It feels like ages ago when Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, and the NBA shut everything down. The league is set to start on July 30 with the great news that the latest testing showed zero positives.
But enough of COVID talk. Let’s take an in-depth look at how things will work out from now on and the best odds available for the last stretch of a weird season.
Odds to win the NBA Championship in 2024
Even if the 2019-2020 season has been out of the ordinary, teams still played 80-85% of their games before the stoppage. They know each other well, and there is no reason to believe the favorites should not come on top after the restart. The NBA futures markets seem to agree.
The top three teams are clear, but there is one mid-range team that might be the value pick. Let’s see.
The Favorites To Win The NBA Championship
Los Angeles Lakers +185
There is this growing narrative that the Lakers have the edge during the restart because they have LeBron James and his playoffs experience. I’m not sure I buy this, but they are the NBA odds favorites to win it all.
Before the pandemic, the Lakers had won 11 of their last 13, that hardly matters now, but they’re still at the top of the pack. Keep in mind the team won’t have point guard Rajon Rondo for the rest of the regular season because of thumb surgery. It’s unclear when he will be back.
Los Angeles Clippers +300
The Clippers didn’t show much interest in winning the number one seed in the West. They rotated too many players during the regular season to think so.
Plus, they beat the Lakers twice in three games, establishing they are a bad matchup for LeBron James and company.
Kawhi Leonard is a different animal when postseason hits. I don’t think the NBA world gives him the props he deserves. I feel the most comfortable backing the Clippers out of the three favorite teams to win the NBA title. They have the right combination of skill, experience, depth, and coaching.
Milwaukee Bucks +280
The Bucks could be the best team to bet on the NBA, and we are still unsure about them. The reason? Well, the wound of losing in the Eastern Conference finals last season, it’s still fresh.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did improve his three-point shot for this season. Last year, he shot 25.6% from being the arc, and in 2019-2020 his average went up to 30.6%. That might be the difference between winning and losing, especially when a team denies him an easy path to the basket.
The Value Pick
Toronto Raptors +1600
The Raptors are a low-key value bet. They are the champs, but no one talks about them in that way. Sure, they don’t have Kawhi Leonard, but their level didn’t drop when they lost one of the best players in the game. Pascal Siakiam has been one of the best players in the league and he’s taken over the offense.
Toronto has lost only six more games than Milwaukee this season, four more than the Lakers, and two less than the Clippers. Yet, their odds pay five times as much.
Rule Changes For The 2024 Season
The restart of the NBA will have 13 teams from the Western Conference and nine from the Eastern playing eight regular-season “seeding” games.
The goal is to have the teams back in game form while they fight for the last seed in the playoffs. Also, it gives us, the NBA betting fans, a chance to bet on a few regular-season games before the postseason arrives.
NBA Regular Season Games Betting Odds
MyBookie.ag is one of our top NBA betting sites. Right now they offer odds on how many regular-season games each team will win while in the bubble in Orlando. Here are the odds for some of the biggest names:
| Bucks Remaining Regular Season Wins | ||
|---|---|---|
| Over 5.5 | -105 |  |
| Under 5.5 | -135 | |
| Raptors Remaining Regular Season Wins | ||
|---|---|---|
| Over 5 | +100 | |
| Under 5 | -140 | |
| Celtics Remaining Regular Season Wins | ||
|---|---|---|
| Over 5.5 | +100 | |
| Under 5.5 | -140 | |
| Celtics Remaining Regular Season Wins | ||
|---|---|---|
| Over 5 | +140 | |
| Under 5 | -180 | |
| Lakers Remaining Regular Season Wins | ||
|---|---|---|
| Over 5.5 | +105 | |
| Under 5.5 | -145 | |
| Clippers Remaining Regular Season Wins | ||
|---|---|---|
| Over 5.5 | -120 | |
| Under 5.5 | -120 | |
NBA Specials Betting Odds
Because the 2019-2020 season has been so unusual, we get some NBA specials attached to a possible second suspension.
| Will The NBA Season Finish With The New Format? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Yes | -300 | |
| No | +200 | |
Now, if you are inclined to seek the value at +200, let me remind you the league has protocols in place in case a player test positive.
I can’t see the NBA panicking about a positive result, which means the season should finish as planned.
| Any NBA Team To Go 8-0 After Restart | ||
|---|---|---|
| Yes | +400 | |
| No | -700 | |
This is an interesting bet offered by MyBookie. I think there is a value at +400, especially considering we have seen teams get in crazy winning runs before.
Milwaukee won 14 games in a row from November to December this same season and then won nine in a row in January.
Winning eight straight is not far fetched, not only for Milwaukee but for any team that catches a little fire early on.
The Lakers, for example, had two solid runs of 10 and nine wins in a row this season.
Not all teams will come out of the gate in the best game shape. The odds of someone winning eight games straight are worth considering. If you are looking for a prop bet that pays well, this might be it.
NBA COVID Related Specials
Again with the COVID talk? It’s hard to find some distance between coronavirus and the rest of the world, even if that world is sports betting.
MyBookie has a market for players and coaches testing positive.
| Will LeBron James Be Revealed Tested Positive For COVID? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Yes | +170 | |
| No | -240 | |
| Will Any NBA Head Coach Be Revealed Tested Positive For COVID? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Yes | +200 | |
| No | -300 | |
| NBA Player To Be Removed From Bubble Due To conduct Violations? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Yes | +200 | |
| No | -300 | |
Top Online Sportsbooks To Bet On The NBA Season 2024
About the Author
Alonzo Solano
Sports Analyst and Content Writer
Alonzo is a Sports Betting Analyst and casino games enthusiast who has covered Football extensively at SBS, but don’t be surprised if you read him on other sports. He's the host of the NFL Latino TV podcast.
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