Entering the 2014-2015 NBA postseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors were the two favorites to win the NBA Championship. As expected, those two teams met in the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers may have lost as the heavy favorite, but these predictions were made before Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were ruled out for the remainder of the postseason.
Due to those gruesome injuries, LeBron James was left to lead a team through the playoffs without any help. The Warriors are lucky they had no tragic injuries to deal with. Kerr had the Warriors playing small-ball and their speed exhausted the Cavaliers. The series ended in six games and LeBron James is now 2-4 in career NBA Finals series, but 0-2 in Cleveland. The question everyone will be asking is “What if Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were healthy in the NBA Finals.”
Many people I have talked to believe that the Cavaliers would’ve won the NBA Championship of every Cavalier was healthy. But now, that is history and we are now in the 2015 offseason focusing on the 2015-2016 NBA season. With LeBron James, Kevin Love, JR Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Matthew Dellavedova, and other bench players pending free agency, the Cleveland Cavaliers are still the favorites to win the 2016 NBA Finals.
According to Mark Presley of Oddsshark.com, here are the odds each team wins the 2016 NBA Finals as of June 17th, 2015.
Cleveland Cavaliers 3/1
Golden State Warriors 5/1
Oklahoma City Thunder 7/1
Chicago Bulls 10/1
Los Angeles Clippers 10/1
San Antonio Spurs 10/1
Houston Rockets 18/1
Atlanta Hawks 25/1
Memphis Grizzlies 25/1
Dallas Mavericks 33/1
Indiana Pacers 33/1
Miami Heat 33/1
New Orleans Pelicans 33/1
Portland Trail Blazers 40/1
Toronto Raptors 40/1
Washington Wizards 40/1
Boston Celtics 50/1
Los Angeles Lakers 66/1
Brooklyn Nets 100/1
Denver Nuggets 100/1
Detroit Pistons 100/1
Milwaukee Bucks 100/1
New York Knicks 100/1
Phoenix Suns 100/1
Sacramento Kings 100/1
Utah Jazz 100/1
Minnesota Timberwolves 150/1
Charlotte Hornets 250/1
Orlando Magic 250/1
Philadelphia 76ers 250/1
The 2015-2016 NBA season is still a long way away. With the draft and free agency right around the corner, teams will be flying up and down the odds board before the season begins. The NBA Draft is Thursday, June 25th, 2015. Free agency begins Wednesday, July 1st, 2015.
@alecwalt
