For the first time this season, Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets are no longer the betting favorites to win the NBA title.
The Golden State Warriors, Durant’s former team, are the new favorites, per BetOnline.ag.
The Warriors (15/4) are followed by the Nets (4/1), Suns (5/1), Bucks (13/2) and Heat (9/1).
“We have been holding the Nets as long as we can as favorites knowing if they are 100% healthy and Kyrie Irving is fully able to play in the playoffs that they are an absolute force,” said Adam Burns, Sports Book Manager for BetOnline.ag. “However, after losing eight in a row and with very little public action on them to win the title, we had no choice but to make the Warriors favorites. Golden State has taken more money on the Championship Odds than any other team and right now are a massive loss for the book.”
Meantime, bookmaker.eu has the Suns as slight favorites over the Warriors and Nets:
Suns +444
Warriors +450
Nets +475
Bucks +545
Heat +975
76ers +1600
Lakers +2000
The Nets (29-24) are currently mired in an eight-game losing streak heading into Tuesday’s home tilt with Boston, and are dealing with a host of injuries and distractions.
Kevin Durant, James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nic Claxton and Joe Harris are all battling injuries, with Durant (sprained MCL) not expected back until after the All-Star break and Harden having missed five of the team’s last seven games due to hamstring and hand injuries.
Kyrie Irving remains available only for road games due to his refusal to get vaccinated against Covid-19, and is available for only three of the team’s next 11 games. Brooklyn is 3-8 this season with Irving. He did say he has a “positive outlook” about being able to play homes games this season.
Meantime, the NBA trade deadline is Thursday and though the Nets say they won’t trade Harden, speculation remains that he could leave the team via trade, sign-and-trade or free agency due to his growing frustration with the team’s inconsistency.
The Warriors, meantime, recently got Klay Thompson back from Achilles injury, have won nine straight and boast the NBA’s second-best record (41-13) behind the red-hot Suns (43-10).
