Updated NBA Futures
Thanks to first class play from Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, the Golden State Warriors have been making noise both on the court and with Las Vegas bookmakers.
Online sportsbook Bovada released its latest round of NBA futures odds over the weekend, giving bettors the opportunity to capture a glimpse into the collective minds of Las Vegas bookies.
With less than three weeks gone by the 2014-15 NBA season, these odds are little more than a crap shoot right now, but they still make for interesting reading.
Get the latest basketball futures odds
While the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs continue to hold down the bookmakers’ top spot in their respective conferences, there’s plenty of other movement on the NBA futures list that’s worth taking a closer look at.
Betting Sports has taken a look at these recent championship odds and compared them to odds released on October 28, the eve of the new season.
Here’s a look at some of the teams making an impression (good or bad) right now.
Trending Upwards
The Golden State Warriors (was 16/1, now 7/1) have made the biggest impact on bookmakers through the early part of the season. New head coach Steve Kerr has the side playing solid basketball and the dynamic backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson has wowed crowds while giving opponents a headache. The Warriors have leapt into third place on the futures list as a result.
The Memphis Grizzlies (was 50/1, now 14/1) is another Western Conference big roller. The Grizzlies are showing the sort of form that you might expect from the Spurs, leaning on team effort rather than individual talent to garner success. Teams making the trip to the Volunteer State this season are in for a hard time of it.
One of the biggest surprises on Bovada’s list this week has to be the Sacramento Kings (was 250/1, now 75/1). Although the sample size is small, the Kings are undoubtedly playing some of the best basketball the Californian state capital has seen in years. But this young unit remains inconsistent and even steep 75/1 odds seem a little optimistic.
The Toronto Raptors (was 50/1, now 25/1) have emerged as one of the Eastern Conference’s form teams and in turn have seen their NBA championship odds slashed in half. Atlantic Division winners a season ago, can the side from north of the border continue to impress going forward?
Other notable teams trending upwards: Houston Rockets (was 22/1, now 12/1); Portland Trail Blazers (was 40/1, now 25/1); New Orleans Pelicans (was 100/1, now 66/1); Boston Celtics (was 200/1, now 100/1)
Trending Downwards
If you ever wondered how seriously injuries can impact a team’s chances of success, you need merely look at the Oklahoma City Thunder (was 7/1, now 18/1). With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook out of the lineup, the Thunder has gone from a top four contender to a middle of the pack also-ran, at least according to bookmakers. The question now has to be whether the Thunder can climb back into contention when the All-Star tandem returns.
Exhibit No. 2 in our examination of ‘Injury Vs. Success’ is the Indiana Pacers (was 66/1, now 250/1). Prior to Paul George being injured whilst playing for Team USA, the Pacers were considered 18/1 to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy, so the team’s falloff is even greater. The Pacers have struggled in every aspect of the game so far and this is looking like a long season. Not paying Lance Stephenson is looking like a bigger mistake every day.
The Los Angeles Lakers (was 75/1, now 250/1) were given little chance of winning an NBA championship this season. Whatever hope they had has well and truly gone south now. With no Steve Nash and no Julius Randle, the team looks like a ghost of its former self.
The Orlando Magic (was 200/1, now 1000/1) has been bestowed the undesirable accolade of the biggest fallers on Bovada’s list. Jacque Vaughan’s club saw its odds stretch five-fold this week, despite arguably playing better than a season ago. But who said life at the bottom of the Eastern Conference was fair?
Other notable teams trending downwards: New York Knicks (was 50/1, now 66/1); Denver Nuggets (was 100/1, now 150/1); Milwaukee Bucks (was 300/1, now 500/1); Minnesota Timberwolves (was 300/1, now 500/1); Philadelphia 76ers (was 500/1, now 1000/1).
You can see the full list of NBA futures odds below.
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