Suns & Warriors Jump Over Nets In Latest NBA Title Odds

Mark Strotman | 9 mins

There is a little more than a month left in the regular season, and NBA title odds are shifting in a significant way. Most recently, the slumping Brooklyn Nets were knocked off their throne atop the 2022 NBA title odds list, a spot they had held all season long despite some serious turmoil within the organization.
Taking their spot is the streaking Phoenix Suns, while the equally slumping Golden State Warriors also jumped a Nets team that fell below .500 for the first time since they were 2-3 in October. Should New York sports betting fans jump on the Nets' value now their odds are dropping? Or has the ship sailed on Brooklyn?
After a wild February, this is where oddsmakers on betting sites have slotted the contenders and their NBA futures odds to earn the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June:
NBA Title Odds 2021-22
Team | Odds To Win NBA Title |
Phoenix Suns | +380 ➜ |
Golden State Warriors | +450 ➜ |
Brooklyn Nets | +475 ➜ |
Philadelphia 76ers | +650 ➜ |
Milwaukee Bucks | +800 ➜ |
Miami Heat | +1000 ➜ |
Utah Jazz | +1700 ➜ |
Boston Celtics | +2200 ➜ |
Memphis Grizzlies | +2500 ➜ |
Odds updated as of March 7 via DraftKings
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Nets Odds In Free Fall
When healthy and active, the Nets have the best Big Three in the NBA. The issue? Ben Simmons (back, conditioning) still does not have an expected return to the lineup, Kyrie Irving still may not play home games due to his vaccination status, and Kevin Durant missed six weeks with a knee injury. Let’s also remember that their key bench pieces in LaMarcus Aldridge (36 years old), Goran Dragic (35), James Johnson (34), and Blake Griffin (32) aren’t exactly spring chickens.
In losing 16 of their last 19 games, the Nets have gone from the top of the East to ninth place, and they’re a full 5.5 games back from the No. 6 seed with just 17 games left. That means they’ll almost certainly be part of the Play-In Tournament, requiring one or two wins to even qualify for the postseason.
They’re obviously a dangerous squad if they can get in, but with so many unknowns, it’s getting more difficult to trust them. Their saving grace is that they have the fourth-easiest remaining schedule in the NBA, but that’s about all the Nets can hang their hat on at this point.
Sixers, Celtics, Heat, Bucks Thriving In East
While the Nets stumble and hobble their way to the finish line, the other East contenders are full steam ahead. Consider that since Feb. 1, the Celtics are an NBA-best 12-2 with a league-best 14.2 net rating, the Heat are 11-3, and the Bucks are 9-4. The Sixers are 4-0 with James Harden and Joel Embiid in the lineup with a hilariously good 126.2 offensive rating.
The East has seen three different champs in three seasons since LeBron James left, and both Miami and Milwaukee have been part of that group. Boston’s the hottest team in the NBA and the Sixers have the best 1-2 punch. Though they all trail Brooklyn in terms of NBA odds for the championship, that likely won’t be the case much longer. Even if Brooklyn manages to make it to the postseason, their path will be incredibly difficult because of the top-tier talent in the East.
Western Conference Packed With Contenders
While the East has become a free-for-all at the top, let’s not forget that the 2022 season has been all about the West. The top two teams in net rating are the ones that just surpassed Brooklyn for the top NBA betting odds on betting apps. Both Phoenix (+7.7) and Golden State (+6.3) are dealing with injuries to key pieces but have shown more than enough that they’ll be playing well into May. It's an exciting time for Arizona sports betting fans.
But the Jazz quietly have the NBA’s third-best net rating, and the Grizzlies (+4.3, sixth) and Mavericks (+3.6, seventh) are proving why the West is going to be brutal this spring—seven of the top 10 teams in net rating play in the West. And yes, we have to talk about the Lakers here because there’s always a chance they catch fire and earn a postseason spot, especially after LeBron’s 56-point performance in a win over Golden State on Saturday.
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