NBA Power Rankings: Championship Odds for All 30 Teams
The NBA season is nearly two-thirds complete and championship hopes are rapidly taking shape. Key matchups have shown the strengths and weaknesses of contenders recently. So who has the best shot at winning the NBA Finals?
There is still time for middling teams to ramp up their play. Trade rumors that could change the landscape of the league still abound.
The same teams have risen to the top of the league with a few surprising clubs on their heels. Can anyone break into the top tier?
Here are championship odds for every team in the NBA.
30. Cleveland Cavaliers: 1,000/1
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Watch out: Cleveland is 1-1 in its last two, showing grit and mental toughness in an overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 11. Closing that game out showed championship toughness that turned some heads around the NBA.
Cleveland only needs to win its final 27 games, and it might just squeeze into the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The hits just keep on coming for Cleveland sports fans. No franchise along Lake Erie looks close to be competing for anything.
29. Washington Wizards: 600/1
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There are teams with worse records. But there is no worse road team in the NBA than the Washington Wizards. If the Wizards were to somehow make the playoffs—that's about the same probability as the Earth and Sun colliding—they will not have home-court advantage.
Since Washington won only its first road game Sunday—against Cleveland, no less—the Wizards aren't exactly poised to steal home-court advantage from anyone.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves: 500/1
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While everyone points and laughs at the Cleveland Cavaliers' historic futility, other terrible teams slip out the back door with limited ridicule. One of those is the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Minnesota is 4-24 on the road this season. However, they have won two of their last three away from home so maybe they are figuring things out. Still, they're way off from even competing for a playoff spot.
27. Sacramento Kings: 500/1
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Sacramento has to be close to making some noise in the Pacific Division, right? Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins are two extremely talented young players and the Kings will have the opportunity to get another one early in the next NBA draft.
But Cousins and Evans need to learn to get along. Cousins' reaction to not getting the final shot against Oklahoma City on Feb. 12 was a bad sign.
As things are now, Sacramento is nowhere near playoff contention. They are 15.5 games out the Western Conference playoffs.
26. Toronto Raptors: 450/1
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Andrea Bargnani can play. He's looking more and more like he deserved that first overall pick in 2006. He's looking like he deserved it; that's not to say that he did.
Outside of Bargnani, Toronto doesn't have much positive going for it. Fifteen wins in 55 tries this season doesn't instill a whole bunch of championship hope.
25. New Jersey Nets: 400/1
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The Nets have already improved significantly since last year's 12-win campaign that kept them in the headlines all season long for all the wrong reasons.
But 17 wins at this point in the season isn't that much to be proud of. Playoffs and championships are much less important to New Jersey than trades and cap space.
24. Los Angeles Clippers: 350/1
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The only championship that the Los Angeles Clippers have a chance at winning this season is the Dunk Contest, thanks to the human pogo stick that is Blake Griffin.
The Clippers looked good in a win over the New York Knicks on Feb. 9. But everything good that Los Angeles has done was devalued with a loss at Cleveland that broke the Cavs' record-setting 26-game losing streak.
23. Golden State Warriors: 250/1
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The Western Conference is as brutal and deep as ever, erasing any opportunity for the Golden State Warriors to win a championship this season. The Warriors are a respectable 24-29 and still 5.5 games out of the eighth seed.
Monta Ellis, David Lee and Stephen Curry are a great nucleus for the future. But there is still plenty missing for Golden State, mainly defense.
22. Detroit Pistons: 250/1
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With all the trade talk surrounding the Detroit Pistons this season, it's hard not to wonder if a move could have boosted the them into the playoffs. But is it too late?
Detroit is only 5.5 games behind eighth-seeded Indiana with four games left against the Pacers. Also on the schedule are two games against the Cavaliers and two games against the Wizards, along with several other winnable contests.
21. Milwaukee Bucks: 225/1
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Milwaukee seems to be falling apart. There was always something about the Bucks that made them impossible to trust, and losing seven of their last eight has reinforced that.
Brandon Jennings isn't ready to lead a team. Andrew Bogut needs help in the frontcourt.
Even when only two spots out of the playoffs, there just isn't anything about Milwaukee that makes them a believable playoff contender, let alone a championship contender.
20. Phoenix Suns: 225/1
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Steve Nash continues to make the Phoenix Suns one of the most explosive offensive teams in the league, thus making them one of the most dangerous teams any given night.
But they can't bottle that explosiveness for extended period of time, making them just another team looking for an eight seed and expected to do nothing more.
Nash is still going strong, but he was never meant to lead a team in scoring.
19. Charlotte Bobcats: 225/1
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How is it that a team that is 23-31 has two of the most rumored trade pieces in the league? Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson are believed to be key potential acquisitions for several team across the league.
But together with the roster in Charlotte, the duo can't qualify the Bobcats for the playoffs. They're in the hunt but don't have the size necessary to get through the Eastern Conference, regardless.
18. Indiana Pacers: 200/1
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There's something clicking in Indianapolis. The Indiana Pacers have won seven of their last eight, albeit against some of the league's worst competition.
Danny Granger, Darren Collison and Roy Hibbert make a nice nucleus for a team looking to the future. Tyler Hansbrough and Josh McRoberts provide fundamentally sound size.
But this is a team for the future, not 2011.
17. Philadelphia 76ers: 200/1
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What Philadelphia has going for it is that it is currently in possession of a playoff spot. What the 76ers have going against them is Elton Brand's contract and his inability to really challenge the NBA's elite big men.
The best teams in the league have a big man that they can consistently throw the ball into and get a basket. The Lakers have Pau Gasol. Boston has Kevin Garnett. Orlando and Miami have Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh, respectively.
Brand might light up lesser opponents, but he can't play with the big boys for a seven-game series.
16. Memphis Grizzlies: 150/1
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Geographically, the Memphis Grizzlies should be in the Eastern Conference. They wish that they were in reality.
At 30-26, Memphis has a good enough record for sixth place in the East, but wouldn't make the Western Conference playoffs if the season ended today.
While the East offers a few elite teams, it severely lacks depth. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, they can't take advantage of that.
15. Houston Rockets: 150/1
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The Houston Rockets are considered one of the favorites to land Carmelo Anthony. It's supposedly down to the Rockets and the New York Knicks.
If the Rockets land Anthony, they'll boost into the playoffs and be capable of putting a scare into any team. Win a championship? No. But they're not even close without Anthony.
14. Portland Trailblazers: 125/1
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LaMarcus Aldridge has gone into beast mode lately. He's averaging 29.6 points per game in February while carrying Portland without Brandon Roy or Marcus Camby.
If Portland can get those two back soon and see them play well, the Trail Blazers could make a push. Make a deal to make them more dynamic at point guard and Portland will have its chance. That's too many ifs.
13. New York Knicks: 100/1
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How much difference would acquiring Carmelo Anthony make? Well, without him, the New York Knicks look like a fraud. With him, they would vault up the Eastern Conference and possibly host a playoff series at Madison Square Garden.
Anthony is the type of player that can carry a team for a round in the playoffs. Add Amar'e Stoudemire and the veteran experience of an acquired Chauncey Billups and New York would be very, very dangerous.
12. Atlanta Hawks: 100/1
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Are Atlanta Hawks fans ready to realize that Joe Johnson isn't a max contract player? Are they ready to realize that management pulled a veil over their eyes by signing him to a max contract, making them think they had landed a player with similar value to Dwyane Wade and LeBron James?
The Hawks can't win a championship with Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford as their three best players. Mike Bibby has seen better days as a point guard, and the bench is thin and small.
11. Utah Jazz: 75/1
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Will the Utah Jazz rally after the surprise resignation of longtime and legendary coach Jerry Sloan? Or will they wither away?
If they don't make at least some change to the roster before the trade deadline, it won't matter who is holding the clipboard. The Jazz need a stout defensive big man to compete. And why is C.J. Miles suddenly a starter? Miles is painfully inefficient.
As well as Andrei Kirilenko has played this season, he would be the easiest player for the Jazz to part ways with, considering his expiring contract.
10. Denver Nuggets: 50/1
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What a crazy season it's been for the Denver Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups have been in trade talks for months. Nene's name has popped up recently. All the while, the Nuggets have played their way closer to Oklahoma City in the Northwest Division.
If Anthony stays put and the trade deadline passes, how will it affect the focus of the team? Having weathered the storm, it's easy to believe that the team's play would only get better knowing it won't be changing.
But this team wasn't good enough to win a championship last season and it isn't good enough to do so this year either.
9. New Orleans Hornets: 50/1
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The New Orleans Hornets have an enviable core. Chris Paul, David West, Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza make up a sound nucleus.
But there isn't much beyond that group. They give up the fourth-least points per game. But the Hornets are streaky, making them untrustworthy. They've lost five out of six and haven't beaten a winning team since topping Oklahoma City on Jan. 24.
8. Oklahoma City Thunder: 30/1
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Is Kevin Durant ready to take his career to the next level? He and Russell Westbrook have turned Oklahoma City into a legitimate contender. But whether or not they can advance under the pressure of the postseason has yet to be seen.
The Thunder will get through the first round of the playoffs and take a second round series to at least six games. This team is for real and will be around for years to come.
7. Orlando Magic: 20/1
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Yeah, yeah, the Orlando Magic beat the Lakers on Sunday. Good for them. But that Los Angeles team was in game five of a seven-game road swing on which it looks likely it will finish 6-1.
Orlando should look hard and long at making a move before the trade deadline. They have endless shooters, it seems, but no true size to complement Dwight Howard.
6. Dallas Mavericks: 20/1
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Dallas doesn't look like a title contender at first glance. But look closer and you find a team that has two double-digit winning streaks, an seasoned future Hall of Famer at point guard and one of the best scoring power forwards in the NBA.
Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki can take the Mavericks far. Tyson Chandler is playing beastly basketball and Jason Terry looks as good as he ever has.
5. Chicago Bulls: 10/1
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Derrick Rose must stay up all night thinking about what the Chicago Bulls will look like when they finally have Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah on the floor at the same time.
Injuries are the only reason that the Bulls aren't more widely considered a serious title contender. But don't sleep on this team once it has all its firepower going at the same time.
LeBron James may be the MVP favorite, but Rose isn't far behind.
4. Los Angeles Lakers: 5/1
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Lakers fans have convinced themselves that their team's relative struggles this season are simply due to boredom, and Los Angeles will turn it on in the playoffs.
I'd believe that if it weren't for the overwhelming amount of frustration coming out of the Staples Center. Ron Artest has or maybe he hasn't asked to be traded. Phil Jackson has plugged his meticulously planned snide remarks in the press. Kobe Bryant has shown signs of boiling.
But the Lakers can still get it together.
3. Miami Heat: 9/2
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Love 'em or hate 'em—who outside of Miami loves 'em?—the Miami Heat have moved past their slow start and transformed into a title contender.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are taking turns filling it up, with James a heavy favorite for his third straight MVP.
Stay healthy, maybe make a deal for some more size if possible and there are few teams that can beat the Heat.
2. San Antonio Spurs: 3/1
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Call the San Antonio Spurs old if you want, but you'll just be living in the past. This team has experienced an injection of youth from George Hill, DeJuan Blair and Gary Neal.
Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili is having arguably the best season of his career, Tony Parker can still penetrate the lane at will and Tim Duncan has found a new way to help his team while being saved for the playoffs.
This is a scary good team.
1. Boston Celtics: 3/1
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After beating the Heat, is there any question who the class of the Eastern Conference is? Kevin Garnett is under everyone's skin. Ray Allen still has the sweetest jumper in the game. Paul Pierce is dependable. Rajon Rondo is a jump shot away from being the best point guard in the league.
What happens when the Celtics get Shaquille O'Neal and maybe Jermaine O'Neal back from injury? With two more big men, there are no teams that can match Boston's frontcourt.
