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The 2017 NBA Finals, a much-anticipated third consecutive matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, was supposed to be epic. Instead, it turned out to be anything but. The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now. from the Bay Area left no doubt that they were the cream of the crop, dispatching the defending champs in five games and proceeding to You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now. like a team that just won its second title in three seasons.
From start to finish, the Golden State Warriors were simply āGoldenā in the 2016ā17 season. And something tells us they will take their time and enjoy being the team at the top of the NBA mountain. Yet, while thereās still a bit of time between now and next yearās opening tip-off, that doesnāt mean we canāt try and predict how the 2017ā18 season will turn out. Hereās a look at who oddsmakers in Vegas pick to win the 2018 NBA Championship.
[Editorās note: Odds courtesy of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. viaYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. as of July 21, 2017.]
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are on the up and up. | Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Odds: +2500
The Minnesota Timberwolves failed to get the job done in 2016ā17. The group put together an uninspiring 31-51 record, finished 13th in the Western Conference standings, and have missed the postseason for 13 consecutive seasons. Still, there is reason to be excited if youāre a T-Wolves fan. Tom Thibodeau is already starting to put his stamp on the organization, the club is ripe with young talent like Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, and thanks to the draft-night for All-Star Jimmy Butler, Minnesota is poised to take the next step in its evolution. Donāt sleep on the Timberwolves in 2017ā18.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook is ready to take OKC to new heights. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Odds: +2000
Just when you thought You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. ā and recently-anointed MVP ā Russell Westbrook might have to carry the Thunder once again in 2017ā18, the organization made arguably the biggest splash of the offseason, trading for four-time All-Star Paul George.
With the dynamic duo of PG-13 and You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., Oklahoma City now has a legitimate chance to make some noise in the Western Conference. Hopefully this relationship yields some positive results in the upcoming season (and possibly beyond); itād be a shame if the Thunder franchise wasted its time giving away young assets for a one-year rental in George.
4. (tie) San Antonio Spurs
Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs remain legit contenders. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Odds: +1600
The San Antonio Spurs are the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., and itās difficult to imagine that changing anytime soon. Especially if head coach Gregg Popovich continues toYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. However, as successful as this franchise is and has been for well over a decade, in todayās NBA, the Spurs will only go as far as all-world superstar Kawhi Leonard takes them. As we saw in the 2017 Western Conference Finals, with The Claw, San Antonio is no match for the mighty Golden State Warriors.
4. (tie) Houston Rockets
Itās time to fear The Beard. | Harry How/Getty Images
Odds: +1600
The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. definitely soared in Mike DāAntoniās first season as the teamās head coach. James Harden flashed his freakishly ridiculous point guard skills (leading the league in assists per game, with 11.2, while averaging a cool 29.1 points per game). The Rockets scored 115.3 points per game (second of 30), went 55-27, and finished third in the Western Conference.
While this group wasnāt good enough to advance past the conference semifinals, the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. of future Hall of Famer Chris Paul shows that the organization is ready to make a real push toward the throne. The Rockets will be a āmust-seeā in 2017ā18.
3. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a confident bunch. | Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Odds: +900
We knew the Boston Celtics were good, but we had no idea they were āfirst seed in the Eastā good. Well, it turns out thatās exactly what they are. Led by All-Star point guard You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and his 28.9 points per game, the Cās finished the 2016ā17 regular season with a 53-29 mark and earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, home-court advantage did the club no favors in the playoffs, as the Cavs ousted Boston in five games in the Eastern Conference finals. Moral of the story: The Celtics are a solid bunch, but they probably donāt have enough firepower to really contend for a title. Then again, the offseason addition of aYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. might change thatā¦
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Itās all about LeBron James in Cleveland. | Elsa/Getty Images
Odds: +400
For the third consecutive season, the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately for Cavs fans, unlike the 2015ā16 campaign, the squad could not overcome the juggernaut from the Bay Area. Throw in the situation involving Kyrie Irvingās recent You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and thereās now a level of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. that we havenāt seen in quite some time. Of course, as long as You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.remains in town, the Cavaliers will continue to be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. If only that was good enough to be the best of the best.
1. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are the champs. | Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Odds: -175
The Golden State Warriors are the team to beat, and everyone in the NBA knows it. Thatās just what happens when you add a player like Kevin Durant to a club alreadyYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. In the end, the only question is, just how dominant can this team be? If the 2017ā18 season turns out to be anything like the 2016ā17 campaign, weāre not sure the world is ready for the answer.
Statistics courtesy of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
From start to finish, the Golden State Warriors were simply āGoldenā in the 2016ā17 season. And something tells us they will take their time and enjoy being the team at the top of the NBA mountain. Yet, while thereās still a bit of time between now and next yearās opening tip-off, that doesnāt mean we canāt try and predict how the 2017ā18 season will turn out. Hereās a look at who oddsmakers in Vegas pick to win the 2018 NBA Championship.
[Editorās note: Odds courtesy of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. viaYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. as of July 21, 2017.]
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are on the up and up. | Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Odds: +2500
The Minnesota Timberwolves failed to get the job done in 2016ā17. The group put together an uninspiring 31-51 record, finished 13th in the Western Conference standings, and have missed the postseason for 13 consecutive seasons. Still, there is reason to be excited if youāre a T-Wolves fan. Tom Thibodeau is already starting to put his stamp on the organization, the club is ripe with young talent like Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, and thanks to the draft-night for All-Star Jimmy Butler, Minnesota is poised to take the next step in its evolution. Donāt sleep on the Timberwolves in 2017ā18.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook is ready to take OKC to new heights. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Odds: +2000
Just when you thought You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. ā and recently-anointed MVP ā Russell Westbrook might have to carry the Thunder once again in 2017ā18, the organization made arguably the biggest splash of the offseason, trading for four-time All-Star Paul George.
With the dynamic duo of PG-13 and You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., Oklahoma City now has a legitimate chance to make some noise in the Western Conference. Hopefully this relationship yields some positive results in the upcoming season (and possibly beyond); itād be a shame if the Thunder franchise wasted its time giving away young assets for a one-year rental in George.
4. (tie) San Antonio Spurs
Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs remain legit contenders. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Odds: +1600
The San Antonio Spurs are the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., and itās difficult to imagine that changing anytime soon. Especially if head coach Gregg Popovich continues toYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. However, as successful as this franchise is and has been for well over a decade, in todayās NBA, the Spurs will only go as far as all-world superstar Kawhi Leonard takes them. As we saw in the 2017 Western Conference Finals, with The Claw, San Antonio is no match for the mighty Golden State Warriors.
4. (tie) Houston Rockets
Itās time to fear The Beard. | Harry How/Getty Images
Odds: +1600
The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. definitely soared in Mike DāAntoniās first season as the teamās head coach. James Harden flashed his freakishly ridiculous point guard skills (leading the league in assists per game, with 11.2, while averaging a cool 29.1 points per game). The Rockets scored 115.3 points per game (second of 30), went 55-27, and finished third in the Western Conference.
While this group wasnāt good enough to advance past the conference semifinals, the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. of future Hall of Famer Chris Paul shows that the organization is ready to make a real push toward the throne. The Rockets will be a āmust-seeā in 2017ā18.
3. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a confident bunch. | Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Odds: +900
We knew the Boston Celtics were good, but we had no idea they were āfirst seed in the Eastā good. Well, it turns out thatās exactly what they are. Led by All-Star point guard You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and his 28.9 points per game, the Cās finished the 2016ā17 regular season with a 53-29 mark and earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, home-court advantage did the club no favors in the playoffs, as the Cavs ousted Boston in five games in the Eastern Conference finals. Moral of the story: The Celtics are a solid bunch, but they probably donāt have enough firepower to really contend for a title. Then again, the offseason addition of aYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. might change thatā¦
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Itās all about LeBron James in Cleveland. | Elsa/Getty Images
Odds: +400
For the third consecutive season, the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately for Cavs fans, unlike the 2015ā16 campaign, the squad could not overcome the juggernaut from the Bay Area. Throw in the situation involving Kyrie Irvingās recent You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and thereās now a level of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. that we havenāt seen in quite some time. Of course, as long as You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.remains in town, the Cavaliers will continue to be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. If only that was good enough to be the best of the best.
1. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are the champs. | Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Odds: -175
The Golden State Warriors are the team to beat, and everyone in the NBA knows it. Thatās just what happens when you add a player like Kevin Durant to a club alreadyYou do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. In the end, the only question is, just how dominant can this team be? If the 2017ā18 season turns out to be anything like the 2016ā17 campaign, weāre not sure the world is ready for the answer.
Statistics courtesy of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
