The 2021-2022 NBA season saw two teams reach the NBA Finals that had not in a few years. The Golden State Warriors won the championship after winning the Western Conference, while the Boston Celtics made the NBA Finals after winning the Eastern Conference. In the 2022-2023 NBA season, those teams will be among those with the best NBA conference championship odds, as they will face stiff competition to retain their conference crowns.
2022-2023 NBA Eastern Conference Odds
| Team |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOS | +285 | +225 | +200 | +190 | +240 |
| BKN | +320 | +800 | +650 | +550 | +850 |
| MIL | +350 | +225 | +275 | +300 | +230 |
| PHI | +700 | +900 | +1000 | +1000 | |
| MIA | +800 | +1200 | +1500 | +1600 | +1200 |
| CLE | +1500 | +700 | +800 | +900 | +700 |
| ATL | +2000 | +1600 | +2000 | +1600 | +1600 |
| TOR | +2000 | +1800 | +1500 | +1800 | +1800 |
| CHI | +3000 | +4000 | +5000 | +5500 | +4700 |
| NY | +6000 | +8000 | +9000 | +8000 | +10000 |
| CHA | +8000 | +30000 | +75000 | +80000 | +29000 |
| WAS | +15000 | +15000 | +9000 | +7000 | +24000 |
| DET | +25000 | +50000 | +90000 | +100000 | +49000 |
| IND | +60000 | +20000 | +40000 | +30000 | +37000 |
| ORL | +60000 | +50000 | +75000 | +80000 | +37000 |
The Eastern Conference is set up like it was in the 2021-2022 season in terms of its NBA conference championship odds. There is a clearly defined pack of five favorites or so, while the rest of the conference has some catching up to do to reach those teams. At the top of the list of favorites is the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics, with things getting interesting from there.
Despite being swept in the first round of the playoffs last year, the Brooklyn Nets have the second best NBA conference championship odds in the East. They will always be dangerous with Kevin Durant involved. But the lack of certainty surrounding Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving could make them a dangerous play before the NBA Draft and free agency periods that can really shape a roster.
The other three major contenders in the Eastern Conference are the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers. Of these teams, only the Sixers have struggled to prove themselves in the postseason over the last couple of years. The Bucks and Heat have both won recent conference titles, and the Sixers could be a threat to do the same if James Harden and Joel Embiid stick together.
2022-2023 NBA Western Conference Odds
| Team |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS | +320 | +325 | +350 | +350 | +330 |
| LAC | +330 | +325 | +375 | +360 | +330 |
| PHO | +430 | +375 | +450 | +450 | +410 |
| DEN | +850 | +800 | +700 | +750 | +800 |
| MEM | +1000 | +800 | +700 | +750 | +800 |
| LAL | +1100 | +6600 | +4000 | +4500 | +6500 |
| DAL | +1200 | +900 | +800 | +900 | +950 |
| MIN | +1400 | +2200 | +3000 | +2800 | +2300 |
| NO | +1800 | +1400 | +1000 | +1200 | +1500 |
| POR | +6500 | +3500 | +2000 | +2500 | +3900 |
| SAC | +15000 | +10000 | +5000 | +5000 | +11000 |
| OKC | +25000 | +30000 | +40000 | +40000 | +29000 |
| HOU | +50000 | +30000 | +90000 | +100000 | +29000 |
| SA | +50000 | +30000 | +80000 | +60000 | +29000 |
| UTA | +50000 | +6600 | +5000 | +5000 | +5500 |
In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix Suns are the clear favorites to come away with the conference title. Golden State and Phoenix were the two best teams in the league last season. The Clippers, meanwhile, are expected to be dangerous with a healthy Kawhi Leonard and Paul George together once again.
Next up on the list of NBA conference championship odds in the Western Conference are three teams more than capable of winning the West. The Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and Denver Nuggets all have MVP-level talent at their disposal. The question is whether they can put enough talent around those players to cash in on a conference championship run.
