Brooklyn Nets Among Early 2021 NBA Finals Favorites

10/13/2020

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving — ESNY Graphic, Getty Images

With the Brooklyn Nets set to have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving healthy, they are one of the early favorites to win the NBA Finals.

Don’t look now, but the Brooklyn Nets are gearing up for big things in 2021. Kevin Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season rehabbing an Achilles injury and Kyrie Irving missed all but 20 games with various injuries. Neither star participated in the NBA’s Orlando bubble, but oddsmakers expect big things out of this new-look Nets team next season.

All odds as of Oct. 13.

DraftKings Sportsbook

Lakers +350
Clippers +400
Bucks +500
Warriors +600
Nets +900
Heat +900
Celtics +1200
Raptors +1600
Nuggets +2000
Mavericks +2200
Rockets +2200
76ers +3000
Jazz +4000
Pelicans +5000
Trail Blazers +5000
Thunder +8000
Pacers +10000
Suns +10000
Hawks +15000
Bulls +15000
Grizzlies +15000
Timberwolves +20000
Magic +20000
Wizards +20000
Kings +25000
Spurs +25000
Hornets +50000
Cavaliers +50000
Pistons +50000
Knicks +50000

FanDuel Sportsbook

Lakers +360
Clippers +450
Bucks +600
Nets +1000
Warriors +1000
Celtics +1200
Heat +1500
Raptors +2000
Rockets +2100
Nuggets +2400
Mavericks +2700
76ers +3200
Jazz +4200
Pelicans +5500
Suns +5500
Trail Blazers +5500
Pacers +10000
Grizzlies +10000
Thunder +10000
Hawks +13000
Bulls +13000
Timberwolves +13000
Magic +13000
Kings +16000
Spurs +16000
Wizards +16000
Pistons +19000
Hornets +25000
Cavaliers +25000
Knicks +25000

PointsBet Sportsbook

Lakers +350
Clippers +450
Bucks +550
Warriors +650
Nets +900
Celtics +1100
Heat +1300
Raptors +1600
Nuggets +2000
Mavericks +2200
Rockets +2200
76ers +2800
Jazz +3300
Pelicans +5000
Trail Blazers +5000
Suns +6600
Thunder +8000
Pacers +9000
Grizzlies +9000
Hawks +15000
Bulls +15000
Timberwolves +15000
Magic +15000
Wizards +15000
Kings +15000
Spurs +15000
Cavaliers +20000
Pistons +20000
Hornets +30000
Knicks +30000

There isn’t much variation on Nets title odds so far. The best odds you can get are over at FanDuel Sportsbook, but that’s just +1000 compared to +900 on DraftKings Sportsbook and PointsBet Sportsbook.

Still, we can expect these odds to continue to change as the offseason progresses. It’s still far too early to know how each team’s roster is going to look by the time opening night rolls around. In fact, we don’t even know when the 2021 season is going to start.

There are still some major questions for the Nets to answer this offseason. Will they re-sign the sharpshooting Joe Harris to a long-term deal so that he can provide floor spacing for Durant and Irving? Are the Nets committed to rolling with Caris LeVert as the third star or do they want to flip him for a bigger name who can help push Brooklyn over the edge? Did Taurean Prince do enough in year one with the Nets to avoid being traded this offseason? Can Steve Nash lead the Nets to a championship despite having very little coaching experience?

Of course, these are all valid questions, but Brooklyn already has the most important pieces in place. Make no mistake, if Durant and Irving are healthy next season, they are going to be a tough out for anybody in a seven-game series. The Miami Heat’s run to the NBA Finals showed us that the Eastern Conference is wide open for the foreseeable future.

Sure, the Milwaukee Bucks are going to retool around Giannis Antetokounmpo for another run, the Boston Celtics are only getting better, the Toronto Raptors are still dangerous, and the Heat are going to be motivated to finish the job in 2020. But the Nets have a two-time Finals MVP in Durant and one of the most cold-blooded guards when it comes to the big moments in Irving.

Expect the Nets to contend for championships for years to come. It all starts in 2021.