Congratulations to the Denver Nuggets for winning the 2023 NBA Finals. Your title is not yet months old. Enjoy it. And yet, for our part, it's already time to start talking about the 2024 NBA Finals.
This exercise will be a touch too early for some. We get it. Much of the NBA offseason is left to unfold. Rosters can still change. Some will undergo fairly dramatic shifts between now and opening night. But the top online sportsbooks in the USA have already released odds to win the 2024 NBA Finals. From the moment those go live, it's never too early for us to start investing in basketball futures. Besides, the timing is part of the appeal. The return on these NBA futures is far more lucrative when you pounce on them in July, August or September rather than October, November or later.
Anyway, before we get to our best bets to win the 2024 NBA title, let's take a look at the latest 2024 NBA Finals betting odds:
| To Win 2024 Finals |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtcis | +470 | +450 | +465 |
| Denver Nuggets | +480 | +450 | +500 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +600 | +675 | +625 |
| Phoenix Suns | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Miami Heat | +1000 | +1000 | +900 |
| Golden State Warriors | +1500 | +1400 | +1500 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +1500 | +1500 | +1500 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1700 | +1700 | +1700 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| LA Clippers | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +2400 | +2400 | +2500 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +3000 | +3000 | +2800 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +4700 | +4700 | +5000 |
| Sacramento Kings | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| New York Knicks | +5500 | +5000 | +5500 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +7500 | +7500 | +7500 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +8500 | +10000 | +8500 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +8500 | +10000 | +8500 |
| Toronto Raptors | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
| Chicago Bulls | +13000 | +13000 | +13000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +25000 | +25000 | +25000 |
| Utah Jazz | +25000 | +25000 | +25000 |
| Indiana Pacers | +25000 | +25000 | +25000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +25000 | +50000 | +35000 |
| Orlando Magic | +25000 | +25000 | +25000 |
| Houston Rockets | +35000 | +50000 | +25000 |
| Washington Wizards | +50000 | +100000 | +50000 |
| Charlotte Hornets | +50000 | +50000 | +50000 |
| Detroit Pistons | +50000 | +50000 | +50000 |
Definitely remember to double-check these NBA Finals betting lines until you actually submit your wager. The 2024 NBA champion will be crowned next June. Our NBA Finals odds are accurate as of Friday, July 28. The best online betting sites in the United States will make plenty of adjustments between now and then.
Now, back to business. As you can see above the Boston Celtics (+470) are odds-on favorites to win it all next year, with the reigning-champion Denver Nuggets (+480) checking in as a close second. Did the linemakers get this right? Which other NBA teams are quality bets to win the 2024 Finals? And finally, as of July 28, who are we predicting to win it all? Let's get to it.
Should the Boston Celtics be 2024 NBA Finals Favorites?
Bettors no doubt flocked to the Celtics after they acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. He adds an element of offensive shot-making they didn't have last season.
But his arrival came at the cost of Marcus Smart. While KP has more to his scoring arsenal, Smart is the much better passer. He's also the more versatile defender. The Celtics effectively surrendered playmaking and switchability for higher-end scoring. That's a reasonable gamble to make, but it is, in fact, a gamble.
Remember: Boston was working from a playmaking deficit to begin with. This move puts more pressure on Jaylen Brown and Derrick White as creators. And given Porzingis' previous lower body injuries, there's a chance the Celtics sacrificed durability as well.
Make no mistake, Boston could still win the title. And they are certainly worth a look when they payout almost 5-to-1. As an odds-on favorite, though, they lack the usual amount of knowability.
Why Aren't the Denver Nuggets Favorites to Win It All Again?
The Nuggets effectively cruised through the 2024 NBA playoffs and still have the league's best player in Nikola Jokic. So, why did so many of the best online NBA betting sites stick them behind the Celtics?
To be honest, we don't have a great answer. These NBA Finals betting odds are certainly reacting to the Nuggets losing Bruce Brown in free agency. They might also be responding to Denver's increased reliance on a handful of youngsters in Christian Braun, Zeke Nnaji and Peyton Watson. That injects their stock with a layer of risk.
Still, Denver would be much less appealing if the tippy top of the core wasn't so well off. Jokic will continue playing at an MVP level. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon should be just as good as they were last season. Most intriguingly, both Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr are young enough that their best basketball has yet to come. Do not, under any circumstance, write off this team.
Better 2024 NBA Finals Bet: Milwaukee Bucks or Phoenix Suns?
Most came away disappointed by the Milwaukee Bucks (+600) during the 2023 NBA playoffs. And while they managed to retain Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton in free agency, their most notable other moves were signing Jae Crowder and Malik Beasley to minimum deals. That doesn't scream "Milwaukee got better!"
The Phoenix Suns (+650) meanwhile turned a 38-year-old Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and a handful of unspectacular draft picks and swaps into Bradley Beal, a certified All-NBA-caliber player. This team is now headlined by Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, arguably giving them three top-20 players.
Depth has since become a concern for the Suns. And yet, they still have Deandre Ayton. They also made the most, and then some, out of their minimum signings. Eric Gordon and Yuta Watanabe, in particular, would be a part of every other NBA team's rotation.
However, while we're sold on Phoenix as contenders, we're not quite sure they're best-in-the-league material. The defense figures to be shaky, and both KD and Beal have proven injury-prone over the past few years.
For the Bucks' part, Middleton is finally healthy, and their top-two minimum signings are arguably superior to Phoenix's top two. Tack on the "Giannis Antetokounmpo is the second-best player in the world" factor, along with an easier path out of the Eastern Conference, and we're strongly leaning towards Milwaukee.
The Best Dark Horse NBA Title Bet
We came into this section ready to pick the Cleveland Cavaliers (+2000). As it turns out, the oddsmakers are already on to them. A 20-to-1 shot at winning the 2024 Finals isn't really dark horse material.
And so, we will pivot to the...New Orleans Pelicans (+4700). At 47-to-1, they are laying obscene value.
Sure, the Pelicans didn't do much this offseason. They drafted Jordan Hawkins (No. 13) and landed Cody Zeller. They lost Josh Richardson, Jaxson Hayes and Willy Hernangomez. It isn't immediately clear if they're coming out ahead.
Then again, they didn't need to. New Orleans had the second-best point differential in the Western Conference at the end of 2022. As currently constructed, they profiled as contenders before Zion Williamson went down. And though counting on him to be healthier is a risky proposition, he's young enough, at 23, for us to give the Pelicans our vote of confidence.
Especially when the payout is this juicy.
2024 NBA Finals Prediction
We apologize in advance for not being more contrarian. Our official 2024 NBA Finals pick will go to the Nuggets.
Indeed, they are worse off without Bruce Brown, and the Western Conference just got tougher. But we believe in the youngsters about to step up. Second-year player Peyton Watson, in particular, could shock a lot of people.
We also can't rule out a Michael Porter Jr. breakout. He flashed improved defense during the playoffs. If that carries over to the regular season and he continues to develop on offense, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray could have a third co-star on their hands.
OSB Prediction: Denver Nuggets (+480)
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