Golden State Warriors might have won the NBA championships four times in the past eight years, but that hasn’t stopped BetOnline from installing the Boston Celtics as their favorite to win the 2023 NBA Championship.
Last season the Celtics won a tight Atlantic Division ahead of the 67ers. They also made the NBA final.
This shows Boston is the real deal. They are capable in both the regular season and the postseason, as opposed to teams who sneak into the playoffs and then go on a good run, making them look better than they probably are.
And this is part of the reason they are favorites with the best betting sites to win the NBA Finals for the first time since 2008.
Boston appeared in their first finals since 2010, ending a 12-year drought. Their performance has prompted the best NBA betting sites to install Ime Udoka’s team as the favorites to win the crown this upcoming season.
Top sportsbook, BetOnline has priced the Celtics up at +550 to go one better and win the title this year. Serial winners of late, the Golden State Warriors are the second favorites at +700, which is the same price as the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Brooklyn Nets and LA Clipper are next at +750, with the 2021 runners-up, the Phoenix Suns next at +1100.
So who are the sides best equipped to stop the Boston Celtics from winning their first NBA crown since 2008?
| 2023 NBA Championship; Winner Betting Odds |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +500 | +550 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +700 | +700 |
| Golden State Warriors | +600 | +700 |
| LA Clippers | +800 | +750 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +800 | +750 |
| Phoenix Suns | +1050 | +1100 |
| LA Lakers | +1200 | +1400 |
| Miami Heat | +1600 | +1600 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1500 | +1600 |
| Denver Nuggets | +1800 | +2000 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +1600 | +2500 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +2500 | +2500 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +3300 | +4000 |
| Toronto Raptors | +3300 | +4000 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +3500 | +2800 |
Not only have the State Warriors won four of the last eight titles, but they have been in six of the last eight finals. Their 4-2 win over the Celtics in June was their first since 2018, and it was a Steph Curry-inspired series win, with the legend also picking up his first ever Finals MVP award.
With a playing roster consisting of names like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green, you have to take them seriously. In addition to those star names, Donte DiVincenzo, Patrick Baldwin Jr, JaMychal Green, Ryan Rollins, and Lester Quiñones have all been added to the playing roster.
The loss of Gary Payton II and Otto Porter may be significant, but on the plus side, they kept Kevon Looney, who at one stage looked like he might be on his way out too.
In Steve Kerr, the Warriors also have a head coach who knows what he is doing. Kerr has been in charge for all six occasions the Warriors have been to the finals. The combination of Kerr, the playing roster, and the six finals must make the Warriors a threat.
Our odds are from BetOnline, our Bovada sportsbook review has more details.
On the negative side, this is a franchise that has a head coach and team that has aged together. At some point, the same voice at the helm combined with aging legs will become more of a hindrance, than a help.
Experience is great, but Father Time catches up with us all at some point.
Performers like Curry, Green, and Thompson are all in their 30s, but they’re still going strong. But with the relentless nature of the NBA, the legs will get found out if they start to lag.
It almost feels like betting on the Golden State Warriors is the equivalent of betting on Curry’s legs lasting the season.
The Suns lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six in the 2021 NBA final. At the halfway point last season, they would have thought they had a great chance to go one better and win the championship in 2022, but things didn’t materialize that way.
The Suns went on a record run pre-Christmas, winning 18 consecutive matches. A run that helped see them finish the regular season with the best record.
The franchise’s winning run was ended by the Warriors, of all people. While their playoffs ended strangely at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, in what finished up as a disappointing season that had – at one stage – promised so much.
The Suns are in a great position going into this year. They have Monty Williams, one of the best head coaches in Basketball, and they have the experience of getting to the final in 2021, and with their win record last season, they also have the knowledge they are one of the best teams in the NBA.
Will this be enough to win the NBA and derail the Boston Celtics? Quite possibly. If Monty Williams and his players learned the lessons of the last couple of seasons, they could well do it this season.
All of the Celtics, the Warriors, and the Suns have great chances of victory. There is the experience and know-how of the Warriors, up against the younger legs of the Celtics and the Suns.
It’s difficult to pick a winner at the moment, but at odds of +1100, the Suns might be the call. If they do get on a roll, that price will disappear.
And if you back the Suns now at odds of +1100, you will still have the chance to hedge your bets with a couple more good value selections throughout the season.
About the Author
Dean is primarily a fan of English football who regularly attends games, and combining his hobby with his job, he is now a full-time sports betting writer. Rather than going down the educational route into sports journalism, Dean learned his trade by writing for his English football betting website since 2009, where he now boasts nearly 15 years of experience. After writing about football daily for years, Dean has taken the skills he learned and now uses them to great effect writing for numerous affiliate sites across the internet. A general all-around sports enthusiast with a passion for English football and cricket, Dean is also well able to turn his hand to writing about golf, tennis, F1, boxing, snooker, darts, and North American sports. Combining his extensive knowledge and experience with British humor and wit, Dean has developed into a trusted voice within the sports betting industry.
Read Dean's ProfileAsk Dean about this guide:
