There’s premature. This goes far beyond that. With only one game completed in the 2018 NBA Finals between the defending champion Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, oddsmakers in Las Vegas are already crowning the Warriors as heavy favorites to win the title next season.
Really. This is not a drill.
2018-19 NBA Championship
Warriors 5/4
Rockets 7/2
76ers 7/2
Celtics 8/1
Lakers 20/1
Heat 20/1
Spurs 25/1
Cavaliers 30/1
Raptors 40/1
Jazz 60/1
Thunder 60/1
Trail Blazers 80/1
Pelicans 80/1
Timberwolves 80/1
Nuggets 100/1
Knicks 100/1
Pacers 100/1
Clippers 100/1
Wizards 100/1— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) June 2, 2018
With 5-to-4 odds, Golden State stands above all other top-end contenders by a pretty large margin.
Though, that might not be the biggest surprise here. According to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers make a jump into the top five.
Why is this so significant? It seems that Vegas is hedging its bets that LeBron James will sign with one of those two teams. Heck, at 20-to-1, maybe Vegas is pushing the King James to Southern California narrative. These odds also suggest that the Rockets will have a fighting chance for James.
A lot can (and will) happen between now and the start of the 2018-19 season. What we do know is that Golden State isn’t going anywhere. Who contends with this team for the title next season will depend heavily on James’ free agency decision.
Until then, let’s sit back and enjoy the Warriors-Cavaliers Finals for a fourth consecutive year.