NBA Playoffs Betting Preview: Brooklyn Nets, L.A. Lakers Are Finals Favorites

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The NBA Playoffs are here! With the final seeds being determined this week, most of the bracket has already been established.

Michigan sports bettors have numerous money-making opportunities during the NBA postseason, hence it is wise to explore various options.

Brooklyn Nets shoot up to favorite status

As the first-round series approaches on Saturday, the Brooklyn Nets emerge as the clear favorites in the betting realm.

As reported by BetMGM Sportsbook on Friday morning, the Brooklyn Nets are currently the favored team to win the NBA Finals this season, with odds set at +240.

The Los Angeles Lakers have odds of +375, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers with odds of +600. The Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz both have odds of +750.

The initial odds for the Nets to win the championship were set at +900. However, their odds have significantly increased since then. As per BetMGM, Brooklyn currently holds 18.5% of the total tickets and 30.1% of the overall handle. This indicates that the Nets are currently posing the highest potential risk for BetMGM.

Some of the other popular betting choices available at BetMGM include:

• The Lakers account for 16.6% of total tickets sold and 22.3% of total revenue generated.
• 12.5% of the tickets are for the Nuggets, while their handle accounts for 9.4%.
• The Philadelphia 76ers account for 11.4% of ticket sales and 10.0% of total revenue generated.
• The Jazz accounted for 6.8% of ticket sales and 8.9% of total revenue generated.

Series odds largely tight in most matchups

After concluding on Friday, the Play-In Tournament has now determined the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. This means that there are now seven playoff series matchups that have been finalized.

According to the oddsmakers, many of the matchups appear to be highly competitive.

According to PointsBet Sportsbook, here are the prices for the series in the Eastern Conference.

• As of Friday midday, there is no line available for the match between the Philadelphia 76ers, ranked first, and the Washington Wizards, ranked eighth.
• The Brooklyn Nets are favored at -1000, while the Boston Celtics are the underdogs at +600 in their matchup.
• The Milwaukee Bucks are listed as the favorites with odds of -275, while the Miami Heat are the underdogs with odds of +225 in their matchup, ranked number 3 and number 6 respectively.
• The New York Knicks, ranked fourth, will face off against the Atlanta Hawks, ranked fifth, with the Knicks being listed at +100 odds and the Hawks at -120 odds.

PointsBet lists the following in the Western Conference:

• The Phoenix Suns, ranked 2nd, will be facing off against the Los Angeles Lakers, ranked 7th, with odds of +120 for the Suns and -139 for the Lakers.
• The Denver Nuggets are favored at -120 against the Portland Trail Blazers who are underdogs at +100.
• The Los Angeles Clippers are listed as the favorites at -400, while the Dallas Mavericks are the underdogs at +300 for their matchup.

Despite being the lower seed, the Hawks are slightly favored over the Knicks in the Eastern Conference. In the Western Conference, the Lakers are expectedly favored over the relatively untested Phoenix team.

Despite facing several injuries throughout the season, the Lakers have finally assembled their complete roster and are ready to face Phoenix. On the other hand, the Suns are making their first playoff appearance since 2010.

Kevin Durant, LeBron James among MVP favorites

When it comes to winning the NBA Finals MVP, oddsmakers are relying on prominent figures.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Kevin Durant holds the top spot as the favorite with odds of +420. Following closely behind is LeBron James with odds of +550, while Kawhi Leonard trails at +750. Donovan Mitchell and Giannis Antetokounmpo share the same odds of +850.

Durant, who has been awarded the Finals MVP title twice in both 2017 and 2018, unfortunately had to sit out the entire 2019-20 season due to an Achilles’ injury. Consequently, he only participated in 35 games throughout the regular season, with load management and injuries being contributing factors. Throughout his postseason journey, Durant has consistently maintained an impressive average of 29.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.

Despite being the No. 7 seed, James and the Lakers face a challenging journey ahead. Nonetheless, James boasts an impressive record as a four-time NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020). Throughout this season, he maintained remarkable averages of 25 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game across 45 matches. In the postseason, James consistently delivers near triple-double performances, further highlighting his exceptional career.

Can you cash in on a sweep?

Some of these series have such a wide range of bets available that BetMGM is practically offering every wager you can think of.

Your best value option may be to trust in a team or the outcome of a series if you are feeling confident about it.

Choosing a sweep as the preferred outcome for each series yields higher odds in terms of the betting favorites.

This is how they are divided:

• The Celtics were swept by the Nets with odds of +275.
• The odds for the Bucks sweeping the Heat are +450.
• There is a +1400 odds for either the Hawks or the Knicks to sweep each other.
• The Mavericks get swept by the Clippers with odds of +425.
• The Blazers get swept by the Nuggets with odds of +1200.
• The Suns fall victim to the Lakers with a +1100 sweep.

Without a doubt, the Nets possess the greatest talent to secure a clean sweep. However, there might be cause for concern regarding star players taking rest if they establish a 3-0 lead.

Choosing a Lakers sweep could be a smart move due to Phoenix’s lack of experience. Additionally, the Clippers possess a stronger bench, which could create numerous difficulties for Dallas.

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