The Denver Nuggets were a juggernaut in the playoffs, rolling past every foe on their way to the NBA championship.
Nikola Jokic is the best player in the world and Jamal Murray has proven to be a star in his own right, so it’s little surprise that Denver has been instituted as the favorites to repeat as champions in 2023-24.
But the odds are close among the top four teams, as the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns are also projected to be in the hunt.
Here are the odds for that quartet to win next year’s NBA title, per BetMGM on June 15:
- Nuggets +500
- Celtics +550
- Bucks +600
- Suns +700
While free agency and the draft has the capability to change things up, the cores are in place for each of these teams to make a run.
Denver finished the regular season 53-29 and then lost only four games total in the postseason to claim the championship.
The Celtics had the second-best record in the NBA last year at 57-25 and easily had the widest gap in scoring differential, which is often a key cursor of success. Boston was beaten by the Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals but is expected to contend again behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The Bucks won the 2021 championship and finished with the best record in the NBA last season. With Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, expectations are again sky-high. Milwaukee hired Adrian Griffin in place of the fired Mike Budenholzer following its Eastern Conference Semifinals playoff exit, and that change will be one to watch.
The Suns have a dominant duo in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, along with a new coach in Frank Vogel. It’s a crucial offseason to figure out the right pieces around them, as it’s uncertain if point guard Chris Paul or center Deandre Ayton will be back. The star power at the top has Phoenix in the mix, though depth was an issue after the trade for Durant, so that must be fixed.
The Golden State Warriors’ window seems to be closing after an absolutely dominant run spearheaded by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Even so, Golden State is among the teams on the next tier that could surprise and be in the hunt for another championship.
The Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers are also seen as lurking contenders if they can make the right moves this offseason.
Here is a look at the rest of the NBA championship odds for 2023-24, per BetMGM on June 15:
- Warriors +1200
- Lakers +1200
- 76ers +1200
- Heat +1800
- Mavericks +2000
- Clippers +2000
- Cavaliers +2500
- Grizzlies +2500
- Pelicans +3000
- Knicks +4000
- Timberwolves +6600
- Hawks +8000
- Thunder +8000
- Raptors +8000
- Nets +10000
- Bulls +12500
- Trail Blazers +12500
- Spurs +15000
- Rockets +20000
- Pacers +25000
- Magic +25000
- Jazz +25000
- Wizards +25000
- Hornets +50000
- Pistons +50000
- Kings N/A
