Updated 2024 NBA Finals odds, best bets and long shots

Carter Breazeale | For FrontPageBets

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The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is firmly in the rearview mirror, so it’s about time to look toward the future of the season – specifically, the futures markets available for the NBA Finals.

With the Boston Celtics and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the top of their respective conferences, that match-up holds some solid odds – but it’s not the current favorite of some sportsbooks.

Let’s dive into the futures markets and odds for the 2024 NBA Finals:

2024 NBA Finals odds, preview: Celtics, Nuggets favored to meet in Finals

The Celtics hold a comfortable lead over the rest of the Eastern Conference pack, but the Denver Nuggets are still battling to move up the standings in the Western Conference. Nevertheless, sportsbooks are favoring a Celtics vs. Nuggets meeting in the 2024 NBA Finals at +550 odds.

Oddsmakers are clearly keen on Boston making it to the Finals, as the Celtics are featured in four of the top-six matchups. The Western Conference is a bit more of a muddy picture, with the Nuggets, Clippers, Suns and Timberwolves all punching their ticket to the series in the six favored match-ups.

Take a look at the current futures matchup odds, below:

• Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets +550
• Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Clippers +650
• Milwaukee Bucks vs. Denver Nuggets +1100
• Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Clippers +1300
• Boston Celtics vs. Phoenix Suns +1700
• Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves +1800

There’s obviously some daylight between the Celtics and Bucks to make the 2024 NBA Finals, as the odds jump +550 before Milwaukee appears.

Sportsbooks don’t seem high on the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves to continue their run of good form through the second half of the season, with the Nuggets, Clippers and Suns all favored ahead of them to represent their conference in the Finals.

NBA Finals predictions: Boston Celtics to win NBA Finals (+260 or better)

The theme for the 2024 NBA Finals futures is that the Boston Celtics should do some damage in the playoffs and are favored to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy – the 18th in franchise history.

The Celtics have been lethal from beyond the arc this season, averaging 40.4% of their points via 3-pointers made. They have made 893 3-pointers so far – 67 more than the next team on the list.

Their defense should not be slept on either. Touting a top-five defensive rating at 110.5 and averaging 36.6 rebounds per game, the Celtics are a well-balanced team that will be a nightmare opponent during the NBA playoffs.

Superstar guard Jayson Tatum is averaging nearly a double-double per game (27.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG), and while he was a disappointment in last year’s playoffs, he appears poised to lead the Celtics to yet another title in their illustrious franchise history.

At +260 odds, you can do much worse than taking a futures flier on a dominant Boston Celtics team that looks laser-focused to bring home a championship.

NBA Finals long-shot pick: Cleveland Cavaliers to win NBA Finals (+2200 or better)

The Cleveland Cavaliers had a stellar start to 2024. They've won 14 of 15 games, vaulting them into sole possession of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Their defense has been downright dirty, sporting the league’s second-best defensive rating at 110.3 and holding a defensive rebound percentage of 72.2%.

Seemingly dead in the water in early December due to a rash of injuries, the Cavs have rallied and are a definite darkhorse to win a championship in 2024.

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Carter Breazeale is a contributor for Catena Media with a focus on sports, business and the business of sports. An Atlanta native currently residing in Orlando, Carter graduated from The University of Central Florida. He’s appeared in Catena’s PlayGeorgia, SB Nation’s The Falcoholic and The Orlando Business Journal.