2019 NBA Championship Odds: Bucks Closing Gap on Warriors as Title Favorites
The Golden State Warriors remain the betting favorites to win an NBA title this season, but the Milwaukee Bucks are breathing down the necks of the reigning champions.
The Warriors are -150 to be the last team standing, while the Bucks are second favorites (+170) in the eyes of the Caesars sportsbook:
Less than a week ago, the Bucks were +200 to win a title. They were up 3-1 on the Boston Celtics in the second round before closing out the series in five games.
Milwaukee's improved odds probably speak more to concern about the Warriors than anything else.
Kevin Durant missed Golden State's Game 6 victory over the Houston Rockets after suffering a mild right calf strain in Game 5.
According to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne, Durant will miss the first game of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday and might be out for Game 2 on Thursday, too, since doctors won't reevaluate his calf until the day of the game.
Durant's injury opens the door slightly for another team to knock the Warriors off their perch.
The Bucks, meanwhile, answered their skeptics with the way they dismantled the Celtics in the final four games of their series. Milwaukee slowly broke Boston's will, culminating in a 116-91 Game 5 drubbing.
Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 28.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 53.4 percent from the floor against the Celtics. Just as important, Milwaukee is getting steady contributions from George Hill and Eric Bledsoe, providing the scoring depth the team lacked a season ago.
If they meet in the Finals, the Bucks have the talent and overall team cohesion to push the Warriors to the brink.
