The 2022-2023 NBA postseason is in full swing, with the remaining teams looking to replace the Golden State Warriors as NBA champions. And while there are many of the same familiar suspects at the top of the list of favorites at this stage, some new faces are also looking to crash the party and prove that they can win a championship themselves.
Current 2023-2024 NBA Championship Odds
NBA Championship Favorites
The NBA Finals have arrived, and there are just a couple of teams left to battle it out for the title. The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat won their respective conferences, and are the only teams remaining with a chance to win it all. Denver is the favorite to win the Finals this year, but their championship series could go either way as we have seen from the other results in the postseason in the NBA.
Miami has become the second eight-seed in the history of the NBA Playoffs to reach the Finals. Their defense has been a huge reason for their success in the playoffs, as Miami has found a way to slow down the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics en route to the Eastern Conference championship.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets were the number one seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and they managed to hold serve en route to the Western Conference championship. Nikola Jokic has been incredible all postseason long, while the supporting cast of the Nuggets has been great to help the team reach the Finals. Now the question is whether that supporting cast can help Jokic enough to win a championship for the first time in franchise history.
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NBA Championship Dark Horses For 2024
Looking ahead to next year, there are a few teams that are flying under the radar that secure the NBA championship in 2024. Teams like the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks are just a piece away from claiming a title, as they should be able to improve after promising seasons last year.
Then there is a team like the Memphis Grizzlies, who are at longer odds than anticipated going into the 2023-24 season, thanks in large part to the situation surrounding Ja Morant. Morant is likely to face a significant suspension due to his off-court actions. But if the rest of the Grizzlies can hold down the fort in his absence, Memphis could easily win a title once he comes back.
NBA Championship Longshots For 2024
Looking even further down the list of odds to win the NBA Finals next season, there are some intriguing options that could represent a nice value later in the season. The Oklahoma City Thunder made the play-in tournament this past season, and should get even better with the return of Chet Holmgren after he missed all of last season due to injury.
Along with the Thunder, the Toronto Raptors have a roster that could be a threat in the Eastern Conference. They will also have a fresh voice to lead them this coming season, as they let Nick Nurse go and will have their pick from a host of coaching options. At a longshot price, the Raptors could be one of many intriguing choices to win a title.