The Golden State Warriors were only just 2022 NBA champions, but the best betting sites for the NBA have already released odds on the 2023 Finals. And who are we to pass up an opportunity to invest in them?
Before we get to our best early-bird bets to win the 2023 NBA Finals, here are the latest odds, courtesy of the fine folks over at BetOnline:
| NBA Title Pick |  |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | +460 |
| Boston Celtics | +650 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +700 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +750 |
| L.A. Clippers | +850 |
| Phoenix Suns | +950 |
| Miami Heat | +1500 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1600 |
| Denver Nuggets | +1700 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +1900 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +2600 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +4500 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +4800 |
| Utah Jazz | +6000 |
| Toronto Raptors | +6500 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +8500 |
| Chicago Bulls | +12000 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +12000 |
| Charlotte Hornets | +13000 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +14000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +21000 |
| New York Knicks | +24000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +40000 |
| Washington Wizards | +40000 |
| Indiana Pacers | +40000 |
| Sacramento Kings | +40000 |
| Orlando Magic | +50000 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +50000 |
| Houston Rockets | +50000 |
| Detroit Pistons | +50000 |
These odds on the 2023 NBA Finals are accurate as of Friday, June 17, 2022. That means there’s almost an entire year before another champion is crowned. And that, in turn, ensures these NBA betting odds will shift drastically in the months to come. They should even move a bunch in the next few weeks as teams go through the 2022 NBA draft and 2022 NBA free agency, not to mention complete the usual amount of offseason trades.
This is all to say: Make sure you’re refreshing these 2023 NBA Finals betting odds prior to settling on any picks. But don’t be afraid to place your wager early. That’s when the NBA betting odds are the most lucrative. If it turns out you’re way off, you have nearly a year to adjust the course.
In the event you’re in the market to find a home for all of your 2023 NBA betting, we’ve got you covered—and then some. Whether you need reviews of the top online betting sites for the USA or an overview of the mobile betting sites with the best sportsbook apps, we’re here to help.
Now, on to our best 2023 NBA Finals bets!
You won’t find us pushing back against the Golden State Warriors (+460) as 2023 NBA Finals favorites.
Sure, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson will all be a year older. There’s also no guarantee the Warriors keep soon-to-be free agents like Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, and Otto Porter Jr. Complicated still, Golden State doesn’t have the cap flexibility to replace them if they do leave.
But we can’t imagine the Warriors will just fall off a cliff. They have been quietly straddling two lines: rebuilding and contending. Their best players may be aging, but they have high-end prospects like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody to test out on the court or use as high-end trade bait.
The Boston Celtics (+650) put up a valiant effort against the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals, but by the end of their Game 6 loss, it was clear they were far and away outmatched on offense. That’s something they’ll have to address over the offseason.
Ideally, the Celtics would acquire another ball-handler who can run the offense in crunch time without committing a ton of turnovers. Finding that player, however, will be tough. The Celtics aren’t flush with spending power in free agency, and they can’t really pull off a trade without including one of their top-six or -seven players due to salary-matching rules.
This isn’t meant as a doom-and-gloom obituary. Boston’s two best players, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are still in the front end of their primes. The Celtics don’t have to worry about an aging core as much as the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, for instance—a boon to their 2023 NBA Finals odds in itself.
At one point or another, this season, the Miami Heat (+1500), Milwaukee Bucks (+750), and Phoenix Suns (+950) all felt like title favorites. And then none of them made the NBA Finals.
The Suns’ long-term concerns us the most. Chris Paul will be another year older, and all signs point to them parting ways with Deandre Ayton in restricted free agency. Without the cap flexibility to replace Ayton, we see the Suns prepping for a major step back unless they swing a major trade.
Like Phoenix, Miami seems to need a trade to juice up their championship stock. Duncan Robinson regressed this past year, Bam Adebayo still isn’t aggressive enough on offense, and Kyle Lowry looked old by the end of the playoffs. Fortunately for the Heat, while they don’t have cap space, they have a star prospect in Tyler Herro to dangle in trade talks.
Dollar-for-dollar, though, we like the Bucks more than Phoenix or Miami. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the NBA, and there’s a good chance we’d have seen a Celtics-Warriors NBA Finals this year if Khris Middleton didn’t get injured earlier in the postseason.
We present this prediction with the caveat it stands to change depending on the offseason unfolds. But right now, if you’re surfing early-bird odds, the Golden State Warriors are the way to go.
Stephen Curry may be entering his age-35 season, but his game has aged gracefully thus far. It’s also a safe bet that one of Jonathan Kuminga or James Wiseman will pop next season. Better still, Klay Thompson won’t be returning from two injuries in the middle of the season.
Make no mistake, next year’s championship race will be a bloodbath especially if the L.A. Clippers (+850) and Denver Nuggets (+1700) stay healthy. But seldom do you get the chance to invest in a legitimate NBA title favorite at nearly 5-to-1 odds. The Warriors are offering that opportunity right now.
SBS 2023 NBA Finals Prediction: Golden State Warriors (+460)
Take a look a this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all of your 2023 NBA betting:
About the Author
Around the age of 12, Dan realized, sadly, he’d never become a professional basketball player. It turns out people under 6’0” who can’t dribble or shoot aren’t touted prospects. Who knew?! Anyway, once it became clear he could play professional sports, he figured the next best thing to do was cover them. So, that’s what he did. And continues to do. Dan has worked in the pro sports analysis industry since 2011, giving him almost 15 years total experience. Though started out covering and continues to be enamored by the NBA, he has spent the past decade or so expanding his expertise and analysis to the NFL, NHL, MLB, tennis, esports and golf. Over the past few years, Dan has cannonballed into full-on sports betting news coverage. He remains fascinated by the impact the legalization of gambling in the United States is having on the country. It has, in so many ways, changed everything about how we consume sports. Is that good? Bad? Does it all even out in the end? His coverage has always and will continue trying to reconcile the duality of this industry, pro sports at large and their influence. In his spare time, Dan enjoys honing his weightlifting, eating enough sweet potatoes to feed a rather large family, binge-watching his all-time favorite shows (Psych is the goat!) and hanging out with his three dogs, all of whom are Cockaliers, Thor, Wade and Cosmo. Typically, though, if he’s not eating or sleeping, Dan is watching or covering sports—and loving basically every minute of it.
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