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The 2021-22 NBA season will attempt to be as close to a normal NBA season as possible after two years playing through a pandemic. The COVID situation in the United States has not improved as much as expected, but the league expects to get a full 82 games in while pushing for its players, coaches and staff to get vaccinated.
As the regular season approaches, DKNation will take a look at the odds to win the NBA championship. The Nets are the odds-on favorites, while the Lakers and Warriors will present stiff challenges from the Western conference. There’s also the defending champions Bucks, who beat the Nets on the route to the title. A host of other contenders fill out what is expected to be a heated battle for the championship.
NBA Title Odds for 2021-22 Season
Brooklyn Nets (+200)
Los Angeles Lakers (+400)
Milwaukee Bucks (+900)
Golden State Warriors (+1100)
Utah Jazz (+1500)
Los Angeles Clippers (+1700)
Phoenix Suns (+1700)
Philadelphia 76ers (+2000)
Denver Nuggets (+2000)
Miami Heat (+2500)
Dallas Mavericks (+2800)
Atlanta Hawks (+3500)
Boston Celtics (+4000)
Portland Trail Blazers (+8000)
Chicago Bulls (+8000)
Memphis Grizzlies (+10000)
New York Knicks (+10000)
Indiana Pacers (+10000)
New Orleans Pelicans (+11000)
Charlotte Hornets (+18000)
Toronto Raptors (+25000)
Washington Wizards (+25000)
Minnesota Timberwolves (+25000)
Sacramento Kings (+25000)
San Antonio Spurs (+35000)
Detroit Pistons (+100000)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+100000)
Houston Rockets (+100000)
Oklahoma City Thunder (+100000)
Orlando Magic (+100000)
The Nets, Lakers and Bucks are fairly isolated at the top of the list but there’s a big cluster in the next tier. There are 10 teams with odds of +4000 or better, which makes this season one of the most compelling in recent years. There are six teams with odds between +8000 and +11000 which form the final tier of what we’d consider potential contenders. The Clippers being high on the list is interesting and could just be oddsmakers hedging against an early return from Kawhi Leonard.
The pick: Nets (+200)
Only one thing can truly stop the Nets from lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy this season and that is not being on the floor. Kyrie Irving is doing a good job attempting to make that a reality for the Nets this season but Durant and Harden are enough to win a championship as they proved last season. Brooklyn’s supporting cast is also solid, and rookie Cam Thomas will be one of the steals of the draft. If Irving eventually rejoins the group, it’s basically a wrap.
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