What is the NBA doing? Thursdays are the most-watched television nights in the United States outside of Sundays yet there isn’t a single playoff game tonight? I honestly don’t understand that.
The Eastern Conference semifinal series between the Bucks and Celtics and the Western Conference semifinal between the Warriors and Grizzlies both had Game 2 on Tuesday. Yet, the Game 3s for both are Saturday?! Perhaps the NBA doesn’t realize that teams travel by plane these days and not train.
While on break, let’s look at updated NBA Championship odds from BMR’s top-rated books.
NBA Finals Exact Outcome Odds
The NBA Finals’ odds haven’t changed too much since the start of the postseason because both conferences went chalk in Round 1 with the top four seeds advancing. The NBA always has been the “most chalk” playoffs because it’s so superstar-driven. Both No. 1 seeds in each conference have 2-0 leads in their semifinal series.
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Brooklyn was among the title favorites but was just a seventh seed and was swept out of the first round by Boston. Maybe if the Nets would have had Ben Simmons things would have been different.
The current favored NBA Finals outcome is Phoenix to beat Miami at +700, followed by Golden State over the Heat at +900 and Suns over Celtics at +950 with Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
The Suns’ Playoff History
The Suns have reached the NBA Finals three times in their history and ran into at least one legendary player in each series and lost:
- In 1976, the Celtics won six games behind the likes of John Havlicek and Dave Cowens.
- In 1993, the Suns (in my opinion, that was their best team ever) ran into the dynastic Chicago Bulls of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen and lost in six.
- Last year, the Suns lost in six to the Bucks and the singular talent that is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Suns’ Stars Highlights
- Chris Paul is one of the great point guards in NBA history but still yet to win a title, joining fellow legends such as Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Karl Malone, Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, and Pete Maravich to never get one. If “The Point God” Chris Paul doesn’t get a ring this summer, I don’t think he ever will.
- The Suns already weathered a Devin Booker injury maybe mean some good karma.
NBA Finals Odds Breakdown
Golden State’s chances of getting to the NBA Finals took a hit this week when Gary Payton II suffered a fractured elbow on a flagrant foul by Memphis’ Dillon Brooks in Game 2 of their series.
Payton is going to miss several weeks. He doesn’t do much offensively but is a terrific defensive player just like his Hall of Fame dad, who won his only ring as a past-his-prime backup with the Heat in 2006.
Boston was outclassed in Game 1 of its series against Milwaukee but bounced back in a big way in a Game 2 blowout. The Celtics are catching a big break in the series in that Bucks All-Star guard Khris Middleton is not expected to play in it with a knee injury.
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Milwaukee didn’t need Middleton to beat Chicago in Round 1 but likely does to oust Boston. Celtics to beat Suns and Warriors to beat Celtics in the Finals are both +1200.
Miami might have the easiest road to the conference finals as it is playing a Philadelphia 76ers team without MVP finalist and league scoring champion Joel Embiid, not to mention a washed-up James Harden. Embiid might return for Game 3 but that may be too late with his team already down 2-0.
The Heat to beat the Suns in the Finals is +1200 and to beat Golden State is +1300.
Final Thoughts
A reminder that Phoenix would have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals against any East team. Other than Phoenix, Memphis is the only other team still playing yet to win an NBA title.
Miami is third in the overall home-court pecking order, followed by Golden State, Dallas, Boston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. No. 1 overall seeds like the Suns have won it all 67.6 percent of the time but not since Golden State in 2017.
NBA Finals Exact Outcome Favorites
* NBA odds from Bovada
- Suns to beat Heat +700
- Warriors to beat Heat +900
- Suns to beat Celtics +950
- Celtics to beat Suns +1200
- Warriors to beat Celtics +1200
- Heat to beat Suns +1200
- Heat to beat Warriors +1300
- Suns to beat Bucks +1300
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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