While free-agent scoring forward Kevin Durant prepares to meet with NBA contenders, the Golden State Warriors are sitting slightly ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers on the odds to win the 2017 NBA championship at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Two weeks after blowing a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Cavaliers, the Warriors are listed at +200 to win it all in 2016-17. Losing the championship does not mean that Golden State, which won a record 73 regular-season games, isn’t a dominant team. Their efficient attack would have yet another dimension if Durant, a four-time NBA scoring champion, came aboard to complement two-time MVP Stephen Curry.
The Cavaliers, whom James and point guard Kyrie Irving willed to Cleveland’s first major sports title in almost 52 years, are listed at +225. Save for the hole they dug early in the Finals against the Warriors, Cleveland was practically untouchable during the playoffs.
Media reports maintain Durant will first meet with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, before the free-agent period begins. Durant, favoured to re-sign with the Thunder at the sportsbooks, also plans to meet with the Warriors, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs during the U.S. Fourth of July weekend.
San Antonio, listed at +750, lost to Durant and Oklahoma City in the second round of the playoffs. Most of the Spurs’ rotation is on the wrong side of age 30, which makes it imperative for them to rebuild on the fly.
Oklahoma City has +850 odds. The Thunder, in hope of keeping of Durant’s favour, recently moved to upgrade their attack by acquiring 24-year-old guard Victor Oladipo from the Orlando Magic.
The aforementioned Clippers and Celtics are currently championship darkhorses at +2,000 and +2,500. Los Angeles has yet to have the stars align for a playoff run, but have undeniable star power in Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
The Celtics are eight years removed from their last NBA title, but have painstakingly rebuilt around Isaiah Thomas, who is a more pass-first attacker than Russell Westbrook, Durant’s current teammate with the Thunder. The Celtics’ fortunes have also been on the upswing in the past few seasons thanks to the tactical acumen of coach Brad Stevens, who twice took Butler to the national championship game during his college days.
The Toronto Raptors are also a +2,500 darkhorse. There are indications that all-star guard DeMar DeRozan will re-up with the Raptors, but Toronto needs to somehow increase their stock of quality shooters and defenders in order to become a true contender.
