The regular 2021/22 NBA season will begin on the 19th of October and it is set to be the first complete season for the first time since the 2018/19 campaign. The play-in tournament is due to take place in the second week of April and the playoffs will begin on the 16th of April, culminating in the NBA Finals in June. The question is, which teams are expected to succeed in the NBA this season?
To begin, we must consider the winners from last season, the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the fact there has been plenty of player movement in free agency, the Bucks have kept much of their winning roster intact ahead of the new campaign. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the finals MVP from last season returns, along with Brook Lopez, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton. The group combine to complete one of the strongest rosters in the 2021/22 NBA season and the Bucks are without doubt in the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. If the Bucks reach the finals again this season, they have already proven they have what it takes to succeed in the big games and would surely start as favorites.
However, there are many online sports betting options for the new NBA season and you may get better value by backing a different team, such as the Phoenix Suns. They are not one of the huge favorites in the NBA betting but having reached the finals last season, anything is possible and the Suns should not be written off. Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton are a strong trio and you will get good odds on the Suns enjoying success in the NBA Finals this season.
Returning to the sportsbook favorites and Brooklyn Nets are expected to bounce back from their disappointment last season in style. Keeping the likes of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden fit for the playoffs will be key for the Nets. You only have to look at their impact in the 2020/21 regular season to see how important this trio is to the success of the team but when it came to the playoffs, both Harden and Irving missed game time due to injuries and it proved costly. The odds may not be great for the Nets but if they begin dominating the East early in the season, they are only going to get shorter.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a fantastic team on paper and it is difficult to ignore them as one of the early favorites this season in the NBA. We have highlighted some exciting groups of players above but do they come any better than LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook? The Lakers should progress to the playoffs without too much difficulty but the real test will come in the playoffs, where player fitness is going to be crucial. If the Lakers progress to the playoffs and have a fully fit roster of key players, they are going to be tough to stop.
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