We take a look at the 2023 NBA Championship Betting Odds after Golden State claimed victory against the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals.
The Golden State Warriors have once again walked away with a championship title. Going into the finals, the Warriors were the favorites in the NBA Championship betting odds to end an exciting run by the Boston Celtics and their rookie coach Ime Udoka. That’s exactly what they did on the road in Boston.
Despite the Celtics’ dazzling defense that led them all the way to their first finals appearance since their loss in 2010, the young team lacked one crucial element: Steph Curry. Yes, it was the future Hall-of-Famer and first-time Finals MVP who proved to be the difference-maker.
So, now that the Golden State Warriors are back on top of the basketball universe, let’s take a look at how they got there yet again and where they go from here.
| 1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 4th Quarter | Total | |
| Golden State | 27 | 27 | 22 | 27 | 103 |
| Boston | 22 | 17 | 27 | 24 | 90 |
Familiar Ground for Golden State
Stephen Curry did what Stephen Curry does. The three-point king dropped another one midway through the third quarter like he’s done so many times before.
While on the sidelines during a Celtics time-out, Curry trolled the home crowd by pointing to his ring finger and letting the gathered Bostonians know that their much-used duck boats would stay in the harbor that weekend and he would be leaving the City on a Hill with his fourth title in eight years.
Truthfully, the Celtics fans probably knew it was over a lot sooner. After a double-digit Celtics lead early in the first quarter, the Warriors revved up the offense and went 21-0 through the next two quarters largely due to the Celtics’ numerous turnovers, 22 of which happened in Game 6 after allowing 18 in Game 5.
Experience Prevailed
The Celtics seemed to choke on the big stage while the Warriors, who have been there so many times, remained calm, cool, and collected. Between the turnovers and missed shots, one could argue the Celtics beat themselves, but that would be taking away from all that the Warriors were able to accomplish this season.
Curry Gets First MVP
With 34 points in Game 6, Steph Curry took home the MVP title that has eluded him so many times before despite his three prior championships. And it comes after a fall from grace for the franchise at large.
By the time Curry faced off in the Celtics, he and his teammates were part of the elite few who have had experience in the finals. And it showed. But Curry and Co had help from Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, both of whom had incredible showings in the finals and helped score when the Celtics defense had Curry double-teamed.
And it was ultimately Curry’s ability to step aside when needed that secured him the designation of MVP. Allowing youngsters like Pool or Wiggins to step up when he wasn’t performing is something that others in today’s game of super-egos and celebrity players might not have done, but Curry showed everyone why he is deserving of another title and an MVP award.
Old Guard vs. Young Guard
The Celtics are a young team. They will be back on this stage before long. But like many young teams, they choked in the big games. Celtics star, Jayson Tatum, struggled to put up points throughout the series, racking up only 13 in Game Six when his city needed him most and coming off of a Game Five performance that saw him getting more air balls than three-pointers; a devastating ego blow to one of the game’s brightest young stars.
While the Celtics received help from Jaylen Brown’s 34-points in game six, it wasn’t enough to cover the number of turnovers. Many of which happened as a result of missed three-pointers. Ironically, it’s Curry who’s to blame for the uptick in three-point attempts in recent years, and so it would appear that Curry beat the students simply by being the master.
Boston kept at it though. Despite being down 22 points at times, the C’s managed to rally late in the fourth and come within eight points of the future champs. Unfortunately, the Warriors were just too relentless in their offense and never let the Celtics get ahead. Curry, put up his sixth three-pointer and boosted the Warriors to a 15-point lead that sent Celtics fans out onto Causeway street to wallow in another Celtics loss in the NBA Finals.
Onward and Upward: 2023 NBA Championship Betting Odds
As of right now, NBA Championship Betting Odds at BetMGM Sportsbook are as follows:
| Team | Odds |
| Golden State Warriors | +500 |
| Boston Celtics | +650 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +700 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +750 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +750 |
| Phoenix Suns | +900 |
Looking ahead to next season, Golden State will need to make some decisions to bring in a fifth title. Kevin Looney and Gary Payton are both likely to get costly raises. Wiggins awaits an extension decision and Poole is set to become a free agent next year.
If they aim to keep everyone in San Francisco, it could cost the team around $400 million, so the off-season should be interesting. As for the Celtics, the Finals proved that they need an offensive weapon. Whether they are able to secure one remains to be seen.
It is very hard to predict the 2023 NBA Finalists with a long summer ahead. However, one thing is for sure – the sportsbooks are confident that the Bucks, Nets and Clippers are all big contenders.
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