Most NBA games have reached their halfway point.
The focus heading into February will be on playoff seeding and finding out which teams are true contenders for the NBA Finals.
Let's take a look at two teams to watch that could win the title (odds provided by BetMGM):
Clippers (+900)
The Clippers have found a way to become one of the most competitive teams in the Western Conference over the past decade after decades of irrelevance.
Unfortunately, injuries and bad luck cost LA a chance to reach the NBA Finals, a franchise the franchise hasn't played in since opening in Buffalo in 1970.
The foundation of this team is built around Kawhi Leonard, who won championships in his past two stops in San Antonio and Toronto. Leonard returned to his native Southern California and was looking to build the Clippers into championships, but injuries hampered that opportunity.
Leonard and Paul George create an incredible one-two punch, with the duo each averaging nearly 24 points per game this season, helping the Clippers lead the Pacific Division.
The addition of guard James Harden from Philadelphia at the beginning of the season can only help this Clippers team as long as he stays true to the team concept, which was not present during his previous stay.
The Western Conference has always been tough, as the Denver Nuggets broke through last season by winning their first NBA title. Minnesota and Oklahoma City are having great seasons, and New Orleans and Dallas are looking to take the top spot in the Southwest.
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The Pacific Division is home to some of the league's biggest names, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, but the Lakers, Suns and Warriors haven't been key to making the playoffs this season.
Since 2015, the Clippers have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs four times, but have reached the Western Conference Finals once, falling six games short of Phoenix in 2021.
This Clippers team has put things together after a slow start, as they are definitely worth watching to win the NBA title at +900 odds.
2024 NBA Championship Odds
| team | odds |
|---|---|
| celtics | +300 |
| nugget | +425 |
| bucks | +475 |
| clippers | +900 |
| 76ers | +1200 |
| sans | +1300 |
| Timberwolves | +1800 |
| Thunder | +1800 |
| lakers | +2500 |
| Mavericks | +3500 |
Cavaliers (50/1)
As far as long shots go, it's hard to find many teams that don't need to be a 4th seed or higher to make it to the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat proved that theory wrong last season, advancing to the NBA Finals as the No. 8 seed, defeating Milwaukee and Boston along the way.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a record of 25 wins and 15 losses through 40 games, so they are unlikely to be the No. 8 seed this season. That happened despite various injuries, including guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland missing significant time.
Mitchell and Garland returned and helped revitalize this Cleveland team. With a record of 7 wins and 1 loss in January, they are far behind defending Central Division champion Milwaukee.
The Cavs had an ugly offense against the Knicks last season and were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs, but this time may be different.
The top three in the Eastern Conference are Boston, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee, but if the Cavs can avoid the Celtics until perhaps the conference finals, they have a chance to go far.
