2023-2024 NBA Outright Winner Early Betting Odds - February 22
All odds provided by Sports Interaction sportsbook.
| Player | NBA Outright Winner Odds |
| Boston Celtics | +260 |
| Denver Nuggets | +450 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +525 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +700 |
| Phoenix Suns | +1,400 |
| New York Knicks | +2,000 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +2,200 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +2,200 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +2,500 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +3,000 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +3,500 |
| Golden State Warriors | +4,000 |
| Miami Heat | +4,000 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +4,000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +5,000 |
Boston Celtics (+260) - Current Record: 44-12
The Boston Celtics have been dominant this season, as they have five more wins than the next best team in the league at this point of the season. They’re averaging a ridiculous 10.2 margin of victory so far, which is nearly three full points more than the next best team. Their roster is a scary sight from 1 to 8 in the rotation, and they could have easily had four All-Stars this year based on their season performance so far.
All that being said, +260 odds are about as bad as it gets for a midseason outright winner futures bet. The only reason to bet on these odds would be if you felt they were an absolute lock, and based on Boston’s recent playoff performances, that’s definitely not the case.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have shrunk in the big moments, and while they should be able to run the table in the East, they can’t stack up with the best teams in the West in terms of playoff experience and success. Not to mention their chances at the Finals will take a huge hit whenever Kristaps Porzingis picks up his yearly injury. Don’t even look twice at these odds unless they rise to +400 or better.
Denver Nuggets (+450) - Current Record: 37-19
Probably the smartest bet on the board, the Denver Nuggets have looked every bit like a defending champion this season. They lost a couple of key pieces in the offseason, but they have seen several of their younger rotation guys take big steps this year, including Christian Braun, Zeke Nnaji, and Peyton Watson.
The Nuggets have been there and done that, and their big three of Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, and Michael Porter Jr. are playing as well as they ever have. They’ve also got the defensive horses in Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Christian Braun to lock in come playoff time and make it tough on opposing offenses.
The West is tough, but other than the Clippers, no team should really worry Nuggets fans right now. There’s more value on the board here, but in terms of safe bets for this year’s outright futures, it doesn’t get any more reliable than Denver at +450.
Los Angeles Clippers (+525) - Current Record: 36-18
Arguably the second-best value pick on the board, the Los Angeles Clippers have coalesced beautifully over the last couple of months following a rocky start after the acquisition of James Harden. Russell Westbrook’s move to the bench was not only selfless, but absolutely necessary for the fearsome foursome in L.A. to work out.
Harden’s counting stats are down, but he’s also shooting a career-best 42.2 percent from three-point range, with his previous best sitting at 39.0. The Beard has recognized where he’s at in his career and on this team, and he’s playing to those strengths, dominating the ball less and providing for Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, who are still the focal points of this team.
And how about a second unit led by a future Hall of Famer in Russell Westbrook? The Clippers bench has the fifth-best offensive rating in the league, and while they’re not great defensively, they’re not supposed to be: the Clippers are a rare team where their stars are also their defensive stoppers. All the bench needs to do is provide an offensive boost when needed, and they’ve been able to do that.
Maybe it took this convergence of three players and one team that have collectively never been able to get over the hump to finally exorcize their playoff demons once and for all. And if those guys that haven’t been able to get the job done fall on hard times, all they need to do is turn to a playoff killer like Leonard to take over and right the ship. At +525, there’s only one legit contender offering more value than the Clippers right now.
Milwaukee Bucks (+700) - Current Record: 35-21
How the Bucks still have +700 odds to win the NBA Championship this year is beyond me. That franchise seems as toxic as they come right now, having forced out a coach that had them securely in the fight for the first seed, only to revert to a guy in Doc Rivers who was already slamming the front office after a 3-7 start with the team.
Milwaukee cannot play defense to save their lives, and that shoudn’t come as a surprise to anyone who supported the Damian Lillard trade. What did you expect to happen when you ship out one of the best backcourt defenders in the league (and the guy who turned out to be the missing piece for your 2021 championship) for an aging shooter that offers nothing on that side of the ball?
Lillard can still get hot and shoot with the best of them, but the Bucks need to find a way to stop their opponents. Brook Lopez’s one year of quality defending seems like an anomaly, and the Greek Freak can’t do it on his own.
The Celtics are certainly not the only contender in the East that would be licking their chops at a playoff matchup with this bunch. You can win on talent in the regular season, but you need heart and chemistry in the playoffs, and they haven’t shown that. Milwaukee’s +700 odds here are a definite stay away.
Best of the Rest
The only other team apart from the Celtics, Nuggets, and Clippers that has a real shot at lifting the Larry OB this year is the Phoenix Suns, who are offering wonderful +1,400 odds. They’ve got three of the best scorers in basketball, and a proven champion in Kevin Durant. If they can stay healthy down the stretch, they are not a team that anyone will want to play come May and June.
The Timberwolves and Thunder, both at +2,200, would be fun bets, but there’s no way that either of them goes all the way in their first real playoff run. I could see both teams winning a series, but it would be surprising if either of these uber-young teams made it to the Western Conference Finals.
The New York Knicks are also an intriguing bet at +2,500. They’re as tough as any team in the league, but it might be worth waiting on this one until OG Anunoby makes his return. If they can maintain chemistry with Anunoby in the mix, they have the talent on both ends of the floor to make serious trouble for the likes of the Celtics.
