NBA Betting: 2021 Championship Odds Update
Although several stars missed games with injuries, not much has changed atop the NBA championship futures over the last month. There has been some movement down below, though.
Let’s start on top where the Los Angeles Lakers remains NBA championship favorites at Bovada Sportsbook at +240. That’s the same odds they held a month ago.
Lakers remain slight championship favorites over Nets
Apparently the oddsmakers don’t think Anthony Davis’ calf injury is much to worry about. Davis is expected to be sidelined for four weeks. Since Davis went down, the Lakers are 1-3, including a loss to the Brooklyn Nets at home.
Speaking of the Nets, they’re still right behind the Lakers on the NBA championship futures at +325. That’s actually a slight drop from the +300 odds they were getting a month ago. The Nets have their own sidelined stars, as Kevin Durant has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury, and Kyrie Irving is constantly in and out of the lineup, although he has played in the last five.
The Nets have won seven straight despite having Durant, Irving and James Harden playing together for only one of those games.
Following the Lakers and Nets on the NBA futures are the Los Angeles Clippers at +550, the Milwaukee Bucks at +800 and the Utah Jazz at +850.
Clippers third on oddsboard despite home struggles
The Clippers also lost to the Nets recently, falling 112-108 as a 6.5-point home favorite earlier this week. Prior to that loss, the Clippers appeared to be putting things together with a 5-1 record in their previous six. One interesting stat for the Clippers: it appears home court hasn’t been a tremendous advantage for them this season. Six of the Clippers’ 10 losses have come at home.
The Bucks have seen their NBA title odds drop from +650 to +800. Their recent five-game losing streak, with four of those losses as the favorite, may have something to do with that. Against the Lakers, Nets and Jazz this season, the Bucks are a combined 0-4.
NBA-best Jazz move up odds list with sizzling stretch
The Jazz are one of the largest risers on the NBA futures, jumping from +2000 to their current slot at +850. Utah sports the best record in the NBA at 25-6 despite starting the season 4-4 in its first eight games, In their last 23 games, the Jazz are 21-2. However, Utah has yet to play the Lakers this season and one of its losses came against the Nets. At home, Utah is riding a 14-game winning streak.
While the Jazz are climbing up the NBA futures, their rise has caused several teams’ odds to take a hit. The Boston Celtics have dipped from +1500 to +2800. The Denver Nuggets have slid from +2200 to +3500, the Miami Heat have plummeted from +2500 to +4500 and the Toronto Raptors have fallen from +5000 to +6000.
Raptors have dominated top title contenders
The Raptors’ drop could make them a sneaky value bet right now. Toronto had climbed back over the .500 mark after winning four straight, which included wins over Milwaukee and the Philadelphia 76ers. Toronto has won 11 straight against the Lakers, five in a row against the Nets, and their last four against the Jazz.