The NBA season has reached the All-Star break and teams are preparing for the stretch run with 20-plus games remaining per team in the regular season. Below, we look at the updated 2022 NBA conference championship odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Phoenix Suns lead the Western Conference by 6.5 games and are the defending Western Conference champs, but the Golden State Warriors are back to being contenders and PG Ja Morant has the Memphis Grizzlies right on their heels. Will they keep pace or will someone emerge once the playoffs begin?
The top of the Eastern Conference is much tighter, as only 4.5 game separate the top six seeds. There was a big trade between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets that could change the balance of the conference – Philly added SG James Harden with PG Ben Simmons sent to Brooklyn. The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks are still very much in the mix as well.
Let’s look at the best bets to make on who will make it through the regular season and the postseason as conference champions.
Also see: 2022 NBA championship odds and predictions
2022 NBA Eastern Conference winner odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:53 p.m. ET.
These are six teams with the shortest odds to win the Eastern Conference Finals.
- Milwaukee Bucks (36-24 record) +270
- Brooklyn Nets (31-28) +280
- Philadelphia 76ers (35-23) +320
- Miami Heat (38-21) +550
- Chicago Bulls (38-21) +1200
- Boston Celtics (34-26) +1300
The pretenders
- Cleveland Cavaliers (35-23) +2000
- Toronto Raptors (32-25) +3000
- Atlanta Hawks (28-30) +4000
- Charlotte Hornets (29-31) +6000
- New York Knicks (25-34) +9000
- Washington Wizards (27-31) +20000
- Indiana Pacers (20-40) +30000
- Detroit Pistons (13-45) +50000
- Orlando Magic (13-47) +50000