ESPN NBA Playoff Odds: Who Will Win it All?
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The ESPN NBA Playoff Odds are out and the Golden State Warriors are favored to win it all. Who do you think will take home the championship this year?
ESPN-NBA Playoff Odds: Who Will Win it All?
ESPN-NBA Playoff Odds: Who Will Win it All?
The ESPN-NBA Playoff Odds are out and the Philadelphia 76ers are the favorites to win it all. The Sixers have a 48.9% chance of winning the NBA Championship according to the oddsmakers. The Golden State Warriors are second with a 28.6% chance, followed by the Houston Rockets (9.9%), Boston Celtics (4.5%), and Milwaukee Bucks (3.7%).
The Top Contenders
Entering the 2019-20 NBA season the Los Angeles Lakers are the favorites to win the NBA Championship Led by Lebron James and Anthony Davis the Lakers have compiled a deep roster that should be able to compete with any team in the league. The Milwaukee Bucks are also considered to be a top contender, led by reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo The Bucks have been one of the best teams in the league over the past few seasons and will be looking to take that next step this year.
The Golden State Warriors are also in contention, despite dealing with a slew of injuries to start the season. With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson leading the way, the Warriors have proven they can compete with anyone when they are at full strength. The Houston Rockets are another team to watch led by James Harden and Russell Westbrook The Rockets have been one of the best offensive teams in the league over the past few years and will be looking to make a deep run in the playoffs this season.
The Dark Horses
At this point in the season, there are a handful of teams that have separated themselves from the pack and have a real chance to win the NBA Finals But, as we all know, anything can happen in the playoffs. So, which teams are the dark horses? The ones that no one is really talking about but could make a run? Here are a few:
-The Indiana Pacers have been quietly putting together a solid season. They’re currently third in the East and have one of the best defenses in the league. If they can get past the first round, they could be a tough out for anyone.
-The Houston Rockets are always a dangerous team come playoff time. They have two of the best players in the league in James Harden and Russell Westbrook and they’re never an easy team to beat. They could make a run if everything falls their way.
-The Denver Nuggets are currently second in the West and have been one of the most consistent teams all season. They don’t have any star players but they play well together and could be a tough matchup for anyone in the playoffs.
The Long Shots
ESPN’s NBA Playoff Odds give the long shots (teams with a less than 5% chance of winning the championship) a very slim chance of winning it all. The Washington Wizards who have the lowest odds at 0.4%, are the only team in that category. The other teams in that range are the Charlotte Hornets (0.5%), Detroit Pistons (1.1%), and Miami Heat (2.4%).
The X-Factors
The X-Factors
It’s hard to predict who will win the NBA Finals There are a lot of variables that can affect the outcome, from injuries to player matchups. But there are a few factors that often have a big impact on the outcome of the playoffs:
-The ‘X-factor’ is a player who is not a superstar, but who can make a big difference in the playoffs. Examples include Shane Battier (2011), Derek Fisher (2010), and Trevor Ariza (2009).
-Injuries can also be a big factor. The Warriors were without Kevin Durant for most of the 2018 playoffs, and that hurt their chances of winning it all.
--home court advantage can be huge in the playoffs. The team with home court advantage often has a significant advantage in the series.
So, who are the X-factors for this year’s playoffs? Here are a few players to keep an eye on:
Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors Siakam had a breakout season, averaging 16.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game He’s not as experienced as some of the other players in the playoffs, but he has the potential to be a difference-maker for the Raptors.
Danny Green, Toronto Raptors Green is a solid shooter and defender, and he has plenty of playoff experience. He’ll need to step up his game if the Raptors want to make a run at the Finals.
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat Wade isn’t the superstar he once was, but he’s still one of the best players in heat history. He could be a key factor for the Heat in their series against the76ers.
The Schedule
The 2017 NBA playoffs will begin on April 15 and run through June, with the NBA Finals scheduled to start on June 1. The playoff schedule has not been released yet, but we do know that the first four games of each series will be played on weekend afternoons (Saturday and Sunday). The first round will be a best-of-seven series, followed by the conference semifinals (also best-of-seven), Conference Finals (best-of-seven), and then the NBA Finals (best-of-seven).
The Matchups
In the wide-open NBA, any of the 16 teams that made the playoffs could make a run to the title. But before the postseason begins on Saturday, let’s take a look at which teams are most likely to win it all, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI).
In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks are the favorite, with a 27.9 percent chance to win the title. That’s followed by the Philadelphia 76ers (19.4 percent), Toronto Raptors (15.7 percent), Boston Celtics (11.6 percent) and Indiana Pacers (8.4 percent).
In the West, it’s a two-team race between the Houston Rockets and Warriors, with Golden State having a 53.3 percent chance to win it all and Houston second at 46.7 percent. After that, it’s a pretty significant drop-off, as no other team has better than a 2 percent chance of winning the title.
The Predictions
ESPN’s NBA Playoff odds have the Los Angeles Lakers as the favorite to win it all this season. The Lakers are followed by the Milwaukee Bucks Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets
The Final Word
The ESPN NBA Playoff Odds are out and the Golden State Warriors are the clear favorite to win it all. The Warriors have a 62.9% chance of winning the NBA Finals according to ESPN’s Playoff Odds. The Cleveland Cavaliers are second with a 19.4% chance, followed by the Houston Rockets (11.7%), and the Boston Celtics (5%).
This is not surprising given that the Warriors have won three of the last four NBA championships and are currently the best team in the league. They also have two of the best players in the world in Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant
What is surprising, however, is that the Cavaliers are not even second favorite to win their own conference. That title goes to the Toronto Raptors who have a 33.3% chance of winning the Eastern Conference according to ESPN’s Playoff Odds. The Cavaliers are third with a 30.8% chance, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers (16%).
This is despite the fact that Lebron James is still one of the best players in the world and carries a lot of weight in terms of his team’s playoff chances. It seems that ESPN’s Playoff Odds are taking into account that James has been to eight straight NBA Finals and may be due for a rest this postseason.
Whatever happens, it should be an exciting playoffs!
The Results
The ESPN NBA Playoff Odds are out, and the results may surprise you. The Golden State Warriors are still the favorites to win it all, but their odds have dropped significantly since last year. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the second best odds, followed by the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder