The +400 Division Winner Bet You Should Make ASAP

NBA Pacific Division Betting Odds

The Los Angeles Clippers opened the season as the odds-on favorite to win the Pacific Division at +180. That put them ahead of the Warriors at +205, the Suns at +225, and at +800, well ahead of the Lakers.

However, with a 2-4 start to the season, their place atop the division odds didn't last long.

Part of that shift was because the Suns cruised to a 6-1 start and looked like a similar team that went 64-18 a season ago. Another aspect came as a result of Kawhi Leonard not being as ready to play as the oddsmakers might have thought he would be coming into the year. After sitting out for all of last season with a knee injury, Leonard was expected to be back in the starting lineup and to hit the ground running immediately. Instead, it's taken nearly 25 games of easing back into play for him to start to see anything even remotely close to his normal minutes and role.

The good news out of all of this is that the Clippers are now +400 to win the Pacific, which means you're getting a better number with much more value on a team that I still think is capable of winning the division.

Kawhi's Impact

So far this season, Leonard has only played in nine games and is averaging just 21 minutes. Though it seems we should start to see Leonard on the floor more regularly. He's played in four games since Dec. 5, and his minutes have ticked up to 29.5. He's averaging 17 points and 7.5 rebounds over those four games, leading to wins in three of them and an overtime loss in the other.

With Leonard back in the mix on a more consistent basis, the Clippers have gone from 22nd in Offensive Rating throughout October and November to 12th over their last four games. Their Defensive Rating has dropped just three spots but still remains in the top 10, while their net rating has moved from 15th to 8th.

This shift in numbers isn't just the result of Leonard adding to the box score, but a result of how he makes his teammates better and how they function better as a unit when he's on the floor and healthy. Now, I can't say with 100% certainty that he's back in the rotation for good but it feels like these last few games have been a turning point for this team in terms of all their pieces getting healthy. And with the Clippers at full strength, I think they can beat pretty much anyone in the league. I also think that being able to grab them at +400 isn't going to last very long.

The Other Teams

That said, when betting on a team to win the division, you also have to consider the other four teams. The Suns currently have the shortest odds at -130 but their play has been concerning lately. They've lost five games in a row and can't seem to get into any sort of rhythm on the road. Deandre Ayton just sprained his ankle and could miss some time, which would be unfortunate because he's been having a great year so far. Cameron Payne was also injured in their most recent loss to the Rockets. That brings into question the depth of this team. The Suns are already down Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder, and a lot of the depth they had on last year's roster isn't there anymore.

The Warriors sit in second at +290. If Golden State played the rest of their games at home, I would probably take them to win the division. But that's not the case. The Warriors have been atrocious on the road and while I thought they were just dealing with a championship hangover early on, it seems as if they have some serious problems they aren't quite able to figure out. There is always the fear that if/when they do learn to win on the road they'll be unstoppable, but I don't want to wait around for that day to come.

In terms of the Kings and Lakers, at +1200 and +3500 respectively, I'm not too concerned about them.

Bet any of these Pacific Division options risk-free up to $1,000 at BetMGM!