NBA Cup 2024-25 Odds: Best Bets and Teams to Fade
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Swinging Johnson
- November 23, 2024
There is still a long way to go before the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Championship game is held on December 17th. However, a quick glance at the BetOnline odds (visit our BetOnline Review) reveals we have a handful of solid contenders from the East and West groupings and a few chalky fades.
Eastern Conference Odds
| Team | BetOnline Odds |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +450 |
| New York Knicks | +600 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +800 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +1000 |
| Detroit Pistons | +6600 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +7500 |
| Orlando Magic | +1400 |
| Miami Heat | +4500 |
| Chicago Bulls | +25000 |
East Contenders
Boston Celtics (+450)
The reigning world champion Boston Celtics are not only the odds-on favorites to repeat as NBA champs but are also in the driver’s seat to become the Emirates NBA Cup winners when the finals are held in mid-December, as they are currently tied with the Hawks in Group C East.
Boston coasted to a 108-96 win over the Wizards on Friday night, improving their season record to 13-3 and their NBA Cup mark to 2-1.
The Celtics have one more group play game on their schedule, as they will tip off against the Bulls in Chicago on November 29th. Should they win that game, they will likely be the Group C East winners and advance into the knockout round. The Green Machine has too much talent and depth not to be a threat whenever they take the court.
At odds of +450, they are well worth the price.
New York Knicks (+600)
The Knicks are 2-0 and tied for first place with the Magic in Group A East courtesy of a 111-99 win over the 76ers and a 124-122 victory over their crosstown rivals from Brooklyn.
They play next on November 29th against the Charlotte Hornets, a team they should have little trouble defeating, before welcoming the Magic to Madison Square Garden on December 3rd in their final group play game. That game will likely decide the Group A East winner.
Orlando Magic (+1400)
Speaking of the Magic, Orlando is the No. 1 defensive team in the league, allowing a mere 103.2 points per game, and have breezed past their opponents in the first NBA Cup games. Orlando posted a 114-89 drubbing of the Hornets in their first contest, followed by a 98-86 win over the 76ers in their second group play affair.
A road date against the Nets awaits them on November 29th, but the pivotal showdown will occur on December 3rd when they take on the talented Knicks. Although New York is one of the favorites to win the NBA Cup, Orlando’s current odds of +1400 make them rather tempting.
Western Conference Odds
| Team | BetOnline Odds |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | +650 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +800 |
| Houston Rockets | +900 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +1000 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +1400 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +1400 |
| Phoenix Suns | +4500 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +8000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +15000 |
West Contenders
Golden State Warriors (+650)
The Warriors are the first team to clinch a spot in the knockout round after moving to 3-0 in the NBA Cup with a 112-108 victory over New Orleans and simultaneously eliminating any hopes the Pelicans had of advancing in the tournament.
Golden State is a bona fide powerhouse this season and leads the Western Conference regular season standings with a 12-3 record after their first 15 contests. They will take on the Nuggets in Denver on December 3rd in their last game in the group play round.
Dallas Mavericks (+800)
After reaching the NBA Finals last season, the Mavs have sputtered a bit in the early going, entering the weekend with a 9-7 mark and 2-1 in Group C West, trailing only the Warriors.
After losing a fiercely contested 120-117 battle with Golden State in their first NBA Cup game, the Mavs got back on track with consecutive NBA Cup wins over the Pelicans (132-91) and Nuggets (123-120). They will take on the Memphis Grizzlies in their final NBA Cup game of the group play round on December 3rd at the American Airlines Center.
Los Angeles Lakers (+1000)
Any time a roster has the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, their opponents will have problems.
This season the team is healthier than in recent memory, and the results are easy to see in the regular season standings. The Lakers are 10-5 after their first 15 games of the season and 7-1 at the Crypto.com Arena.
LA is 2-0 in the NBA Cup tournament with wins over the San Antonio Spurs (120-115) and the Utah Jazz (124-118). The next time the Lakers tip off in NBA Cup play will be on November 26th, when they travel to the desert and battle the Suns. After that, the Lakers will welcome the Thunder to LA in their final group-play NBA Cup game.
Fade-orites
Cleveland Cavaliers (+800)
The Cavaliers won their first 15 games of the season before they were dealt a 120-117 loss by the world-champion Boston Celtics. That also happened to be an NBA Cup game, and the Cavs are now 1-1 in group play.
Even a freight train comes to a stop, and I believe the depot is on the horizon, so stay away from this chalky favorite.
Houston Rockets (+900)
The Rockets were 22-60 only two seasons ago and jumped to a .500 club last year. But now they are the Cinderella story of the NBA this year, winning 12 of their first 17 games, including both NBA Cup games.
However, I’m not convinced this team is more than an early flash-in-the-pan, so stay away from this club winning this in-season tournament or going deep in the postseason.
Milwaukee Bucks (+1000)
The Bucks are on a downward trajectory, having been bounced from the opening round of the playoffs last season by the Pacers to struggling through the early part of this season with a 7-9 record.
Of course, we should recognize that Milwaukee has pulled it together lately and is 2-0 in the NBA Cup, but something tells me the Bucks are ready to return to earth after winning 5 of their last 6 games.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
