It’s a busy time for sports and it’s only getting busier this week with the 2023-24 NBA season getting underway. Action begins on Wednesday morning (AEDT) which means it’s a perfect time to have a look at some of the best and most popular futures markets.
Also, be sure to check out our NBA Tips page regularly to find our best bets for multiple slates each and every week of the season!
2023-24 NBA Season Predictions & Tips
NBA Championship
The current odds suggest it’s a four-horse race for the NBA Championship this season, with the Bucks, Celtics, Suns, and Nuggets all priced around the $4-7 mark, while you can get $15+ about the rest.
Milwaukee Bucks ($4.50 at Picklebet) – After a disappointing post-season the Bucks decided to shake things up in a big way by moving on from Jrue Holiday and bringing in superstar Damian Lillard. Lillard struggled to find his groove in the preseason but it’s only a matter of time before he and the Greek Freak start causing teams nightmares with their pick-and-roll. The Bucks will be a serious contender for the championship, but I wouldn’t be having them as short as $4-$5.
Boston Celtics ($5 at BoomBet) – The Celtics bowed out to the Heat in an epic seven-game series in the Conference Finals last season and have thrown caution to the wind in attempt to go a step or two further this season. Out goes Smart, Brogdon, and the two Williams’, and in comes Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. It’s hard to argue that there’s a better starting 5 in the NBA than what the Celtics will likely run with this season, at least on paper. They’re absolutely stacked and should be the clear favourites for the title in my opinion.
Denver Nuggets ($7 at Ladbrokes) – The Denver Nuggets showed last season that a champion team is more formidable than a team of champions. They’ll run it back this season with a similar squad to the one they won the championship with last season and why wouldn’t they? The main question surrounding the Nuggets is if the fire is still burning. Do they have what it takes to go back-to-back and take down all these super teams once again? I’m not so sure at their $7 quote.
Phoenix Suns ($7 at Ladbrokes) – Speaking of super teams, the Phoenix Suns have entered the chat. Chris Paul was shipped off in the off-season but they found themselves a big upgrade in the form of Bradley Beal. Beal, Booker, and Durant form a three-headed monster that will be a nightmare to try and defend. There are still some serious question marks about the defence this roster can play, as well as the depth and scoring punch they can bring off the bench. Still, they’re my pick to get out of the West simply due to their immense talent, and they’re only marginally behind the Celtics for my pick to win it all.
Most Valuable Player
This is always a tricky market to predict prior to the season commencing, although this does look to be a season where there are only a handful of genuine contenders. As it stands there are five players at single-figure quotes and the rest are blowout chances at $15+.
Nikola Jokic ($5 at Bet365) – Was robbed of his third straight MVP last season simply due to voter fatigue in my opinion. All the key advanced stats led to him winning it but he was overlooked. He showed he’s clearly the best player in the world anyway by winning the championship and the Finals MVP. Jokic will have to be extra, extra special to win another MVP under the current voting system.
Luka Doncic ($6 at TopSport) – One of the most talented basketballers on earth and is always in the mix for MVP’s with the insane stats he puts up on a regular basis. The only question mark surrounding Luka’s MVP chances is whether or not the Mavericks can win enough games. If they can get to the 50+ win mark, I think he wins it this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($6 at Bet365) – Also suffers from voter fatigue due to winning the award twice. The Bucks will probably need to top the East and have 60+ wins for Giannis to have a chance at winning his third MVP, and the likelihood of that happening just isn’t very high.
Joel Embiid ($9 at Bet365) – As mentioned above, Jokic probably deserved the MVP last season but it ended up going to a fresh winner in Embiid. And after his 76ers bowed out cheaply in the playoffs last campaign, Embiid will have to have an otherworldly season to be in the running again this time around.
Jayson Tatum ($9 at BoomBet) – Playing for the most stacked team in the competition, Tatum will automatically be in MVP discussions all season long. There will have to be some sacrifices made from the star players on the Celtics in order to keep everyone happy, but there’s no doubt that Tatum is the main guy and you can expect his numbers to still be of MVP calibre. I think he’s a great price at $9 and certainly worth having a nibble at.
Also Backing: Jayson Tatum $9 at BoomBet
Rookie of the Year
It’s a contest between three for the Rookie of the Year this season. Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, and Chet Holmgren are the main chances, while you can get a whopping $41+ for the rest.
It’s also important to note that the most recent CBA, which begins to take effect this season, introduces a requirement that a player must appear in at least 65 regular-season games to be eligible for major regular season awards. However, this rule does not apply to the Rookie of the Year.
Victor Wembanyama ($1.72 at Palmerbet) – There’s so much hype surrounding this guy but boy does he look the goods. It’s fairly simple here, if Wemby can play a decent enough amount of games, maybe 50+, he will do enough to win Rookie of the Year. Just pray that he stays healthy.
Scoot Henderson ($5.50 at Palmerbet) – The only other real horse in the race in my opinion is Scoot Henderson. With Lillard now out of Portland, the keys to the city have been handed to Scoot. He’s going to put up plenty of shots but the efficiency likely won’t be there early doors. He’s the clear #2 pick but it’s tough to make a case for him considering he’s up against a generational talent like Wemby.
Chet Holmgren ($5.50 at Bet365) – Looks like he’s going to have a terrific NBA career but unlike Wemby and Scoot, Chet Holmgren joins a team that already has a couple of star players. It’s going to be tough for Chet to put up the numbers to be a serious contender of this award, simply considering SGA and Giddey are such ball-dominant players. I’ll pass at the $5.50 quote, but that’s no knock on his ability.
Most Improved Player
This is easily the toughest market to have a crack at in the pre-season, but you can almost always get double-figures for the field which makes it a fun one to throw a dart or two at. This season there are an abundance of players at similar odds, but there are two guys I have ahead of the rest and I’m keen to have something on both.
Mikal Bridges ($10 at Palmerbet) – The stage is set for Mikal Bridges to have a monster season as the focal point of the Nets offence. He showed he can be that guy when he joined the team after the trade deadline, averaging 26.1ppg in 27 games, which was well up on his 17.2ppg in 56 games for the Suns that season. If the Nets are competitive and he can become a 1st time All-Star, both of which are a possibility, then $10 for MIP looks a steal.
Jordan Poole ($12 at Palmerbet) – After four seasons and one championship with the Warriors, Jordan Poole was traded to the Wizards. The Wizards are a franchise that’s clearly in full rebuild mode and the key piece they’ll be working around early doors is Jordan Poole. He’s already had a 40-piece in the pre-season and will be taking a ton of shots all season long. On an extremely high volume of shots, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Poole average 25+ppg this season and that alone will have him right in the mix for this award, if not the front runner.
Also Backing: Mikal Bridges $10 at Palmerbet
