Every team would like to think during this time of the year it could at least compete for a division championship and automatic playoff berth. In reality, virtually every division has at least one team that has no realistic shot at doing that.
That’s confirmed by VegasInsider.com’s odds for each of the six NBA divisions. In all but one of them, there’s at least one team posted with odds of 25-1 or higher to beat out its four division foes.
The lone exception is the Northwest Division. That division appears to be wide open and even the team with the longest odds — the Trail Blazers — is given a 6-1 chance to win it. The Thunder and Jazz are co-favorites at 9-4, with the Nuggets at 9-2 and the Timberwolves (prior to a potential Jimmy Butler trade) listed at 5-1.
This should come as no surprise, since the division was hotly contested last season. Portland won it with a 49-33 record. All the other Northwest Division teams had at least 46 wins. Denver finished last with a 46-36 mark and just missed the playoffs.
Paul George‘s decision to re-sign with Oklahoma City is the primary reason why it’s a co-favorite. The Jazz have essentially the same mix that made them one of the pleasant surprises in the league last season. Star guard Donovan Mitchell should be even better is his second season.
The Nuggets are loaded with offensive talent and most of their core players are just entering their prime. Even if Butler is dealt, the Timberwolves still have one of the league’s top big men in Karl-Anthony Towns. And defending division champ Portland still has the league’s highest-scoring backcourt duo in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
This leads us to our question of the day: Which team do you think will finish first in the Northwest Division this season and why?
Please take to the comments section and weigh in on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Clutch Points-Stefano Fusaro of ESPN (@5ReasonSports) is reporting the Heat made a final offer to Minnesota for Butler Thursday morning and told them to straighten out their situation. Says Heat and Rockets are 2 most serious bidders.
Barry Jackson of Miami Herald says the Heat made an offer Thursday morning (and it didn’t include Richardson), and it was a nonstarter with Minnesota. Jackson says the Heat don’t believe Butler would make them a top 3 team in the east. Now what Thibs? The NBA rule does say if Butler doesn’t report within 30 days, except for injuries, he won’t accrue a season and won’t be eligible for free agency next summer. Thibs could make Butler sit.
I’ll let you read the article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Says Thibs was smiling and told reporters he would talk about the players he had, but not Butler. Says the team isn’t letting Butler be a distraction.