The 2021-22 NBA Futures are on the docket today as we take a look at some early championship odds for the upcoming NBA season. Who is the favourite? This is our betting prediction.
2021-22 NBA Futures – NBA Champion – Who is the Early Favorite?
The 2021-22 NBA Futures have seen some wild fluctuations via injuries and unexpected results. With less than two months to go until the regular season, it appears a few races are starting to show their hand so to speak.
One of them may arguably be the race to pick an early champion of basketball.
| 2021-22 NBA Futures — NBA Champion |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nets | 3.50 | 3.46 | 3.10 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 4.33 | 4.19 | 4.80 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 9.00 | 9.21 | 9.50 |
| Golden State Warriors | 12.00 | 11.52 | 11.00 |
| Utah Jazz | 15.00 | 14.72 | 17.00 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 15.00 | 15.18 | 21.00 |
| Phoenix Suns | 17.00 | 16.68 | 17.00 |
| Philadelphia 76’ers | 17.00 | 17.42 | 19.00 |
Basketball odds are already out for the 2021-22 NBA season. Naturally, some expected free agency to produce a few changes to the main favourites. However, it has the look of last year’s odds with a few wrinkles.
Anything can happen in a six-month-long regular season. Those changes can take place over time or be almost instantaneous. The NBA title chase appears to be a battle among several favourites and some other possibilities. We list some of the teams with the best odds heading into the 2021-22 season.
The NBA year begins on October 19th. This features a doubleheader with the Brooklyn Nets and NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. Then, the late-night game spotlights the Los Angeles Lakers against the Golden State Warriors. Coincidentally, those are all four favourites to contend for the NBA Title. No one should be surprised.
So, the Nets Big-Three versus the Greek Freak then Lebron vs. Stephen? The NBA knows its audience. Who is the early favourite in all of this? The Brooklyn Nets of course.
Brooklyn Nets and the 2021-22 NBA Futures?
This was something that few should be surprised about heading into October. After all, the Brooklyn Nets were slight favourites to win the NBA title last season before the playoffs started. That seems to get forgotten often. It was probably because of all those injuries.
With odds ranging from 3 to 3.5, Brooklyn is a slight and albeit not very prohibitive favourite. That should be expected given how the talent is spread out in the NBA. However, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, when healthy, were a force last season that could not be stopped by most teams. Again, health is going to be a concern with these three all year long.
Brooklyn won 48 of 72 games last season despite missing parts of “The Big Three” most of the season. Remember, Kevin Durant played just 35 games for example. He missed half the season. James Harden hurt his hamstring in the playoffs and was never right afterwards. Ultimately, Brooklyn got to within one game of defeating the Milwaukee Bucks but fell short in the seventh and deciding game.
The thought process is that the Brooklyn Nets were the best team, but the best teams find ways to overcome adversity. Sometimes, that adversity however is too much for teams to endure. That was the case with Brooklyn in the NBA Playoffs.
With a tumultuous year behind them, can Brooklyn stay healthy enough to turn those flashes of greatness into an NBA title? That is what many are waiting on and kind of expect. It is expected that Brooklyn will be the regular-season champions of the Eastern Conference and have home advantage this time around.
It is why the numbers dictate a Brooklyn Nets super group leading the pack early in the 2021-22 NBA Futures.
Taking a Look at the Milwaukee Bucks
Again, the 2021-22 NBA Futures seem to forget that a certain Milwaukee Bucks team won the NBA Title last season over the Phoenix Suns.
So, it is a sentiment frequently harped on by fans, media, and others alike from Wisconsin. Honestly, it is deserved because Giannis Antetokounmpo did it. Antetokounmpo led his team to the promised land and delivered Milwaukee an NBA title despite their fair share of injuries. He had an NBA Final that legends dream of. What is to say he could not do that again? He averaged 28.1 points per game, nearly six assists a contest, and 11 rebounds a night.
Pundits forget Milwaukee led the league in scoring with 122.1 points per game. They played at a pace that translated to the NBA Playoffs as they exhibited just enough defensive acumen to take home the crown. With most of the same pieces assembled, who could count them out to possibly repeat?
It does appear that the NBA champions are getting slighted in the odds a bit at 9 to 9.5. There is a slight possibility their odds may shorten a bit with two months to go before the NBA season even opens.
They were the most durable team in 2020-21 and could have value in 2021-22 even with them being the hunted and not the hunters.
2021-22 NBA Futures — Can Anyone Else Challenge for the NBA Crown?
This question seems to have several answers. Two of the other leading candidates are believed to be the Los Angeles Lakers led by LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors featuring Stephen Curry.
The Lakers and Warriors did not go very far in last year’s playoffs, however. Even with fortifying their rosters, how sure can one be that this upcoming season will be any different?
Los Angeles now has Russell Westbrook but that guarantees nothing. Even with Anthony Davis, can their “big three” stay healthy enough? The time is ticking and teams like the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Clippers may have something to say. The Western Conference may be too loaded for the Lakers and Warriors. Brooklyn appears to have an easier road.
2021-22 NBA Futures – NBA Champion Pick
The Brooklyn Nets are our best bet to win the NBA title for 2021-22 NBA Futures.
Top sportsbooks, such as SportsInteraction (SIA) have some of the best odds out there for NBA bettors.
