NBA Odds & Betting

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has emerged as the +110 betting favorite ($100 bet to win $110) for the 2020-21 NBA MVP award, per the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook on Saturday.

The news comes after Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James suffered a high ankle sprain that will keep him out indefinitely, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is second on the list with +550 odds. He is currently out with a left knee bone bruise suffered on March 12. Wojnarowski and ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported at the time that Embiid would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

James (+550), Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (+750), Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden (+1100), Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (+1600), Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (+1600) and Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (+1800) round out all the MVP candidates under the 20-1 odds marker.

The 26-year-old Jokic has been fantastic for the Nuggets this year, averaging 27.0 points on 56.6 percent shooting, 11.2 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

The advanced stats all favor Jokic's MVP candidacy too. Per Basketball Reference, Jokic's win share/48-minute rate of .310 is tops in the league. The same goes for his 11.8 box plus-minus, 5.1 VORP (value over replacement player), 9.5 win shares and 31.6 player efficiency rating.

Denver has also won eight of its last nine games to move to 25-16, good enough for fifth in the Western Conference.

Ultimately, all signs point to Jokic winning his first-ever MVP as of now, although nearly two months of regular-season basketball still remain.

      

For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.

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If the Detroit Pistons find a taker for a Blake Griffin trade, the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder are currently considered the favorites to land the six-time All-Star.

BetOnline.ag's sportsbook provided odds after the Pistons confirmed Griffin would be sitting out for the foreseeable future while the franchise explores a way to amicably part ways with the veteran forward:

Miami the odds-on favorite to land Blake Griffin if a trade happens, per @betonline_ag. pic.twitter.com/vKo21eWx9p

— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) February 16, 2021

The odds are only in place in the event of a trade, but Miami still stands out as a curious favorite for Griffin's services.

The Heat would likely have to trade Andre Iguodala, Meyers Leonard, Maurice Harkless and another small contract to make the deal work, which isn't likely to have much appeal for the Heat, who would lose all of their 2021 flexibility in exchange for a distressed asset in Griffin.

Oklahoma City could find the salaries to trade for Griffin, but it's hard to find much logic in a deal for either team. The Thunder would likely willingly add Griffin's salary to their cap sheet but would require at least one first-round pick in exchange, something a rebuilding Pistons team would not want to give up. Griffin also likely has no interest in trading one rebuild for another.

The likely end to this situation is Detroit and Griffin reaching an amicable buyout, with Griffin taking a sizable cut from his $39 million 2021-22 base salary in exchange for the freedom to sign with a contender. Griffin would then be able to recoup some of his 2021-22 salary with a deal this summer with his new team or as a free agent. 

The NBA landscape has shifted in a major way on Wednesday. As such, so have the betting futures. 

According to multiple reports, the Houston Rockets are trading James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in a massive deal that will also send multiple first-round picks and Victor Oladipo to the Rockets, Caris LeVert to the Indiana Pacers and Jarrett Allen to the Cleveland Cavaliers, among other moving pieces:

All four first-round picks and all four first-round pick swaps to the Rockets are unprotected, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. https://t.co/HdiUsvjPP7

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 13, 2021

That has shifted the Nets' title odds to +270 (bet $100 to win $270):

Updated NBA title odds 🏆

+260: Lakers
+270: 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘀 📈
+600: Clippers
+700: Bucks
+1800: Nuggets, Heat, 76ers
+2000: Jazz
+2100: Celtics
+2200: Mavs

(via @FDSportsbook) pic.twitter.com/t6fzP27oWt

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) January 13, 2021

The rest of the NBA is still chasing LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. But the Nets definitely have some serious superstar power now. 

In Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets have a top three that has combined to win three titles, two MVPs, seven scoring titles and been named to 24 All-Star teams. Their career scoring averages add up to 74.7 points per game. Harden and Durant alone have combined to average 30 or more points in a season five times. 

That's the good news. These three players are good. Very, very good. But how will they actually play together? 

That's the complicated part. Harden famously loves to run isolation basketball, serving as a team's primary scorer and facilitator. Irving likes the ball in his hands, too, with unparalleled handles, impressive finishing around the basket and the ability to hit from range. One of these players is going to have to adjust to playing off the ball with more regularity. Which one will make the sacrifice, and will it be a willing sacrifice?

And then there's Durant, he fit in pretty seamlessly with Golden State's team-based offense but also is one of the most dynamic one-on-one scorers in basketball. Durant worked so well in Golden State because players like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson didn't need to get their points in isolation, instead scoring easily within the offense. 

And then there's the culture fit aspect. Harden just forced his way out of Houston, throwing his teammates under the bus in the process. Irving has been out for several games for undisclosed reasons and has rubbed teammates the wrong way in the past. If the Nets don't fit together naturally, this situation could blow up.

But the Nets are all in. They are chasing titles. They have more talent than any other team in basketball now. Whether they can make it work will be among the most intriguing questions to be answered now that the deal is done. 

                      

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It might just be the Los Angeles Lakers against the field for the NBA championship this season.

FanDuel released the latest odds for the 2021 title following the start to the season, and the reigning champions have the lowest total at +270 (bet $100 to win $270). They are followed by the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and L.A. Clippers:

• Los Angeles Lakers +270
• Brooklyn Nets +440
• Milwaukee Bucks +600
• L.A. Clippers +700
• Denver Nuggets +1,600
• Miami Heat +1,600
• Boston Celtics +2,100
• Philadelphia 76ers +2,100
• Dallas Mavericks +2,500

              

Perhaps the biggest question about the Lakers had nothing to do with their actual roster and whether they had the best team but, rather, if fatigue would be an issue since they won their championship less than three months ago inside the Walt Disney World Resort bubble.

That wasn't much time to recover, especially since LeBron James turns 36 years old on Wednesday and, in theory, will eventually slow down as he gets older. The Purple and Gold didn't look great in a season-opening loss to the Clippers, either.

Since then, they beat the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves by a combined 59 points and appear to be rounding into competitive form.

They also have more firepower and overall depth than they did during last season's championship run thanks to the additions of Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, Dennis Schroder and Wesley Matthews, which will take some of the pressure off James and Anthony Davis when it comes to carrying the team before the playoffs.

That, in turn, should keep James fresher for the important part of the 2020-21 campaign.

As for the Lakers' top competition, the Nets lost a key piece when they confirmed Spencer Dinwiddie suffered a partially torn right ACL and will miss the rest of the season. They still have Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert, but Dinwiddie was an important secondary option on a championship contender.

Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo is yet to reach the NBA Finals for the Bucks, and the Clippers will be defined by last season's second-round collapse against the Denver Nuggets until they change the narrative in the playoffs.

For now, it's the Lakers and everybody else in the race to the NBA title.

           

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Suffice it to say bettors are confident in the Los Angeles Lakers' chances of repeating as NBA champions.

David Purdum of ESPN reported gamblers at William Hill sportsbooks have bet 60 percent of their total dollars on the Lakers to win the 2020-21 championship—more than all other 29 teams combined.

The Lakers are currently listed at 11-4 favorites.

The champs spent their offseason working on talent retention and fortifying their bench. Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Markieff Morris re-upped with new deals, LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma signed contract extensions, and general manager Rob Pelinka was busy acquiring Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrell and Marc Gasol as new role players.

In nearly every sense, the Lakers are a better, more complete team than they were a year ago.

That said, the sheer amount of money bet on the Lakers is eye-opening. This is a very good team but not one that fits on the inevitability scale with the KD-Steph-Klay-Dray Warriors.

The Clippers are back and may be stronger after bringing in Ty Lue as coach and Serge Ibaka to man the spot previously held by Harrell. The Brooklyn Nets are welcoming back Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, while the Milwaukee Bucks appear stronger after trading for Jrue Holiday. 

Add in a potential ascent for young players on the Denver Nuggets, the Boston Celtics and 2020 East champion Miami Heat, and there is strong championship competition this season.

That said, the Lakers proved every one of their doubters wrong last season and are even better this time around. They're a clear and significant favorite to hoist an 18th banner.

With the 2020-21 NBA season one day away, LaMelo Ball is the betting favorite to win Rookie of the Year.

The Charlotte Hornets guard is +440 on FanDuel, followed closely behind by New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin. Here are the strongest contenders:

           

2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

• LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets (+440)
• Obi Toppin, New York Knicks (+600)
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves (+700)
• James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors (+750)
• Killian Hayes, Detroit Pistons (+950)
• Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards (+1200)

           

Unlike some postseason honors, Rookie of the Year isn't necessarily dependent upon team success. It can definitely help a player's resume, but voters will typically put that aside to honor the NBA's best first-year star. Karl-Anthony Towns got the nod in 2015-16 despite the Minnesota Timberwolves winning 29 games.

That bodes well for Ball in his pursuit of the trophy.

The Hornets showed their ambition when they landed Gordon Hayward in a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics and handed Hayward a four-year, $120 million deal.

Still, Charlotte won't be contending for a title, and Ball is already the franchise's most promising young star. The 19-year-old will have the opportunity to pad his stat sheet with points and assists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HafMOd7uBRg

Toppin, on the other hand, might be a somewhat risky play.

The Knicks are likely going to finish in the lottery, but they already had a pretty deep frontcourt before adding Toppin with the eighth overall pick. Julius Randle is probably starting at the 4 on opening night, with RJ Barrett potentially at the 3.

The playing time and touches might not be there for Toppin to become a serious Rookie of the Year threat.

          

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The Los Angeles Lakers are the odds-on-favorite to repeat as NBA champions during the 2020-21 season. 

In the latest odds released by FanDuel Sportsbook, the Lakers are a +270 favorite (bet $100 to win $270) to win the championship. Behind the Lakers are the Milwaukee Bucks (+550), Brooklyn Nets (+600) and Los Angeles Clippers (+650).

Full 2020-2021 NBA Title Odds 🏆

Who are you betting on to win it all this year?

(Odds via @FDSportsbook) pic.twitter.com/1cY82jJ00T

— br_betting (@br_betting) December 18, 2020

There's a significant gap in the odds between those top four teams and everyone else in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat, who were the last two teams the Lakers defeated en route to the title last season, are tied for the fifth-best odds at +1600. 

The Nets are arguably the biggest boom play in the NBA for the 2020-21 season. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving combined to score 33 points in their first preseason game together on Sunday. It marked Durant's first appearance in an NBA game since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals on June 10, 2019. 

Outside of the top group, betting odds suggest there's not any significant difference between the second-tier playoff contenders. There are seven teams with title odds ranging from +1600 to +2500, including the 2020 Eastern Conference finalist Boston Celtics. 

The Golden State Warriors are an interesting play at +2500. They should certainly be better this season if Stephen Curry and Draymond Green remain healthy, but Kelly Oubre Jr. has a difficult task of filling in for Klay Thompson. 

If all of those young players for the New Orleans Pelicans, led by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, take a step forward this season, they could be a sleeper at +8500. 

On the low end of the totem pole, bookmakers are anticipating a three-way battle for the worst team in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons (+24000), Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks (both at +250000) getting the longest odds to win the 2020-21 championship. 

All of the questions about the 72-game season will start to be answered when the regular season tips off on Tuesday. 

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Jimmy Butler doesn't like the term "underdogs" to describe the Miami Heat. That said, he doesn't particularly care if the public views his team that way ahead of their NBA Finals matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I'm not gonna say we're any better than anybody else, but I just don't think we're underdogs. I don't," Butler told reporters Tuesday. "So what that nobody picked us to be there. That's okay. I'm pretty sure nobody's picking us to win, either. That's okay. But we understand that. We embrace that. Because at the end of the day, we truly don't care."

“At the end of the day, we’re going to do this our way. The Miami Heat way.” @JimmyButler on being considered underdogs throughout the #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/bjaYA7bgR0

— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 29, 2020

The Heat were listed at 60-1 odds during the preseason to win the NBA championship, the lowest odds of any Finals team since 2002, per Sports Odds History. Miami would have the highest odds of any champion in recorded history, should Butler and Co. upset the Lakers.

Miami is also the lowest-seeded Finals team since the 1999 New York Knicks, who made an improbable run as a No. 8 seed in a lockout-shortened season.

That said, the Heat have spent their last two rounds as significant underdogs, taking out the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. They also present perhaps the toughest on-paper matchup to the top-heavy Lakers, so Butler may have a better chance at hoisting his first NBA championship than the odds would say.

The Brooklyn Nets were just 30-34 when the NBA season was suspended because of the coronavirus, but they have become a popular title pick as of late. 

According to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, there has been a spike in bets for the Nets to win the 2020 championship and only the Los Angeles Lakers have been on more tickets since the season was suspended.

Bettors are clearly basing the prediction on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving returning to action after both were initially ruled out for the rest of the year.

"It's kind of a speculative bet, but nothing compares to this situation," said Dave Mason, the sportsbook brand manager at BetOnline.ag.

The NBA is in talks to resume play in late July with all games taking place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

If the league goes straight into the playoffs, the Nets would be involved as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. The biggest question for the squad is who will be able to play.

Durant was expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season after suffering an Achilles injury in the NBA finals last June. However, he reportedly had been playing full five-on-five scrimmages with teammates before the March 11 shutdown, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.

He left his return open-ended when speaking on Young Money Radio on May 12.

"It is what it is man. Everybody waiting on me to come back," Durant said, via Berman. "A lot of emotions involved. So I get it. I understand the business now. But I'll be back when it’s time."

Irving played 20 games this season but was limited by shoulder problems and eventually underwent surgery in March. However, he indicated he was recently back on the court:

Kyrie is back in the gym 👀 @KyrieIrving pic.twitter.com/2P7WLTYTkD

— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) May 19, 2020

The time off could have given him the opportunity to recovery from the injury and help out the team.

Still, there is no set return for either player, meaning bettors might be placing all their hopes on Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert.

Adding a 10-time All-Star has done little to increase the Portland Trail Blazers' championship odds. 

On Thursday night, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Carmelo Anthony had agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with Portland. Interestingly, the reported signing had zero impact in the gambling world:

Blazers’ title odds before signing Melo: 50-1

Blazers’ title odds after signing Melo: 50-1 pic.twitter.com/cdT7YObLyb

— br_betting (@br_betting) November 15, 2019

Anthony has played in just 10 games since the start of the 2018-19 season, with his last appearance coming more than one year ago on Nov. 8, 2018. He averaged 13.4 points on 40.5 percent shooting in 10 appearances with the Houston Rockets last season.

The 35-year-old is now on his sixth organization since 2017, though he never actually suited up for either the Atlanta Hawks or the Chicago Bulls.

Portland (4-8) currently owns the third-worst record in the Western Conference.