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After trailing 2-1 to the Celtics in the NBA Finals, the Warriors won three straight games to earn their seventh NBA title and fourth in eight years.
Golden State had the fourth shortest odds at 12-to-1 when the futures were first released in July. And at the end of the regular season, the third-seeded Warriors still offered great value at 8.5-to-1.
Now, with the season officially over, let’s take our first glimpse at the 2022-2023 futures odds.
NBA Championship Odds
Provided by BetMGM
The Favorites
Golden State Warriors +500
The Warriors are a deserving favorite to repeat as champions next year. In 2018, Golden State won back-to-back titles after defeating the Lebron James-led Cavaliers for a second straight season. If not for an NBA Finals loss to Cleveland in 2016, the Warriors might’ve won four consecutive titles.
Golden State’s core should still be intact for the foreseeable future, with Stephen Curry (2026), Klay Thompson (2024), and Draymond Green (2024) all already under contract. However, after paying a whopping $170 million in luxury tax, the Warriors might need to offload Andrew Wiggins’ (2023) $29.5 million salary if they decide to trim their payroll.
Although, this Warriors ownership group has never been shy to splash some cash. According to Dan Feldman of NBCSports, other NBA teams aren’t all that excited about the Warriors spending patterns. Moreover, there’s even a chance they could spend more in the coming years.
However, Golden State’s front office has also done tremendously well in the draft. Not only can the Warriors identify talent, but they also do an excellent job of developing their players. And given the Warriors’ run that we saw from 2015 through 2018, the rest of the league has a right to be worried.
Boston Celtics +650
I don’t think the 2021-22 season was a fluke for the Boston Celtics. After all, this team led the league with a 106.2 defensive rating. Like Golden State, the Celtics also have their core players locked up, with Jaylen Brown (2024), Jayson Tatum (2026), and Marcus Smart (2026) signed at least for another two years.
It’s always rare when a group of players rarely reaches the NBA Finals and wins the title on their first try. There’s no better example than in the late 1980s when the Pistons and Bulls both had to endure some failure before ultimately getting their hands on the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
This loss should fuel the Celtics for next year, and if Tatum and Smart can find a way to take their games to the next level, the Boston Celtics will be right in the thick of things once the playoffs get underway next year.
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The Contenders
Milwaukee Bucks +800, Dallas Mavericks +1400, Memphis Grizzlies +1400
Three teams worth a look to win the title are the Bucks, Mavericks, and Grizzlies. Each team already has a bonafide superstar that’s already under contract.
Milwaukee was without Khris Middleton in the second round against Boston, yet still managed to force a Game 7.
Memphis and Dallas gained valuable experience against the Warriors in their playoff rounds. You could argue that the Grizzlies might’ve been able to force a Game 7 had Ja Morant not suffered a knee injury.
As for the Mavericks, they’re already preparing for next season after landing center Christian Wood via trade with the Rockets.
I think either one of these teams offers tremendous value, especially if you’re looking for odds in the range of 10-to-1.
