Posted on: February 23, 2023, 02:40h.
Final up to date on: February 23, 2023, 02:59h.
The Denver Nuggets opened a five-game lead within the Western Convention and have little competitors for the #1 seed, but they’re solely the second favourite on the NBA futures board at +390 odds to Win the convention.
The Phoenix Suns are in fifth place and 9.5 video games behind the Nuggets. But, the Suns emerged because the betting favourite to Win the Western Convention at +225 odds after they acquired All-Star ahead Kevin Durant in a commerce with the Brooklyn Nets.
| Staff | Western Convention Odds |
| Phoenix Suns | +225 |
| Denver Nuggets | +390 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +490 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +750 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +750 |
| Golden State Warriors | +850 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +2000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +2500 |
| Sacramento Kings | +5000 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +12000 |
| Portland Path Blazers | +20000 |
| Utah Jazz | +30000 |
| Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder | +35000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +90000 |
| Houston Rockets | +90000 |
A lot of the Western Convention playoff seedings are troublesome to foretell as a result of 11 groups are inside six video games of one another heading into the ultimate quarter of the common season. All however two groups from the West are in playoff competition.
West Tier 1: Nuggets
The Nuggets (41-18) are the one group from the Western Convention to succeed in 40 wins. They maintain one of the best general document within the West, together with one of the best residence document within the NBA at 27-4. The Memphis Grizzlies are the closest risk to grab the #1 seed away from the Nuggets. Residence-court benefit within the postseason may very well be essential for the Nuggets contemplating the addition of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to the Western Convention previous to the commerce deadline.
Heart Nikola Jokic is the betting favourite to Win the NBA MVP for the third straight season. He’s a troublesome matchup within the postseason due to his means to knock down 3-point pictures and Play a conventional publish offense together with his again to the rim.
Level guard Jamal Murray missed all of final season whereas recovering from an ACL harm. It took him virtually half of this season earlier than he lastly discovered his groove. The Nuggets’ greatest problem is protecting him contemporary for the postseason and ensuring ahead Michael Porter, Jr. doesn’t worsen his again harm.
The Nuggets are +390 odds to Win the Western Convention due to all the eye the Suns and Mavs are getting. Based on DraftKings, the Nuggets are fourth on the futures board at +750 odds to Win the 2022-23 NBA championship.
West Tier 2: Clippers, Suns
The second tier of groups within the Western Convention may not safe the #1 seed, however they’re nonetheless betting favorites to Win the convention and the NBA championship.
The Phoenix Suns (32-28) are in fifth place within the standings, however they grew to become a preferred decide to Win the championship after they added Kevin Durant in a commerce with the Brooklyn Nets. Durant is unguardable within the postseason, and nobody will need to Play the Suns within the playoffs.
Simply two seasons in the past, the red-hot Suns secured a visit to the 2021 NBA Finals. They’d one of the best document within the NBA final season and earned the #1 seed within the Western Convention. The Suns had been upset by the Dallas Mavericks within the convention semifinals after an embarrassing implosion in Sport 7.
The Suns had been on the cusp of greatness over the previous two seasons and the addition of Durant might assist put them excessive within the upcoming postseason. The Suns are the second-overall favourite to Win the championship at +425 odds, and the outright favourite to Win the convention at +225 odds.
The Los Angeles Clippers (33-28) are in fourth place within the West. Ahead Kawhi Leonard lastly seems to be like his outdated self after he missed final season whereas recovering from an ACL harm. Paul George performed one of the best ball of his profession when Russell Westbrook was his teammate with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, so the Clippers made an enormous gamble by including Westbrook through a contract buyout. The Clippers have 21 video games remaining within the common season to get Westbrook on top of things.
The Clippers are +900 odds to Win the NBA championship, and +490 odds to Win the Western Convention.
West Tier 3: Grizzlies, Kings, Mavs
The third tier of groups try to take care of their present playoff seed whereas avoiding the Western Convention Play-In Match.
The Grizzlies (35-22) haven’t been the identical since they’d an 11-game successful streak snapped in January. They went 4-9 since then, together with a horrible 1-8 stretch. Regardless of their tough patch earlier than the All-Star break, the Grizzlies are in second place within the Western Convention. They may not catch the Nuggets for the #1 seed, however they may at the very least safe home-court benefit within the first two rounds if they’ll maintain on to the #2 seed.
The third-place Sacramento Kings (32-25) are the shock group within the NBA this season. They’ll be completely happy to only finish a 16-season playoff drought. Bookies — and most bettors — don’t think about Kings, aside from one die-hard fan who will financial institution $10 million if the Kings Win the NBA championship.
The Dallas Mavericks acquired sizzling in final 12 months’s postseason and secured a visit to the 2022 Western Convention finals. Nonetheless, they seemed misplaced this season after they let level guard Jalen Brunson stroll in free company.
The Mavs (31-29) are at present in sixth place, however they made an enormous gamble by buying troubled level guard Kyrie Irving from the Nets. If the Mavs can get Irving targeted on enjoying hoops, they may make one other deep run with one of the best backcourt within the convention because of the mix of Luka Dončić and Irving.
The Mavs are +750 odds to Win the Western Convention, however they misplaced three video games in a row heading into the All-Star break.
West Tier 4: The 7-Staff Cluster
The fourth-tier groups are on the playoff bubble and preventing for 4 spots within the Western Convention Play-In Match. Solely three video games separate these seven bubble groups, which embrace the New Orleans Pelicans (30-29), Minnesota Timberwolves (31-30), Golden State Warriors (29-29), Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (28-29), Utah Jazz (29-31), Portland Path Blazers (28-30), and the Los Angeles Lakers (27-32).
The Pelicans at present occupy seventh place. They’ve been in a tailspin ever since they misplaced ahead Zion Williamson to a hamstring harm in January. Previous to the harm, the Pelicans had been preventing for the #1 seed with the Nuggets. At this level, the Pelicans hope Williamson will get wholesome earlier than the season ends.
The ninth-place Warriors are hoping they’ll make a run after Steph Curry returns from a leg harm. Head coach Steve Kerr is aware of that something is feasible as soon as the Warriors begin the postseason, however it’s been a lackluster season for the defending champions.
The Los Angeles Lakers are on the playoff bubble, however they had been lively on the commerce deadline and at last ditched Westbrook. They added six new key gamers – together with D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley – who they hope will assist LeBron James and Anthony Davis Win sufficient video games to qualify for the Play-In Match.
West Tier 5: Spurs, Rockets
The fifth-tier groups within the Western Convention haven’t any shot on the postseason.
The San Antonio Spurs (14-45) and Houston Rockets (13-45) are the 2 worst groups within the West, and each groups have the worst-overall document within the NBA.
The Spurs and Rockets are within the Victor Wembanyama Sweepstakes and hope they’ll flip round their franchises by hitting it huge within the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery.
