Boston Celtics in seven games. Needless to say, this team will be on a mission to prove that their title run in 2021 was not a fluke.
Fourth best NBA title odds: Brooklyn Nets (+700)
With a roster featuring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, the Nets were the prohibitive title favorites last season. The situation did not play out as the franchise hoped it would. Irving missed significant time due to the vaccination mandate he chose not to follow. Additionally, the Nets sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76eres in exchange for Andre Drummond, Seth Curry, and Ben Simmons.
With no help around him, Kevin Durant’s individual brilliance was not enough as he and the Nets were swept in the opening round by the Boston Celtics. The offseason hasn’t been much better. There were reports about Kyrie possibly going to the Lakers, and Durant requested a trade. Despite the drama-filled offseason, both Durant and Irving will be on the Nets’ roster next season. And because of the duo returning to the mix and the belief that Simmons is still an above-average defender, Brooklyn is expected to make some noise in what should be an exciting playoff race.
Third best NBA title odds: Golden State Warriors (+600)
The Golden State Warriors climbed the NBA’s mountaintop once again en route to their fourth title in eight seasons. But they lost a couple of key players that contributed to their championship run. Gary Payton II, a tenacious defender, joined the Trail Blazers. Meanwhile, Otto Porter Jr. will suit up for the Toronto Raptors next season.
To help offset the loss of these two key players, the Warriors brought in Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green. Whether these two players will fit into the team’s scheme remains to be seen. The Warriors are still the defending champs, and if they stay healthy, the road to the Finals could go through the Bay area again.
Second best NBA title odds: LA Clippers (+600)
The LA Clippers were without two perennial All-Star players in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Despite this fact, the team still made it to the play-in tournament. Sure, the 109-104 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in game was not the ending the team had hoped for. On the flip side of the narrative, there are a few positives worth noting for the upcoming season.
For starters, the Clippers will have their All-Star duo back in the fold, and they are as good as any 1-2 punch in the NBA. Not only that, but they acquired John Wall as well. Although Wall has been plagued with injuries over the past several seasons, he still has some gas left in the tank. Considering those factors, it’s easy to see why the Clippers have the second-best title odds.
Best NBA title odds: Boston Celtics (+550)
The Boston Celtics were on the brink of not making the playoffs last season. But thanks to an improbable run during the second half of the season, Boston advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. But it was not an easy road by any means. Aside from sweeping the Nets in the opening round, the rest of their postseason run was challenging. They needed seven games to knock off the Bucks. They also needed seven games to move past the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.
But while the Warriors were the more experienced of the two Finalists, it was the Celtics who won two of the first three games of the series. Unfortunately for the Celtics, they didn’t fare too well the rest of the way. Not only did they drop the last three games of the series, but each of those losses was by a double-digit margin.
Producing offense down the stretch of those games was one reason why the Celtics lost the series. To help address that need, the team acquired Malcolm Brogdon via a trade with the Indiana Pacers. The front office viewed play-making as an essential component to help elevate the team’s title chances.
Brogdon averaged 21.2 points and 19.1 points per contest over the last two seasons. Furthermore, he boasts a career conversion rate of 37.6 percent from beyond the arc. In other words, Brogdon is exactly what the Celtics needed. The Celtics also acquired Danilo Gallinari in July, but he tore an ACL playing for Team Italy during the FIBA World Cup. He is expected to miss the entire 2022-23 season.
All in all, the Celtics are in good shape. After all, they were just two wins away from winning the team’s first title since 2008. Adding another player who can score and facilitate increases their chances of another deep postseason run.