After a little over a month of NBA action, a few teams in the Eastern Conference have established themselves among the top-tier and hope to represent the conference in the NBA Finals.
Take a look below and find out which rotations have the best odds to sit atop the conference.
Brooklyn Nets +145
Milwaukee Bucks +300
Miami Heat +500
Philadelphia 76ers +950
Chicago Bulls +1400
Atlanta Hawks +1900
Boston Celtics +3000
New York Knicks +3600
Indiana Pacers +6500
Washington Wizards +6500
All NBA odds are courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook.
Current Odds +145
Staying as the favorites to win the conference championship, the Brooklyn Nets have posted a 14-6 record after the first month of the season, good for first in the conference. Even without star guard Kyrie Irving, the Nets have a 5.7 Net rating, ranking second in the conference, only behind the Miami Heat. Running at a 99.4 possessions per game pace, look for the Nets to rely on the other two of their Big Three in James Harden and Kevin Durant, who rank second and first in usage rate among starters, with a 27.7% and 31.3% usage rate, respectively.
Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Bembry, and Joe Harris (out for extended time because of an ankle injury) all look to be practical additions to the rotation, all recording an offensive rating above 100.
According to Tankathon, the Nets’ schedule ranks 19th in difficulty, with less challenging matchups against Orlando, Houston, Detroit, New Orleans, and San Antonio on the horizon.
Current Odds +300
Despite a slower start to the 2021 season, the Milwaukee Bucks remain among the favorites to represent the conference in the NBA Finals, on their way to back-to-back championships. After the first month of the season, the Bucks have a 13-8 record, with a 9-5 mark in the conference. Playing at a 99.5 possession per game pace, the second-fastest in the Conference, only behind the Charlotte Hornets, the Bucks also have a 4.2 Net rating, ranking fourth. Look for production to center around the big three in the rotation. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middelton are responsible for a combined 85% usage rate.
Newcomer Grayson Allen also remains a fixture in the Bucks rotation, starting every game this season, leading the team with a 124 offensive rating, averaging 29 minutes, 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists per game.
Milwaukee looks to have the most difficult remaining schedule in the league, with upcoming matchups against the Warriors, Suns, Nets, and Bulls.
Current Odds +500
Jumping out to a 13-8 start after the first month of action, the Miami Heat currently sit in third place in the Eastern Conference, looking to make their return to the NBA Finals after a one-year absence. With a typical starting rotation of newly acquired Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo, PJ Tucker, and Jimmy Butler, the Heat lead the conference with a 5.8 Net rating, playing at the third-slowest pace at 96.2 possessions per game. Most of the team’s production is funneled through Butler and Adebayo, who combine for a 52% usage rate, both seeing more than 32 minutes per game on the floor.
Tyler Herro and Duncan Robison should also see extended run, both posting offensive ratings above 100 and seeing 33 and 28 minutes on the floor on average.
Miami looks to benefit from a more manageable schedule in the upcoming months, with matchups against the Magic, Rockets, Pistons, Thunder, and Spurs.
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