Clippers Are Surprisingly Among Betting Favorites For 2022-2023 NBA Championship

Last season did not go as planned for the Los Angeles Clippers, as they fell way short of expectations after reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2021. A lot of that perhaps had to do with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard not playing basketball games very much for them in 2022 due to injury/rehab/rest. The two are the shining stars of the team, and without them on the court, they are simply a shell of their former selves. Both players should be back and at 100% for 2023, so it is no wonder that the sportsbooks have them tied as favorites to win the title next year at +600 at DraftKings Sportsbook with several other teams.

To be fair, you probably forgot Leonard was on the Clippers, as he has hardly played it seems like since joining the team after his incredible championship run with Toronto. He's as good as they come WHEN he is actually playing. He's subject to injury and rests a ton. George is usually more consistent, but was plagued by that injury bug in 2022. With all the lineup changes, it was easy to see why they failed to make the playoffs last year.

At +600, this seems like a foolish bet to make. There are far too many question marks for their stars to answer, like how healthy will they be and if Leonard will have some serious rust after sitting the bench last season. Don't get me wrong, if they are back to being their normal selves, this team can certainly contend for a championship, but I just don't like them at this price. Perhaps you would be best served to wait a bit after the season begins to see how they are playing. If they seem like they are back to being dominant, it is worth a wager.