Despite Finals Loss, Cavs Favored For 2016

Thursday June 25,2015 : Sportsbook Hails Cavaliers as 2016 Favorites

The streets of San Francisco may still be rife with delighted fans celebrating the Golden State Warriors’ recent title, but the sports betting community is already thinking about the 2016 NBA Championship. Despite Cleveland’s loss last week, the Cavaliers are leading the pack for next year.

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The Cavs are 11/4 to win next year’s championship. Sure they were disassembled in six by the Dubs, who stole the heart of the nation, but Cleveland was missing its second and third best players. Kevin Love is staying in town, and he and Kyrie Irving could be the difference makers that bettors expected.

Stephen Curry and the Warriors are second on the futures list (7/2 to win the championship). They certainly captured lightning in a bottle in 2015, but are they a legitimate perennial contender?

Of course when betting on the NBA long-term, one has to consider all available options, including those that, for one reason or another, weren’t factors in 2015. Enter the Oklahoma City Thunder. Plagued by injury all year long, OKC failed to make the postseason. Next year, with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back to their usual tricks, not to mention a frontcourt that grows more competitive by the month, it’s hard to doubt the third-best team in the NBA futures market (15/2). With the offseason now officially underway, anything can happen.