NBA Finals 2015 Betting Odds: Cavaliers, Spurs Among Favorites To Win Championship

LeBron James Tim Duncan — LeBron James and Tim Duncan have faced off in the last two NBA Finals. Reuters/Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs faced off in the best game of the NBA season on Thursday night, as Kyrie Irving’s 57 points lifted the Cavs to a 128-125 overtime victory. With the playoffs just five weeks away, it’s looking like LeBron James could face Tim Duncan and Co. in the NBA Finals for a third consecutive year.

Cleveland got off to a slow start this season, but they’ve bounced back, making them the favorites to win the title. Their championship odds are 2/1, putting them ahead of the Golden State Warriors, who have the best record in all of basketball. The Cavs have the second-best record in the East, and seem poised to enter the postseason as the No.2 seed. Since Jan. 15, Cleveland has gone 23-5.

Kevin Love has not been the All-Star that Cleveland thought they were getting, but James and Irving give the Cavs a duo that no team in the East can match. James’ 26.1 points per game ranks him third in the league, while Irving is ninth overall with 22 points per contest. No other player in the conference ranks in the top 10 in scoring.

The Cavs would be favored over the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals, even though the Hawks have all but clinched the No.1 seed in the conference. Atlanta has beaten Cleveland in both head-to-head matchups this season, including their most recent contest on March 6. The Hawks came out on top, 106-97, holding James to 18 points in 40 minutes.

San Antonio hasn’t looked like the defending champions for much of the season, dealing with injuries to Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard. With both stars getting healthy, the team has rebounded in March, giving them the third-best title odds in the league.

Before their loss to Cleveland, San Antonio had won six games in a row. They’ve made their way to the No.6 seed in the West, and are now 4.5 games behind the No.2 seed Memphis Grizzlies.

The Spurs’ recent winning streak has given them better odds than the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are given the fifth-best chance to win it all. Oklahoma City is the third favorite in the West, even though they are still fighting for a playoff spot. The New Orleans Pelicans are a half-game ahead of them for the No.8 seed, despite Russell Westbrook’s recent string of triple-doubles. Kevin Durant is expected to return from a foot injury in one-to-two weeks.

The Indiana Pacers are the No.7 seed in the East, still fighting with multiple teams to remain in the playoffs. But with the prospect of Paul George returning for the postseason, they are tied for the fourth-best odds in the East.

Below are the betting odds to win the 2015 NBA championship, courtesy of Bovada.lv.

Cleveland Cavaliers 2/1

Golden State Warriors 5/1

San Antonio Spurs 7/1

Atlanta Hawks 15/2

Oklahoma City Thunder 9/1

Memphis Grizzlies 10/1

Chicago Bulls 16/1

Los Angeles Clippers 18/1

Portland Trail Blazers 28/1

Houston Rockets 28/1

Dallas Mavericks 33/1