NBA Championship Odds: Celtics, Wizards Gaining Ground On Warriors, Top Teams
The Boston Celtics saw a seven-game straight-up win streak come to an end with a 108-92 loss in Sacramento as 8 1/2-point favorites Wednesday.
But the Celtics have climbed into sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference standings, and sport vastly improved +2000 odds to win the NBA championship at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston opened the season at a surprisingly strong +1800 to win the title, but fell into the middle of the pack with +4000 odds following a 13-12 SU start. However, the Celtics have gained valuable ground during their current tear, moving past the faltering Toronto Raptors, who have slipped to +2500.
With 15 wins in their past 18 contests, the Washington Wizards also are soaring on the NBA championship odds, up to +3300. The Wizards opened their campaign on a disappointing 3-9 SU run, and sat at a distant +20000 on Thanksgiving Day.
However, Washington since has been a strong producer on the hardwood and at the sportsbooks, going 23-9 against the spread in its last 32 contests ahead of Friday night?s Pacers vs. Wizards betting matchup at Verizon Center.
The Los Angeles Clippers opened their NBA season on a promising 14-2 straight-up run, fueling a climb to +750 on the title odds, but with just three SU victories in their past 10 contests, they have seen their championship odds plummet to +2500.
The indefinite loss of point guard Chris Paul to injury has devastated the Clippers during their current 10-game swoon, with opponents scoring 114 or more points on seven occasions.
The Golden State Warriors continue to lead the way as heavy -150 favorites on the NBA championship odds.
The Warriors sport an NBA-best 44-8 SU record and sit four games up on second-place San Antonio in the Western Conference standings. However, they have been a shaky bet at times this season, covering just twice in their past five games, and 13 times in their past 30 outings.
The defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers remain Golden State?s closest competition on the championship odds at +275. Cleveland has led the Eastern Conference for most of the season but has struggled at times to reward bettors, covering in just 10 of its first 24 road contests.
The Spurs have been rewarded for keeping pace with Golden State with strong +750 odds to win the NBA title, followed by the Houston Rockets at +1600. The Utah Jazz sport much improved +4000 odds, while the Indiana Pacers are joined at +10000 by the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls.
Thumbnail photo via Sergio Estrada/USA TODAY Sports Images
