NBA Playoffs 2017: Updated Championship Odds, Bracket Picture and Predictions

The rest of the NBA playoffs will have a hard time matching Saturday night.  

Onlookers can brush aside the first round all they want. But Kawhi Leonard putting the San Antonio Spurs on his back in an instant classic against the Memphis Grizzlies was a performance for the ages, one only bested in the end by Mike Conley (anyone want to complain about his contract now?).

Not to be outdone, Stephen Curry turned in an MVP-esque performance late for the Golden State Warriors on the road to down the Portland Trail Blazers, a message sent loud and clear to the rest of the playoff bracket.

Speaking of the bracket, injuries and unexpected developments have already altered the complexion of the title picture, forcing oddsmakers in Las Vegas to adapt. Let's take a look at the entire outlook and examine where those with the bravery to risk coin on this wild ride might make some headway.

2017 NBA Playoffs Bracket and Championship Odds

Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Matchup	Series	Prediction
No. 1 Boston Celtics (40-1) vs. No. 8 Chicago Bulls (50-1)	2-1 CHI	CHI in 7
No. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers (13-4) vs. No. 7 Indiana Pacers (1000-1)	3-0 CLE	CLE in 4
No. 3 Toronto Raptors (50-1) vs. No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks (75-1)	2-2	MIL in 7
No. 4 Washington Wizards (50-1) vs. No. 5 Atlanta Hawks (300-1)	2-1 WAS	WAS in 6
Matchup	Series	Prediction
No. 1 Golden State Warriors (4-9) vs. No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers (1000-1)	3-0 GS	GS in 4
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs (8-1) vs. No. 7 Memphis Grizzlies (200-1)	2-2 SA	SA in 7
No. 3 Houston Rockets (18-1) vs. No. 6 Oklahoma City Thunder (200-1)	2-1 HOU	HOU in 5
No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers (33-1) vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz (150-1)	2-1 LAC	UTA in 7

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.

Championship Odds Analysis 

Underdog to Consider: Utah Jazz

Disclaimer—this has little to do with the Los Angeles Clippers losing Blake Griffin for the entirety of the playoffs, a revelation put forth by the team's official statement, via Undefeated's Marc J. Spears.

Really, it has more to do with the Clippers being the Clippers and the Utah Jazz being the Utah Jazz.

Fans know all about Los Angeles' failures in the playoffs over the years, despite Chris Paul's standing as one of the greatest point guards of all time. What they might not know—and bettors can take advantage of—is just how much the Jazz have improved.

The Jazz have won 25, 38, 40 and 51 games over their past four seasons while riding a superstar by the name of Gordon Hayward to steady improvement. He's already averaging 26.3 points and 8.3 rebounds on 46.3 percent shooting against the Clippers through three games.

Yes, the Jazz sit in a 2-1 hole and yes, the absence of Rudy Gobert hurts in helping contain DeAndre Jordan and keeping the lane clogged against slashers like Paul. But Utah has one less scoring option to worry about now and can pull this series off via the steady shooting and movement that got them here in the first place.

And realistically, Utah has the best shot at taking down Golden State. In a matchup near the end of the season, Golden State rested Klay Thompson and Utah went without Hayward in an eventual Jazz win. If the Jazz can get Gobert back, Utah might have an upset for the ages in the works.

Favorite to Avoid: San Antonio Spurs 

Leonard is one of the best things going in the NBA right now. But even trust in Gregg Popovich can only go so far.

The fact of the matter, which few seem to want to say, is that the Spurs are an up-and-down team in a transition year. They're a hodgepodge of parts dependent on Leonard for production, with Tony Parker aging at the point and LaMarcus Aldridge simply too inconsistent to act as the surefire second scoring option.

And readers best believe Leonard does everything he can. Everything, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

In Game 4 against Memphis, Leonard dropped 43 points, hit seven shots from deep, hit all eight of his free throws, grabbed eight boards and stole six passes.

The Spurs still lost.

Maybe the Spurs still get out of the first round. But even that will take a superhuman effort from Leonard. And there's no rest available—the very next round would be a duel with either Russell Westbrook or James Harden.

Leonard is an unbelievable talent. What he did Saturday night, especially in the fourth quarter, is something maybe only LeBron James can do. But the team around him doesn't offer enough in the deep Western Conference to justify a hefty bet.

Favorite to Ride: Cleveland Cavaliers

Anybody want to doubt LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers?

The Cavaliers willingly gave up the top seed in the Eastern Conference and have cruised to a 3-0 advantage against the Indiana Pacers. Meanwhile, the actual top-seeded Boston Celtics sit in a 2-1 hole against the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls.

Let's expand a bit. Neither the Washington Wizards nor Atlanta Hawks are challenging the Cavaliers. The Milwaukee Bucks might be able to simply because of the mismatch nightmare known as Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they're stuck in a 2-2 series against the slumping, third-seeded Toronto Raptors.

So yes, the Cavaliers are going to the Finals again. LeBron has dropped 32, 25 and 41 on the Pacers. He's making a mockery of what could be Paul George's final trip to the playoffs with the Pacers, averaging 32.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.7 steals.

The 41 came in Game 3 on the road, where the Cavaliers casually pulled off the third-largest comeback in playoff history after storming back from a 25-point halftime deficit.

Provided the Cavaliers stay healthy, it's downright silly to bet against them this year. Golden State looked human for most of the year, and there's no guarantee they make it to the Finals anyway. Bettors can cross their fingers for upsets in the Western Conference and ride the sure bet that is LeBron in postseason form.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.