The NBA season tips off Tuesday with several new-look teams hoping their newly added stars carry them to a championship, while recent contenders look to stay on top. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder enter the season as co-favorites, listed at +270 at Draft Kings. The defending champion New York Knicks are +900, along with the revamped Philadelphia 76ers. The Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings are the biggest long shots at 1,000-1.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is the favorite to win MVP at +205 at Draft Kings, with Luka Doncic (+475) and Nikola Jokic (+650) behind him. Bettors have also piled onto the Sixers. Bet MGM oddsmaker Christian Cipollini said that after LeBron James announced he was headed to Philadelphia, nearly every NBA bet on his ticker was on the 76ers. The trade for Jaylen Brown a few weeks earlier added to the interest. Philadelphia accounts for 37.6% of the money bet on Bet MGM's title odds entering the week, more than the Knicks, Spurs, Thunder, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers combined.
Miami made its own major offseason move by landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, and it has drawn support from bettors, mostly in Florida. Hard Rock Bet said Philadelphia and Miami are taking $7 out of every $10 wagered with it on the title in straight bets. Location plays a role, since Hard Rock Bet is the only licensed sportsbook in Florida.
Oddsmakers are also weighing how quickly superteams come together. The 2010 Heat went 12-8 in their first 20 games before finding their groove and finishing 58-24. The 2020-21 Brooklyn Nets, featuring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, also went 12-8 in their first 20 games. Las Vegas oddsmaker Jeff Sherman believes the 76ers could start slowly as Brown and James adjust to each other.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing