Upcoming Match-ups
Tmrw
26
Apr
5:30 PM
MIL
IND
+5
-5
222.5
8:00 PM
LAC
DAL
+4.5
-4.5
210.5
10:30 PM
MIN
PHO
+4
-4
207.5
Saturday
27
Apr
3:30 PM
OKC
NO
-1
+1
211
6:00 PM
BOS
MIA
-8
+8
205

Suns 2021 NBA Championship Odds Improve to +480 After Taking 3-0 Lead on Nuggets

Chris Amberley

by Chris Amberley in NBA Basketball

Updated Jun 12, 2021 · 5:43 PM PDT

Devin Booker smiling
Phoenix is just one win away from a berth in the Western Conference Final. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire).
  • Phoenix’s NBA Championship Odds have been shortened from +600 to +480 after winning Game 3 of its 2nd Round Series versus Denver
  • The Suns have won six straight, including five in a row by double-digits
  • See below for updated NBA Championship odds, plus analysis on Phoenix’s title prospects

The Phoenix Suns are starting to look more and more like serious title contenders every day. After dismantling LeBron James and the defending champs in six games, the Suns now have a 3-0 series stranglehold over reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, after another comfortable 116-102 victory in Game 3 of their 2nd Round series.

No NBA franchise has ever successfully overcome a 3-0 series deficit, and this Nuggets team certainly doesn’t look like it’s capable of making history. That means Phoenix is likely bound for the Western Conference Final, where they’ll be one step closer to winning the franchise’s first title.

2021 NBA Championship Odds

Team Odds at FanDuel
Brooklyn Nets +125
Utah Jazz +290
Phoenix Suns +480
Philadelphia 76ers +750
Milwaukee Bucks +1100
Los Angeles Clippers +1600
Atlanta Hawks +6500
Denver Nuggets +10000

Odds as of June 12th.

Oddsmakers have been quick to react to the Suns meteoric rise, and have shortened their NBA Championship Odds to +480. Phoenix began the playoffs as a 25-1 longshot to win it all, but saw its price slashed to +1000 prior to the 2nd Round. It was shortened even further to +600 after Game 2 against Denver, but even now at +480, the Suns’ price is still significantly longer than conference foe Utah’s.

Scorching Hot

The Suns aren’t just beating the Nuggets, they’re embarrassing them. Phoenix has a +56 point differential through three games, and has won each contest by at least 13. They’re shooting 52% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc versus Denver, and have racked up more rebounds and assists, while committing fewer turnovers.

They’ve won six straight overall, five by double-digits, and own a better point differential than any other team in the West. There are so many factors for their recent success, so let’s examine a few.

Balance. They’ve had at least five players score in double-figures in every game against the Nuggets. Devin Booker and Chris Paul, more on him later, have carried the bulk of the offensive load, but Jae Crowder is averaging 13 points and 3+ triples a game. Deandre Ayton meanwhile, has three straight double-doubles, and Mikal Bridges is averaging over 13 points a night, on 52.8% shooting.

Poise. Paul and Crowder have both been around the block, but this is the first postseason run for Booker, Ayton and Bridges. So far, the three former lottery picks look like seasoned playoff veterans, with Booker posting ridiculous 50/41/91 shooting splits from the field, three and charity stripe.

Defense. Ayton has been the primary defender on Jokic, but shutting down the MVP has been a team effort. Phoenix has held Jokic to below 25 points in two of three outings, and has limited the Nuggets to 102 points per contest, 13 points fewer than their season average.

DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Gives Bettors 100-1 Odds on Any NBA Playoff Game
Read More

Paul the Point God

After suffering a shoulder injury early in the 1st Round, critics were predicting another disappointing postseason for Paul. Fast forward a few weeks, and the 11-time All-Star is playing at an incredibly high level. He buried 27 points in Game 3, knocking down one elbow jumper after another. His shooting stats in the 2nd Round are off the charts, as is his assist-to-turnover ratio.

He’s shooting 58% from the field and 78% from three, while dishing out 34 assists against only three turnovers. In Game 2, he recorded the first 15+ point, 15-assist, zero turnover playoff performance since 2014, when he also accomplished the feat as a member of the Clippers.

He’s been criticized in the past for not being a clutch playoff performer, but this year he’s saved his best effort for crunch time. In the fourth quarter against the Nuggets through three games, he’s made 12-of-13 field goal attempts, including all four threes he’s taken, while dishing out 8 assists and committing 0 turnovers.

Suns Still a Value

Make no mistake, the time to bet Phoenix was prior to the start of the 1st and 2nd Round, but that doesn’t mean all the value has dried up. No team in the West looks better than the Suns at the moment, and with Utah likely looking at an extended series with the Clippers, Phoenix could get the added benefit of some extra rest before the Western Conference Final.

The disparity between the odds of the Suns and the Jazz is simply too wide. Yes, Utah has also looked fantastic up until this point, but the balance, poise and defense of Phoenix, along with the resurgence of Chris Paul is not something you should be looking to fade.

The Suns and the Brooklyn Nets look like they’re on a collision course to meet in the Finals, and one interesting way to hedge your Phoenix championship futures is by betting the Nets to beat the Suns in the Finals. That pays out +600, which is a much more favorable price than Brooklyn’s current championship odds.

Author Image