Betting

2024 NBA title odds: Clippers join inner circle of Finals contenders

By
Dylan Svoboda
Published Feb. 16, 2024, 11:00 a.m. ET
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers takes a free throw against the Miami Heat.
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers takes a free throw against the Miami Heat. Getty Images

Donā€™t look now, but the Losā™ Angeles Clippers are a top-flight title šŸ…°contender.

After a red-hot two months, the Clippers have joined the Celtics, Nuggets, and Bucks išŸ¦¹n the innā™Šer circle of the NBAā€™s best teams.Ā 

Kawhi Leonard and Co. are currently +500 to win the 2024 NBA championship, the third-best odds behind Boston (+265) and Denver (+375), and a smidge ahead of Milwaukee (+700) atĀ Caesars Sportsbook.Ā 

The Clippers opened the season with eighth-best title odds at +2600 but rose to fifth at +1300 (FanDuel Sportsbook) following their blockbuster trade to acquire James Harden from the 76ers in late October. 

But after a 3-7 start to the season, āœ…the Clippers dropped to +2200 to win the title in late November ā€“ far from the contender status they are today. 

Since then, the Clippers have gone 33-10 and steadily climbed the odds board thanks to what’s become a months-long hot streak.

By Jan. 9, the Clippers jumped to ā™”+950, becoming the fourth team to have title odds better than 10-1. 

Paul George #13 celebrates with Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers prior to the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Paul George #13 celebrates with Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers prior to the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Getty Images

Now, as the league heads into the All-Star Break, the Clippers šŸ¤Ŗhave leapfrogged the Bucks on the ladder and sit at 36-17, third in the Western Conference and two games ź¦”behind the No. 1 seed Minnesota Timberwolves. 

The Clippersā€™ rise comes aftešŸ”Ær years of disappointment during the Leonard-Paul George era that began with a historic trade in the summer of 2019.&šŸŒ¼nbsp;

Los Angeles has made just one Confereź¦œnce Finals round since Leonard and George joined forces in 2019-ą¼’20.

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After several years of pegging the Clippers as title contenders, oddsmakers seemed to have softened on them this time around wšŸ¼ith the +2600 preseason number. 

If they can pull it off, thšŸ’¦e Clippers would be the biggest preseason long shot to win the title since the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors (+2800) shocked the world with their first championship,&nšŸ§øbsp;.