Updated NBA Championship Odds and Second-Round Series Prices
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The first-round of the NBA playoffs has delivered some classic finishes and one stunning upset. With the Eastern Conference No. 1-seed Milwaukee Bucks crashing out to the Jimmy Butler and the No. 8 Miami Heat in the first round - four games to one, no less - the updated NBA championship odds now list the Eastern Conference No. 2 Boston Celtics as the +140 favorites to win their first championship since 2008.
Updated 2023 NBA Championship Odds
Team | Odds |
Boston Celtics | +140 |
Phoenix Suns | +400 |
Golden State Warriors | +700 |
Philadelphia 76ers | +750 |
Denver Nuggets | +800 |
Los Angeles Lakers | +1200 |
New York Knicks | +2000 |
Miami Heat | +3500 |
Memphis Grizzlies | +5500 |
Sacramento Kings | +12000 |
Atlanta Hawks | +50000 |
The odds drop off fairly significantly after Boston, with Kevin Durant's Phoenix Suns listed as the +400 second-favorite. Golden State (+700), Philadelphia (+750), and Denver (+800) round out the top five and are the only other teams shorter than +1200.
Ironically, Boston has yet to officially advance to the second round, holding a 3-2 edge on the Atlanta Hawks in their best-of-seven series.
Five teams have already finished off their best-of-sevens: the Nuggets beat the Timberwolves (4-1), the Suns beat the Clippers (4-1), the Knicks beat the Cavaliers (4-1), and the 76ers swept the Nets.
The other ongoing series see the Warriors leading the Kings 3-2, and the Lakers leading the Grizzlies by the same score.
The opening odds for the second-round matchups project two tight series so far.
NBA Second-Round Series Odds
Matchup (Seed) | Odds to Win Series | Game Spread |
76ers (EC3) vs. Celtics (EC2) or Hawks (EC7) | TBD | TBD |
Knicks (EC5) vs. Heat (EC8) | -145 / +120 | -1.5 (+150) / +1.5 (-180) |
Nuggets (WC1) vs. Suns (WC4) | +120 / -140 | +1.5 (-150) / -1.5 (+125) |
Warriors (WC6) or Kings (WC3) vs. Lakers (WC7) or Grizzlies (WC2) | TBD | TBD |
Only two of the four second-round series were set at the time of publication. Holding a 3-2 series lead, the Celtics are heavy favorites (-2500) to advance past the Hawks, which would set up a heavyweight clash with the 76ers in the second round. The Celtics would have home-court advantage over Philadelphia, but the Sixers will get home-court if the Hawks manage to stage an improbable comeback.
In the Western Conference, the Warriors (-900) and Lakers (-425) are heavily favored to meet in round two. The No. 6-seeded Warriors would get home-court in that matchup against LeBron James' seventh-seeded Lakers.
Here's how the full playoff bracket looks as of Thursday morning.
Only one game is on the NBA schedule tonight with the Celtics getting their second chance to closeout the Hawks in Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Friday's schedule sees a pair of Game 6s: Sacramento at Golden State (8:00 p.m. ET) and Memphis at L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET).
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