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Although we are only in the early stages of the latest NBA season, fans already know that they can expect to see another competitive year on the hardwood court.
There are teams that have already been able to start quickly and get out of the traps. This has led to discussions about who could potentially become the next NBA Champions.
Some teams have started slower than expected, as there have been difficulties on the court. Rhythm is not quite there for everyone, and some performances still look a little mismatched.
Organizations that have acquired new players are still looking to embed those individuals into the game plans and strategies that they have.
At the same time, those players are looking to try and gel with new teammates and learn their new surroundings in order to perform their best on the court.
Who are the favorites to win the NBA 2023/24 NBA Championship?
The Denver Nuggets continue to remain in the conversation to be among the best teams to bet on this season. The franchise is looking to defend its maiden title from last season and has started in good form.
They are currently 8-2 (as of writing) and sit atop the Western Conference, with Nikola Jokić continuing to be the impactful player that he has been throughout his career. Widely hailed as one of the best centers and players to have ever played the sport, the Serb continues to put up game-influencing numbers that are helping keep his team in contention at this early stage.
However, where the bookmakers and sportsbooks are concerned, there might be another franchise that is the better option this season to consider as the next NBA Champions.
If we take a look at the NBA Odds 2023, we can see that the main favorites are the Boston Celtics (7/2), the Denver Nuggets (4/1), the Milwaukee Bucks (9/2), the Phoenix Suns (7/1) and the Golden State Warriors (14/1).
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Why are the Boston Celtics favored?
The Boston Celtics are one of the most successful franchises in NBA history, joint-leaders with the Los Angeles Lakers for total titles (18). But they have not won a title since 2008. Could that be about to change 16 years later?
The organization has been in and around the mix in recent seasons, with a place in the NBA Finals and the Conference Finals in the last two campaigns. However, both have ended with the team unable to add to their impressive title haul.
This year could be different. They arguably have one of the strongest rosters in all of the NBA. Their starting five can consist of Jayson Tatum, Jaylon Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White, thus giving them a five that most franchises would love to have.
The additions of Holiday and Porzingis have helped Joe Mazzulla to seriously upgrade his team, and there appears to have been an immediate impact on the court. The Celtics are 9-2 on the season at this point and undefeated at home. This leaves them in the position at the top of the Eastern Conference.
A basketball season is incredibly long, as a total of 82 games are played. It is important to remember that injuries can occur, and dips in form may occur, meaning this fast start could ultimately mean nothing further down the line.
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Could other teams challenge the Nuggets & Celtics?
Remembering that the regular season only accounts for a portion of the season is vital. Sometimes, it does not matter how good a team is during this stage, as the pressure of the postseason series can crumble them.
Each contest is played across a series of games; if the required number is not won, that team is eliminated. This allows other teams to have an opportunity to step up and compete when it did not look like they had a chance. As we have seen recently, the Celtics have failed to get the job done when in a prime position, while the Nuggets managed to make their postseason count after claiming the top seed for the first time ever.
There have been instances in history where the NBA Champion has not been the best-performing team in the regular season, which makes the league anyone’s to win. The 1995 Houston Rockets were the No. 6 seed when they defeated the Orlando Magic (No. 1) in the NBA Finals.
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