2014 NBA Championship Odds and Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs

2014 NBA Championship Odds and Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs: We are in the home stretch of the 2013-14 NBA regular season, and with a little more than a week remaining, teams continue to jockey for playoff position. In fact, the final spot in the playoffs is still in doubt in both conferences. While there is still some uncertainty about the playoff pairings, now could be the perfect time to sneak in a couple of sleeper championship bets. Granted, things will be a little easier to determine and predict once the matchups are set in stone, but the odds are going to adjust accordingly. By sliding in one last bet or two before the season wraps up, you could end up getting a little more value out of your sleeper pick if it does in fact pay off. After all, you are betting a longshot anyway. Why not try to maximize the payout if the incredible does happen?

Brooklyn Nets (40/1): Remember when first-year coach Jason Kidd didn’t know what he was doing and the Nets were doomed after center Brook Lopez was lost for the year? Me neither. Brooklyn has all but wrapped up the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, and the team’s built-to-win-now roster is suddenly doing just that. With Deron Williams running the point and Paul Pierce still getting the job done, the Nets are comfortable playing the half-court game that tends to dominate the postseason. Meanwhile, the experience of Pierce and Kevin Garnett is only going to help. Brooklyn just knocked of the Heat to complete a 4-0 regular season against the two-time defending champs, and it seems pretty clear that Pierce’s no-fear attitude has rubbed off on the rest of the team. With the Pacers sliding an a perfect record against the Heat, the Nets just might be the surprise in what was supposed to be a two-team conference.

Portland Trail Blazers (50/1): After a scorching start, Portland has tailed off a bit in the second half of the year. However, minor injuries to second-year guard Damian Lillard and an extended stretch without star forward LaMarcus Aldridge certainly didn’t help matters. Working against the Trail Blazers is the fact that they are basically entrenched as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and have been slightly above .500 on the road this year. Still, having a go-to scorer on the perimeter and in the post like Portland does can cure a lot of ills. Honestly, this group is probably at least a year away from being a major contender, but at 50/1 odds, they Trail Blazers have enough talent to warrant a flier.

Golden State Warriors (50/1): On one hand, there are reasons that the Warriors have slipped into the bottom half of the Western Conference playoff picture. Golden State can struggle to defend the interior at times, and they average the fourth-most turnovers per game in the entire NBA. That being said, the Warriors rebound well thanks to big men David Lee and Andrew Bogut, and they have a great perimeter defender in Andre Iguodala. More importantly, they have the two of the biggest X-factors in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Plain and simple, Golden State could make life miserable for any opponent if its sharp-shooting duo gets hot from beyond the arc for a few games. No, the Warriors aren’t the most-complete team, but at 50/1 odds, it could be worth betting on their perimeter firepower.

Memphis Grizzlies (75/1): If the playoffs started today, Memphis would miss out on the action all together. However, the Grizzlies are just a game back of Phoenix and Dallas, and they have an easier schedule down the stretch than both teams. In other words, Memphis should be able get into the playoffs, and once there, they could do some damage. After all, the current core of this team has been together a while and has already pulled off a few upsets. The Grizzlies knocked out the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round in 2011, and they knocked off the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round last year. It’s easy to forget that the Grizzlies are only on the playoff bubble because center Marc Gasol and point guard Mike Conley have both missed extended stretches with injuries. However, Memphis is at full strength now, and with Gasol and Zach Randolph inside, the Grizzlies are as good as any team in the NBA that controlling tempo and dictating the way a game is played. Memphis is incredibly physical on both ends of the court, and if any team can grind its way past all the top dogs in the Western Conference, it’s this one.

Chicago Bulls (75/1): The Bulls are without former MVP Derrick Rose yet again, and all they have done is compile the best record in the Eastern Conference since the All-Star break. Center Joakim Noah anchors what is at worst a top-three defense, and journeyman D.J. Augustin has emerged as a surprise source of offense in the wake of the Luol Deng trade. Chicago’s roster doesn’t jump off the page, but Noah, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler all embody Chicago’s hard-nosed style of play. The Bulls will flat out beat up opponents and turn games into a battle of wills rather than a test of skills. Chicago will be without question the toughest out in the Eastern Conference, and with a few breaks along the way, the Bulls might not be going out any time soon. I would put nothing past this group of grinders. At 75/1 odds, why not throw a few bucks on the Bulls?

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