THE The Cleveland Cavaliers They went 48-34 and reached the second round of the playoffs last season, so it’s understandable that they aren’t exactly the NBA championship favorites for 2025.
But their most recent title odds are pretty disrespectful.
FanDuel has the Cavaliers at +5000 to win the championship next season, which is actually below the Orlando Magicwhich are at +4000.
To refresh your memory, Cleveland finished ahead of the Magic in the Eastern Conference standings last year and also beat them in the first round of the playoffs.
To be fair, the gap between the two teams was very thin. The Cavs finished the regular season one game ahead of Orlando, and it took them seven games to beat the Magic in the playoffs.
Additionally, Orlando made a rather significant addition in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who should seriously help the club next season.
But that doesn’t mean the Magic should be favored over the Cavaliers, and not by a +1000 difference either.
Cleveland did not make any major acquisitions this offseason, aside from selecting Jaylon Tyson with the 20th overall pick in the NBA draft. As a result, the Cavs have been criticized for not upgrading their roster.
However, the Cavaliers have signed contract extensions with Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, doubling down on their young core and maintaining some continuity heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
Is it possible that Orlando is better than Cleveland? Sure, but the Cavs look better on paper, and if they stay healthier than they were last year, they should be the better team.
Game odds are updated periodically and are subject to change.
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