The Nuggets are champions of the world, but we’re already looking ahead to 2024. Can Denver repeat? Or what team will succeed them as NBA title-winners? We have answers and betting predictions for the 2024 NBA title right here.
The top-used betting sites for the NBA wasted no time releasing 2024 title odds. These were literally up once the Nuggets started popping the champagne bottles. Days removed from that win, these teams have the best odds of winning the 2024 NBA championship:
Team | |||
---|---|---|---|
Boston Celtics | +550 | +550 | +550 |
Denver Nuggets | +550 | +550 | +550 |
Milwaukee Bucks | +725 | +725 | +725 |
Phoenix Suns | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
Los Angeles Lakers | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
Golden State Warriors | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
Miami Heat | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
Philadelphia 76ers | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
2024 NBA Championship Picks
First things first, you should not be overspending on 2024 NBA championship picks. It’s way too early to be betting big, and frankly, a lot can happen from now until the season starts — trades, free agency, freak injuries, etc. This is more of a fun exercise since we’re already missing hoops. With that said, it’s worth putting a few bucks on the following teams:
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets didn’t just win the NBA title, they largely waltzed their way through the playoffs with a 16-4 mark. They swept the LeBron James-led Lakers and easily dispatched the Heat in five games. It’s fair to wonder, can this team repeat? Denver certainly has the formula to get a second ring.
The core of this championship team is locked into contracts for the foreseeable future. Not only that, but that core is still very much in its prime. Of course, it starts and ends with Nikola Jokic. It’s time to start considering the 28-year-old the NBA’s best player. Period. There’s nothing he can’t do — scoring (he averaged over 30 points this playoff run), passing (no big man has ever dished it like The Joker), rebounds, and so forth.
Jamal Murray is 26 years old. Unsung hero Aaron Gordon is 27. Gordon was a wrecking ball on defense against the NBA’s best scorers — Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Jimmy Butler. 22-year-old Christian Braun could emerge as the team’s newest role player. You get it by now, don’t you? Denver’s championship window is just opening.
We’ll stop short of saying the Nuggets are a dynasty in the making, but barring injury, this franchise is set for years to come. How they play with a target in their back becomes the focal point of the next season. Either way, we’ll have money on them.
Golden State Warriors
If there’s one team out West that knows what it’s like to play with that target in their back, it’s the Warriors. They persevered to win four NBA champions to win in eight seasons. Five in nine is possible with its own Hall of Fame core — Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and head coach Steve Kerr.
But unlike Denver, Golden State’s window is potentially closing. There’s a chance that the 2023-24 campaign is a “last dance” of sorts for this dynasty. That trio of players are all into their mid-30s now with massive contracts so the end is likely near. But that just might motivate them into one more NBA title run.
That’s why we’re betting on them, especially at these steep odds for a team only a year removed from this title. It’s never a bad idea to bet on greatness and this franchise has been that for a decade now, an incredibly hard feat to pull off in today’s NBA.
Miami Heat
Alright, we have to finish with one bet in the Eastern Conference, which is more bare in superstar talent. Boston are the betting favorites but they’re perpetual underachievers as far as we’re concerned. Milwaukee is a possible pick, but we’re instead going with Miami to run it back themselves.
Here again, we’re talking about a well-run organization with a knack for making savvy moves. If we learned anything from the recent NBA Finals, it’s that the Heat need one more proven piece to get over the hump. Maximizing the talents of all these undrafted players is nice and all, but the team needs a second start to go along with Butler.
Here’s an idea: how about trading for Dame Lillard? He has the prototypical personality that can thrive under the Heat’s culture. Butler isn’t getting any young, and neither is the now 32-year-old Lillard. That desperation to win now could vault Pat Riley into making this move and carry over into how they play. That’s why money on Miami makes a lot of sense here.
How To Bet On NBA Futures?
After next week’s NBA Draft lottery, betting options will be sparse for the league. However, there will be NBA futures bets available, such as Finals and conference winners. If you want to take a stab at betting on them, hit one of the bookmakers listed below. Lines for these bets will fluctuate over the next few months due to offseason moves so keep that in mind.
If you need extra spending money to make these bets, look into the lucrative sportsbook bonuses available from site to site. The table underneath lists the best-available deals at top-rated sites, per our newest sportsbook reviews. These bonuses mean your NBA futures bets could effectively be “on the house.”