2021-22 NBA Western Conference
If you think you can more than double your money by backing Golden State Warriors to win the Western Conference, then you can get odds-against about this six-time NBA winning side who didn’t necessarily suggest that they would be big contenders when you look at the regular season standings.
The Warriors had their ups and downs during the current campaign, with the team winning fifty-four and losing twenty-nine of their clashes to finish second behind Phoenix Suns. That put them third in the overall league although their performances have been impressive against Denver.
The 2017-18 NBA season is well underway and whilst there is plenty of regular season action to be enjoyed between now and April, it seems like a decent time to have a think about the Western Conference outright winner betting.
Read on for our predictions as to how we think the season will pan out or check out our brilliant odds comparison if you know what you want to bet on. Our odds comparison brings you the best odds from the best basketball betting sites, saving you time and maximising your profits on your winners.
Golden Time for Golden Team
The very clear favourites right now to win the NBA Championship, let alone in the outright Western Conference betting, are Golden State Warriors. The side from Oakland are priced at best betting odds of just 5/14 with Bet365 to win the Western.
The Dubs have been crowned the Conference champions in each of the last three seasons, winning the NBA finals in 2015 and 2017 but losing out to rivals Cleveland in the intervening season.
They have no shortage of brilliant players, with Steph Curry and former Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant two real shining lights. Last season they recorded an astonishing 16-1 record in the play-offs, the best in history. There is no doubt that now is a brilliant time to be a fan of the Warriors but can they maintain their brilliance?
Odds of 5/14 look mighty short and given the sporting truism that staying at the top is harder than getting there, many basketball betting fans are sure to be tempted by an alternative pick.
Longer Odds Alternatives
The second favourites behind Golden State in the Western outright are Houston at 11/2 with Ladbrokes. Many will be predicting that the Rockets can really push the favourites hard this year. Houston’s glory days were some time ago now and they haven’t been crowned Conference champs since 1995. Indeed, they claimed back to back Championships in 1994 and 1995 but their best recent achievement is winning their division in 2015.
Last season they were beaten in the play-offs by the Spurs, losing to Golden State in both the two seasons prior to that. However, they really look like they may be able to do better this time around having started the 2017-18 NBA season in fine style.
At the time of writing they have the best record in the entire NBA, having won 22 of their 26 games. Their 12-1 road record is particularly impressive and we just think that at best betting odds of 11/2 they offer greater value than the heavily odds-on Dubs.
If you want even longer odds, next up in the betting are the Spurs at 9/1 with Ladbrokes. They have hardly set things alight thus far but have the big-game know how and experience to come good when it matters in the spring.
Even further down the outright market are Oklahoma at 14/1 with Unibet. That would be a bold prediction and a brave bet but frankly we don’t see it. Billy Donovan’s side actually “boast” a losing record right now so it would take a serious turnaround for them to make the Finals.
There is a long way to go, of course, but we think it’s beyond them. As such, whilst we accept Golden State are the team to beat, we think the best bet right now is to hope the Rockets will keep on soaring!