NBA Playoff Future Bets aim to see what value or chances have happened to the Vegas Odds for the NBA Finals. Fortunes rise not just with play on the court but unfortunately with injuries and other variables. It only took a few weeks to dramatically alter the betting landscape. BetUS Sportsbook Review noted some dramatic changes along with other books. Let us dive in!
| NBA Updated Playoff Futures |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +125 | +115 | +117 |
| Denver Nuggets | +230 | +220 | +226 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +1000 | +900 | +950 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +1200 | +1000 | +1100 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +1300 | +1300 | +1400 |
| New York Knicks | +1700 | +1600 | +1500 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +3000 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +4500 | +4000 | +4500 |
NBA Playoff Future Bets can be dangerous this time of year. Now, around April 12th, there were odds right before the start of the play-in round. The four favorites listed then were Boston, Denver, Los Angeles (Clippers), and Milwaukee. In a mere 2 1/2 weeks time, all figurative heck has broken loose. While Boston and Denver have remained the class of their conferences, numbers everywhere else have shifted precipitously.
Alright, the list of injuries alone is daunting. However, Damian Lillard (Achilles) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) both have significant ailments. That hampers Milwaukee’s title hopes even if they somehow get past Indiana, who have their own issues on the court. The Los Angeles Clippers lost Kawhi Leonard. Furthermore, the Phoenix Suns tanked in their first-round series and will not recover.
Anyway, recommendations dictate to keep browsing for the best numbers. We will illustrate some shifts below and some teams to take risks on. Keep in mind, an injury or unfortunate play can completely destroy those wagers this time of year. It remains essential to bet sensibly. NBA players do not quite play through injuries in the same way NHL players do. That is the reality. Now, this can drive bettors crazy.
Boston and Denver are still your favorites for the 2023-24 NBA title. The Celtics and Nuggets are off to early leads in Round 1. With the injury to Jimmy Butler, it appears Boston will not fall to the Miami Heat this time around. Of course, anything can happen (see Game 2 of that series). However, when the Celtics come out to play, their depth cannot be matched by the Heat.
As for Denver, much the same can be said. The Los Angeles Lakers are a very good team who simply cannot beat the Nuggets. They have lost all but one game in their previous ten against the defending champions. They did fend off elimination on Saturday but expect Denver to clinch early in the week. From there, Nikola Jokic and company wait their next opponent.
Yes, the next question is how much have those numbers come down? For Boston, they are +125 on Bovada (was +275 before). Denver is as short as +220 on BetOnline after being +360 on April 12th. Yes, upsets can happen but these two teams anchored by Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokic are title favorites for a reason.
So, conference numbers offer no value in the NBA Playoff Future Bets. Even Denver is -110 to -125 with Oklahoma City lurking in the West. Boston rolls in around -215 to -240. Maybe Philadelphia or New York offer some resistance. Can either pull off an upset? That is suspect at best. Out of the two teams, Denver has a better number for now. Take that while a bettor can do so.
Bettors and fans noticed Oklahoma City. Naturally, the only question with the Thunder may be maturity. We talk about maturity in the sense of NBA playoff experience and not previous performance. They have been one of the best teams all season. Some questioned how that would translate into the second season. Mark Daigneault and his squad have excellent metrics (2nd in SRS, 2nd in overall net rating).
First, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains a viable MVP candidate. Some will argue otherwise but Gilgeous Alexander averages over 30 points a game. He shot 53.5% from the field all season and that is not easy to do. With a young team loaded in terms of depth, the Thunder can beat you in a number of ways. Their top five players are all 25 years old or less. Despite this, the future has come far earlier than expected.
Next, some believe a team has to pay their dues. Boston still apparently is paying theirs and yet they reside as the favorite. However, the third option could prove to be the best as Oklahoma City has come down in price dramatically. Despite this, they still have a little bit of value even at +1000 on Bovada. On April 12th, this team was at +2000 with the Phoenix Suns. We saw what happened to the Suns. Basically, Phoenix has set.
Players like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren make Oklahoma City a dangerous out for either Denver or Boston. Earlier in the season, we saw firsthand how this team handled the two favorites at home. Sure, the Celtics won 64 games in the regular season but if the Thunder run, they can not only upend Denver but Boston as well.
NBA Online betting sites and Mondays never get us down. Monday features the three teams spotlighted in this article (Boston, Denver, and Oklahoma City. All of them can punch their ticket into Round 2 with a victory. Hopefully, no one’s shoes arrive late again. Anyway, expect some shifts during the day on these games as news filters in.
Again, our choice is to deviate from the top two teams, and swing big with Oklahoma City here at this price. Good luck!
