The 2022 NBA Playoffs are underway and the favorite won the first game in seven out of eight first-round matchups. Oddsmakers adjusted their series odds after the first games, with the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns — the two teams from the 2021 NBA Finals — the overwhelming favorites to win their opening-round series at -3000 odds each. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets are in a tight first-round series, with the Celtics seeing an odds bump after taking a 1-0 lead.
The Memphis Grizzlies posted the second-best record in the NBA this season and snagged the #2 seed in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies and #7 Minnesota Timberwolves — the two highest-scoring teams in the NBA – squared off in a series that’s definite must-see TV. The Timberwolves tripped up Ja Morant and the Grizzlies in Game 1 and are now in the closest betting race in the first round. The Grizzlies find themselves at only -125 odds and the Timberwolves +105 to win their first-round series.
We’re only two days into the playoffs, but the Suns are the consensus favorite at +200 odds to win the 2022 NBA Championship. Meanwhile, the Bucks are the second-highest team on the DraftKings’ futures board at +475 odds to win back-to-back titles
Eastern Conference playoff series odds
All of the favorites won Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Atlanta Hawks won two games in the Play-In Tournament, and defeated the Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers to secure the #8 seed. In Game 1, the Hawks missed Clint Capela who hyperextended his knee in the play-in finale. The Hawks got John Collins back in the lineup, but he was a tad rusty in the 24-point blowout. The top-seeded Heat were -370 odds to win the series before Game 1, but now they’re -750 odds.
| 2022 NBA Playoffs – Series Odds |
| Eastern Conference |
| #1 Miami Heat vs #8 Atlanta Hawks | Heat -750 | Hawks +500 |
| #2 Boston Celtics vs #7 Brooklyn Nets | Celtics -220 | Nets +180 |
| #3 Milwaukee Bucks vs #6 Chicago Bulls | Bucks -3000 | Bulls +1200 |
| #4 Philadelphia 76ers vs #5 Toronto Raptors | 76ers -475 | Raptors +340 |
The #2 Boston Celtics edged out the #7 Brooklyn Nets with a buzzer-beater from Jayson Tatum, but they failed to cover the spread. The Celtics opened as -130 favorites, but now they’re -220 odds to win the series after winning Game 1 against the Nets. You can still take a flier on the Nets to win their series at +180 odds if you think they can win four games before the Celtics win three more.
The #3 Bucks won a low-scoring Game 1 by seven points against the #6 Chicago Bulls, yet the Bulls are the long shot on the board at +1200 odds to win their opening-round series.
The #4 Philadelphia 76ers improved from -180 to -475 odds to defeat the banged-up #5 Toronto Raptors in their series.
Western Conference playoff series odds
The New Orleans Pelicans won two games in the play-in tournament against the San Antonio Spurs and LA Clippers to earn the #8 seed. They looked flat in the first half against the #1 Phoenix Suns. They looked much better in the second half, but the Suns held them off to take a 1-0 lead. The Pelicans are one of the other biggest long shots at +1200 odds to pull off a major first-round upset over the Suns.
| 2022 NBA Playoffs – Series Odds |
| Western Conference |
| #1 Phoenix Suns vs #8 New Orleans Pelicans | Suns -3000 | Pelicans +1200 |
| #2 Memphis Grizzlies vs #7 Minny Timberwolves | Grizzlies -125 | T-Wolves +105 |
| #3 Golden State Warriors vs #6 Denver Nuggets | Warriors -500 | Nuggets +370 |
| #4 Dallas Mavs vs #5 Utah Jazz | Jazz -700 | Mavs +500 |
The #2 Grizzlies opened as -330 odds to knock out the #7 Timberwolves in the first round, but their odds shrunk to -125 after a Game 1 loss. The Timberwolves went from +260 odds to +105 odds to pull off the first-round upset over the Griz.
The #3 Golden State Warriors got Steph Curry back in action after a foot injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks. Curry came off the bench more as a precaution, but the Warriors still coasted to a 16-point win in Game 1 over the #6 Denver Nuggets. The Warriors jumped from -250 odds to -500 odds to knock out the Nuggets in the first round.
Without Luka Doncic, the #4 Mavs dropped Game 1 against the #5 Utah Jazz. Doncic might not play in Game 2 tonight, and the Mavs could lose two home games with the series shifting to Utah for the next two games. The Mavs are down 0-1 and are now +500 odds to pull off the comeback against the Jazz.
Check out more of OG’s coverage of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
