Favorites for the NBA Finals 2022: Did You Bet on Any of Them?

Whether you consider basketball’s NBA or Nascar’s Ambetter 301 odds, you will be surprised to learn how only 15% of the participating teams actually qualify in the contender’s race. While sports like NBA Finals have their surprises, however, most often, it is the favorites that win.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors are the reigning champions. Their four-time championship-winning big three, which includes Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green, will be back this season. Furthermore, the budding young talents who helped them win title No. 4 in 2022, such as Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, will be beaming with the confidence that comes with a victory.

This Golden State club has appeared in six of the last eight NBA Finals, winning 50% of titles along the journey. The Warriors are a gift at +550, which implies you should bet on them right away before the bookies.

Milwaukee Bucks

Despite being without sharpshooter Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a seven-game victory over the reigning Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics. The Bucks will be serious title contenders again if Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and floor general Jrue Holiday stay injury-free in the playoffs.

The Greek Icon has now garnered more than a handful of NBA honors, making the Bucks an excellent NBA Finals winner bet at +600, as long as they can avoid the doctor’s office.

Boston Celtics

When you reach the NBA Finals and challenge the champions to six games before falling out, bookies will name you one of the favorites to win it all the following season. Because of the usual and natural development of things in the NBA, the Boston Celtics are high on this list. It ultimately comes down to Tatum and Brown cutting down on turnovers enough to give the Celtics’ defense a chance. 

Los Angeles Clippers

Played with two different teams twice, NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard is expected to return for the 2022-23 season, reestablishing the Clippers as legitimate title contenders. In the team’s evident desire to win right now, the mystery is who they will add to a squad that already includes emerging postseason talents like Reggie Jackson.

Phoenix Suns

After dropping in the 2021 NBA Finals and finishing with the best record in the league during the 2021-22 NBA regular season, the Suns were the favorites of the NBA and every bookmaker in the country. Then the Chris Paul of previous playoff failures appeared, and the contenders fouled out.

Deandre Ayton could leave this summer, but the franchise might be more assertive without him. In addition, they retain a defensive stopper in Mikal Bridges and a superstar in Devin Booker.

If they want to progress to the NBA Finals, the challenge is that Chris Paul will have to deliver, not what he did previously. 

Other Potential 2022-23 NBA Championship 

These three teams have lower odds than the absolute favorites, but each is a real NBA Finals challenger this season:

Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid believes he deserves an MVP; James Harden has one and a reasonable argument that he should have more. The truth is, they have a ton of playoff meltdowns between them, such as the one they put together as a duo last season.

Suppose these two can stay healthy, prioritize a title over an MVP award, and perform. Tyrese Maxey served for the Sixers in the semifinals in 2022. In that case, they will be a serious contender. If not, you’ll kick yourself for paying +1600 for the same old Sixers tragedy.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat have pieced together two Eastern Conference Finalist teams over the past four seasons. It never seemed like a legitimate contender to win an NBA title. They made the NBA Finals on the bubble and were just a game-seven victory away from doing so again this year.

Nonetheless, they’ve appeared sluggish and outmatched at times. Kyle Lowry, an aging free agent, wasn’t the perfect option this year, as he wilted late in the playoffs. The Heat will be competing for second place at best unless they make a massive and bolder move in the offseason.

Dallas Mavericks

Luca Doncic appears to be capable of winning an NBA championship on his own. The difficulty is that no one can accomplish it except maybe Michael Jordan and LeBron James, and even those two haven’t done it yet. Dallas requires significant assistance for Doncic, as well as players such as Jalen Brunson.

It is not Spencer Dinwiddie or Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks need another All-Star or two. Get a player of that level on the roster, and the odds of Dallas attempting to win again should fall like a stone.

Essential Points to Remember before You Bet on the NBA

Here are a few crucial points to remember before betting on the NBA Finals:

• The NBA Finals typically begin in early June. They can last between two and three weeks, considering how many games are played in the best-of-seven series.

• The NBA playoffs begin with a play-in round in which the seventh through tenth teams from each conference compete for the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. Following that, round one begins, with the victors of each seven-game series advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

• The winners of the best-of-seven semifinals proceed to the best-of-seven Conference Finals, and the winners meet in the NBA Finals, which is also a best-of-seven series. The best team receives a home-court advantage, hosting games one, two, five, and seven. The championship is awarded to the squad that wins four games in a row.

• The NBA Finals is a seven-game best-of-seven series. There can be no more than seven games, as the champion is the first side to achieve four victories. The NBA Finals are virtually always shown live on ESPN or ABC. While an NBA League Pass membership provides access to all regular season and postseason games, it doesn’t include NBA Finals.