The Dallas Mavericks are the consensus favorites to win the NBA Southwest Division at -230 odds, according to the most recent update by DraftKings.
The Memphis Grizzlies are playing second fiddle to Luka Doncic and the Mavs, but Ja Morant and the Griz are +400 odds to win the Southwest Division.
| 2022 NBA Southwest Division Odds |
- Dallas Mavericks -230
- Memphis Grizzlies +400
- New Orleans Pelicans +700
- San Antonio Spurs +2500
- Houston Rockets +15000
The Mavs are +1300 odds to win the Western Conference, but they’re the seventh team from the West on the futures board.
The Mavs are +2800 odds to win the 2022 NBA championship, but they’re in the middle of the pack and not anywhere close to the top of the list of title contenders.
Dallas Mavericks -230
The Mavericks stumbled into the postseason last year as a team in turmoil. They cleaned house and hired a new general manager, new head coach, and new head of analytics. Jason Kidd takes over as their new head coach, but he’s not exactly the guy who’s going to make them legit threats to win the West and hoist a championship banner. As soon as Kidd left the Milwaukee Bucks, the franchise began their march toward becoming an NBA champion under Mike Budenholzer.
Luka Doncic is a superstar, but the Mavs don’t have the right mix of players to compliment him. That includes Kristaps Porzingis, who’s been a disappointment since the Knicks traded the Unicorn to the Mavs. Let the Unicorn trade rumors begin.
Memphis Grizzlies +400
The Memphis Grizzlies have a couple of young players who are fun to watch, including the high-flying Ja Morant, who unleashed a 47-point game in the playoffs last season. Jaren Jackson, Jr. returns from an ACL injury, and he’s one of the favorites to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2022. Dillon Brooks has finally developed into a true scorer, which makes the Griz’s backcourt highly underrated. If you think the Mavs are overrated and have no faith in Kidd’s coaching abilities, then the Grizzlies offer up tremendous value at +400 odds.
New Orleans Pelicans +700
The New Orleans Pelicans punted on Stan Van Gundy after one season when they realized he wasn’t the right guy for the job. Willie Green takes over for SVG in his first season as a head coach. He inherits a team that is built around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Jonas Valanciunas is also an unheralded big man who can pick up the scoring slack if Zion struggles with injuries once again this season. Zion fractured his foot during offseason workouts, but hopes he won’t miss any games when the season begins next week. The Pelicans will be fighting with the Grizzlies for one of the final playoff spots, but they’re long shots to win the Southwest Division at +700 odds.
San Antonio Spurs +2500
Will this be Gregg Popovich’s final season? It’s hard to say with Pops, but it’s also weird to think about the San Antonio Spurs without seeing him roaming the sidelines. Keldon Johnson has developed into a solid power forward. Fantasy basketball owners know that Jakob Poeltl put up some juicy stats late in the season, so keep an eye on San Antonio’s big man. Dejounte Murray struggled with injuries the last couple of seasons, but if he stays healthy, the Spurs could make a run for the postseason if this is truly Pops’ swan song.
Houston Rockets +15000
The Houston Rockets were the worst team in the NBA last season with 21 wins. They ended up in a tailspin after they finally traded James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team deal. They went on a historic losing streak with a 20-game skid under rookie head coach Stephen Silas. The Rockets are young, but they have a potential All-Star in Christian Wood, if he can remain healthy. Kevin Porter Jr. is their wild card. He’s one of the favorites to win the Most Improved Player and, if he can keep his head on straight and focus on scoring (remember that 50-point game against the Bucks?), then the Rockets can finally crawl out of the Western Conference basement.
