NBA Championship Odds 2021: Suns Current Title Favorites over Bucks, Hawks
June 24, 2021
The Phoenix Suns have never won an NBA title. They've only reached the NBA Finals twice, with Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson losing to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls in their last appearance in 1993.
But oddsmakers at FanDuel favor the Suns to end their title drought this season:
It isn't a shock that the Suns are the favorites. They lead the Los Angeles Clippers 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals, winning the first two games without Chris Paul. The Clippers have been without Kawhi Leonard, who will also miss Thursday night's Game 3 because of a knee injury, while Paul will return after he cleared the NBA's health and safety protocols.
The Suns are also red hot, having won nine straight postseason games dating back to the first round. Devin Booker has been transcendent (28.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.3 APG) during the playoffs. Young players Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges have more than met the moment. Cameron Payne (11.8 PPG, 3.9 APG) has been the shocking breakout star of the playoffs.
And Paul torched the Denver Nuggets in the second round, averaging 25.5 points and 10.3 assists in the sweep.
The Suns are looking good.
Granted, the Clippers have already erased two 2-0 series deficits in this year's playoffs. The difference this time, of course, is that Leonard isn't available. It's not easy to beat a team as good as the Suns without your best player, which has been reflected in the odds.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Atlanta Hawks continue to be the pesky upstarts nobody quite saw coming, beating the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1. On paper, the Bucks are the favorites, with more postseason experience and more talent top to bottom.
Then again, that's what was said about the Philadelphia 76ers too. And Trae Young pick-and-rolled them to death, just like he did the Bucks on Wednesday night.
Put another way: Any team that can go 6-2 on the road in the playoffs—with five of those coming in New York and Philly—is one worth fearing. The time for sleeping on the Hawks has ended.
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