NBA Finals 2015 Betting Odds: Warriors, Cavs, Hawks, Bulls Favorites For Championship?

LeBron James All-Star — LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorites in the East, despite their struggles. Reuters/Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Following the 2015 All-Star break, the Golden State Warriors have the best record in the NBA. The team hasn’t advanced beyond the conference semifinals since the 1975-1976 seaosn, but the oddsmakers give them the best chance of winning it all this year.

Golden State has the league’s championship betting odds at 3/1. The Warriors will be very difficult to beat in the playoffs. They have a four-game lead atop the conference, and they went 23-2 at home in the first half of the year. Not only are they led by MVP favorite Stephen Curry, but Golden State has the possible winners for Defensive Player of the Year in Draymond Green and Sixth Man of the Year in Marreese Speights. Klay Thompson is also one of the league’s most improved players, having started in the All-Star Game with Curry.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were represented by two All-Stars, as well, and they have the second-best NBA Finals odds. The Cavs have slightly better odds than the Atlanta Hawks, who have the best record in the East, and 10 more wins than Cleveland. Atlanta had four players in the All-Star Game, but LeBron James makes the Cavs the favorites in the conference, even though they are only the No.5 seed.

A little less than half of the league has separated themselves as legitimate NBA Finals contenders. Thirteen teams have been given odds of 40/1 or better, but there is a steep drop off after the Washington Wizards. The Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns lead the next tier with odds of 150/1.

The San Antonio Spurs are the lowest seeded team that’s been given a realistic chance to win the title. The defending champs are only the seventh seed in the West, but they are still 15 games over .500. With a better record than all but two Eastern Conference teams, Tim Duncan and Co. are tied for the fourth-best odds at 8/1.

Eight teams are so far out of the race that they don’t even have championship odds. The NBA’s bottom tier is led by the New York Knicks, whose 10-43 record at the All-Star break gives them the lowest mark in the league. The Knicks might play even worse over their final 29 games, considering they’ve waived Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony is expected to sit out the rest of the season.

Below are the complete 2015 NBA Finals betting outs, following the All-Star break, courtesy of Bovada.lv.

Golden State Warriors 3/1

Cleveland Cavaliers 15/4

Atlanta Hawks 15/2

San Antonio Spurs 8/1

Chicago Bulls 8/1

Oklahoma City Thunder 8/1

Memphis Grizzlies 10/1

Dallas Mavericks 14/1

Los Angeles Clippers 18/1

Houston Rockets 25/1

Toronto Raptors 25/1