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76ers Championship Odds Improve with Butler; Raptors Still East Favorites

Matt McEwan

by Matt McEwan in NBA Basketball

Updated Mar 30, 2020 · 7:12 AM PDT

Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler has bene traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)
  • The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves
  • T-wolves get Robert Covingto, Dario Saric, and a 2nd-round pick in 2022
  • How has the move affected the Sixers 2019 NBA Championship odds?

Jimmy Butler has finally gotten his wish.

After a 4-9 start to the 2018-19 NBA season, and a current five-game skid, the Minnesota Timberwolves have finally reached an agreement to trade the disgruntled Butler.

It’s no coincidence this move comes the day after Butler made some pretty troubling remarks after a loss to the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.

But how does the trade affect the 2019 NBA Championship odds for the 76ers? You’ll have to flip to the Top 5 tab in the graph below to find them.

It’s a nice little bump for the Sixers, but they still find themselves behind the NBA-leading Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference.

2019 NBA Championship Odds

Team Record Odds
Golden State Warriors 11-2 -150
Toronto Raptors 12-1 +1000
Boston Celtics 7-5 +1000
Philadelphia 76ers 8-6 +1400
Houston Rockets 4-7 +1400

Does Butler Make the Sixers Legitimate Contenders?

In ten games with the T-wolves this season, Butler was averaging 21.3 PPG on 47.1% shooting from the field.

2024 NBA MVP Award Odds Tracker
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Add that to a roster containing two of the most exciting youngsters in the league in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and you’ve got yourself a very dangerous trio – on paper anyways.

But there are questions about how Butler will mesh with his new team and how his rather harsh ways will be received.

If the four-time All-Star gets back to playing lock-down defense and helps improve Philly’s 33% three-point shooting percentage (22nd in NBA), none of that will matter. They’ll be winning games.

The Sixers’ new Big Three is going to have to do the majority of the lifting, though, as the loss of Dario Saric and Robert Covington certainly harms their secondary scoring and depth.

I like the way this team is building, but I can’t see them putting it all together this season.

Who’s the Best Bet to Win the 2019 NBA Championship?

Like the last two years, your best bet is just taking the Golden State Warriors. I know the odds aren’t great, but taking anyone else is the equivalent of betting on an injury.

If you’re looking for more value, there are plenty of better options than Philadelphia.

The Toronto Raptors look very good with Kawhi Leonard leading the way. But their depth is arguably their greatest asset. Toronto’s ability to defend and their efficient offense is going to cause problems for anyone.

You may also want to take a flier on two teams who have struggled out of the gate and are seeing their odds get longer as a result.

The Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets are better than they’ve shown thus far. Brad Stevens will sort things out in Boston, and the duo of James Harden and Chris Paul will eventually start to click.

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