We’ve arrived at the home stretch of the 2022-23 NBA season, and with the playoffs just around the corner, it seems as good a time as any to take a closer look at some of the best bets to win it all.
Here’s a look at the 2023 NBA Finals odds and our favorites, contenders, and sleepers to win the upcoming title.
NBA Finals Betting Odds
Track line movement for NBA Finals Winner with our odds widget.
DraftKings Sportsbook provides NBA lines for the 2023 Finals winner, which are current as of Wednesday, March 22, at 9 a.m. ET.
- Milwaukee Bucks (+330)
- Boston Celtics (+340)
- Phoenix Suns (+450)
- Denver Nuggets (+800)
- Philadelphia 76ers (+1000)
- Golden State Warriors (+1200)
- Memphis Grizzlies (+1500)
- Los Angeles Clippers (+1800)
- Dallas Mavericks (+2500)
- Los Angeles Lakers (+2800)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (+4500)
- Sacramento Kings (+7000)
- New York Knicks (+8000)
- Miami Heat (+9000)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (+20000)
- Atlanta Hawks (+25000)
- Toronto Raptors (+25000)
- New Orleans Pelicans (+25000)
- Brooklyn Nets (+35000)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (+80000)
- Washington Wizards (+100000)
- Utah Jazz (+100000)
- Portland Trail Blazers (+100000)
- Orlando Magic (+100000)
- Indiana Pacers (+100000)
- Chicago Bulls (+100000)
Use our top NBA playoff betting apps to make these wagers.
NBA Finals Best Bet
Milwaukee Bucks (+330)
The team with the highest winning percentage after the All-Star break, it seems there’s nothing stopping the Milwaukee Bucks from winning another NBA Finals behind star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee’s biggest obstacle in the way of another trip to the Finals is the Boston Celtics, who we’ll get to in a second. While the winner of this seemingly-inevitable playoff series will go on to become the odds-on NBA Finals favorite, it seems the Bucks have a leg up after their impressive victory over Boston in mid-February.
The Bucks own the league’s best defensive rating since the break and most impressively have gotten some major contributions from guys not named Khris Middleton on offense.
Unlike in years past, it seems the Bucks aren’t dependent solely on Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton for scoring. Brook Lopez is averaging more than 20 points per game since the break, and Jrue Holiday is contributing 17.5 per contest.
NBA Finals Favorites
Boston Celtics (+340)
If you’re not going to go with Milwaukee to win it all, Boston should be your bet. Though it’s feasible it could be upset by a few teams in the East, it has been one of the most efficient teams on both ends of the floor and has as much depth as anyone.
Boston’s bench ranks sixth this season with a +1.5 Net Rating, and since the break, has out-scored opponents by 2.7 points per 100 possessions. The team briefly lost Robert Williams III, as it did during the stretch run last season.
His health will likely dictate how dominant this team can be given his ability to defend inside. The Celtics will be up against some serious interior threats in Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, so their ceiling should directly correlate with his health.
Still, with Jaylen Brown playing like a top-10 player and Jayson Tatum having another stellar year, it’s easy to get behind the Celtics.
Phoenix Suns (+450)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Kevin Durant is injured. He’s allegedly returning from his ankle sprain – suffered warming up for a game earlier this month – by the end of the season, but it’s anyone’s guess how he will look.
With Mikal Bridges starring for the Brooklyn Nets and no more Cameron Johnson and Jae Crowder on the wings, this team desperately needs Durant to be a serious title contender. Chris Paul is still setting up his teammates very well, and Devin Booker has averaged 32.4 points on 40% shooting since the All-Star break, yet this team is 6-6 in those games.
Given Paul and Booker are playing just about as well as they can and the Suns aren’t winning on a consistent basis, they’re a pretty terrifying bet at this number. Sportsbooks have taken on far too much money in the Suns’ futures market to move this line now, though, so it’s best to stay away.
NBA Finals Contenders
Denver Nuggets (+800)
The Nuggets have never put it all together in the playoffs, but maybe it will happen in 2023. Nikola Jokić put together another great case to win MVP this season and as of this writing, the Nuggets are second in offensive efficiency.
The return of Jamal Murray this season has elevated Denver into elite territory once again, and if his run in the bubble is any indication, he could single-handedly win some games for the Nuggets this summer.
It’s not every day you can get the top seed in the West at this price, and they just may be the best value left on the board at this point. Be wary of the Nuggets’ defense, however, as they’ve ranked 22nd in points allowed per 100 possessions since the break.
Philadelphia 76ers (+1000)
It didn’t seem as if James Harden had anything left in the tank when the Sixers acquired him last season at the age of 32, but he sure shut the critics up with an incredible 2022-23 campaign. He’s leading the league with 10.8 assists per game and shooting 38.4% from three, which represents his highest mark since 2011-12 in Oklahoma City.
With Harden nearly operating as he did in his prime and Tyrese Maxey improving on a monthly basis, this team has far more than just Embiid to be proud of. They’re arguably the hottest team in basketball since the All-Star break with 11 wins in 15 games and a 122.5 Offensive Rating, which ranks second in the league.
The good news for Sixers bettors is that they’re 2-1 this year against the Bucks. The bad news is that they’re 0-3 against Boston.
There are plenty of reasons to love Philly at this price, though.
NBA Finals Sleepers
Los Angeles Lakers (+2800)
Well, well, well. LeBron James will be in the mix for a fifth ring after all.
After missing out on the playoffs last year, LeGM watched as his team added some unattractive yet incredibly effective names at the trade deadline.
D’Angelo Russell is back in L.A. and has added a much-needed shot creator and playmaker to the mix. The Lakers, once a laughably bad team from beyond the arc, are now shooting a palatable 35.9% from deep thanks to the addition of Malik Beasley and the emergence of Troy Brown Jr.
Best of all, Anthony Davis has looked like an elite player once again since an injury sidelined James, and Austin Reaves has played so well that he’s earned a spot in the starting lineup.
James’ injury seems to be just what the Lakers needed to mesh as a unit. They’re second in defensive efficiency since the break, behind only Milwaukee, and with James presumably returning for the play-in tournament, they should firmly be in the mix.
New York Knicks (+8000)
Long known for their defense under coach Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks have exploded on offense this season behind their new point guard, Jalen Brunson. Only four teams have scored more points per 100 possessions than New York this year, and only three since the All-Star break.
While their league-average defense is something of a drawback here, it’s important to note that Mitchell Robinson has missed chunks of the season, and with him in the lineup, this team has looked firmly above average on that end. In addition, the Knicks have the best bench in the NBA, judging by Net Rating.
Running through two of the Bucks, Celtics, and Sixers in the East will be difficult, but with great showings against the latter two teams, the Knicks have to warrant some consideration at this number. There’s a great chance they make it to the conference finals.