NBA Betting Odds: Spurs, Cavs Favored To Meet In 2015 Finals?

The San Antonio Spurs followed up their 2014 NBA title with a slow start this season, leaving some to believe that the team’s time as a perennial championship contender might be coming to an end. But the second half of the year has proven otherwise, and the defending champs have a good chance of reaching the NBA Finals for a third year in a row.

San Antonio isn’t the betting favorite in the West. That honor belongs to the Golden State Warriors, who have clinched at least a share of the league’s best record. The Spurs aren’t far behind, though, with 5-1 championship odds. Since having their worst performance ever on their annual Rodeo Road Trip, San Antonio has won 16 of its last 19 games.

After so many years on top, it seemed that age was finally catching up to the Spurs. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have played together in 730 games, setting the record for any trio in NBA history. Parker appears to be recovered from his hamstring injury, and Kawhi Leonard has played like an All-Star in the second half of the season, making the Spurs one of the most dangerous teams in a loaded conference.

Coach Gregg Popovich and company hold the No. 6 seed in the West, but they still have a chance to move up to as high as No. 2 in the final four games of the regular season. The Spurs are just a half-game behind the No. 3-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, and the No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets are 1.5 games in front of San Antonio.

Just a few weeks ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder were considered to be the most serious threat in the West to the Spurs and Warriors. With four games left to play, Russell Westbrook and the Thunder haven't even clinched a spot in the playoffs, trailing the New Orleans Pelicans by one game in the loss column for the final postseason spot in the West.

One of the Spurs' three losses since the end of February came to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a potential NBA Finals preview. While the Spurs and Warriors are the clear favorites in the West, Cleveland has separated itself as the top candidate to win the Eastern Conference. Having won 50 of their first 77 games, the Cavaliers are all but guaranteed to be the No. 2 seed.

Cleveland struggled even more than San Antonio to start the year, recording a sub-.500 record through the first 39 games. Since then, the Cavs have gone 31-7, posting the best record in the conference. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have combined to average 47.5 points per game. Last year, James and Dwyane Wade scored a total of 46.1 points per game for the Miami Heat.

The Atlanta Hawks wrapped up the top seed in the East early on, but they no longer look like the juggernaut that went undefeated in January. Prior to defeating the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns in back-to-back games, the Hawks had lost five of eight games.

Below is the complete list of NBA Finals betting odds, courtesy of Bovada.lv.

Golden State Warriors 19-10

Cleveland Cavaliers 21-10

San Antonio Spurs 5-1

Atlanta Hawks 12-1

Chicago Bulls 12-1

Houston Rockets 18-1

Memphis Grizzlies 18-1

Los Angeles Clippers 20-1

Dallas Mavericks 33-1

Portland Trail Blazers 40-1

Toronto Raptors 66-1