NBA Finals Future Betting Odds: Which Teams Are Worth Betting On Right Now?

The NBA playoffs are tantamount to a cleverly written – if barely believable at times – mystery/action screenplay.

There are stars, protagonists and perceived villains. And plenty of shocking twists and turns.

Baked in are the many markets to explore ways to monetize your basketball opinions, and we have a few of our own as it concerns the NBA Finals future book.

Read on to find out what each remaining team can bring to the table as it relates to an investment at your favorite sports-betting site.

The Minnesota Timberwolves just won't die, and hanging that big "L" on the Denver Nuggets is making handicapping difficult.

One idea is certain: The West champs will be all but worn out by the time they make the NBA Finals – presumably against the heavily favored Boston Celtics.

Thursday's Game 6 in Minnesota, in which the Timberwolves pummeled the defending champion Nuggets, kicked off a crucial stretch of competition.

The Friday-Saturday schedule brings a pair of Game 6 matchups, the New York Knicks vs. the Indiana Pacers Friday night and the Dallas Mavericks vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

And the Celtics are just resting and waiting.

The Dallas Mavericks have suddenly become a real team.

If Luka, Kyrie and PJ (yep, PJ, we said it) can finish off the Thunder, the momentum and improving health are key reasons for optimism in the Western Conference finals series against the weary Nuggets or Timberwolves.

Entering Friday, Dallas held odds of -385 (FanDuel) and -360 (DraftKings) to win its series against OKC. The Mavs were also +250 (BetMGM) to win the West and +900 (BetMGM) to take the NBA title.

A Mavs-Nuggets Western Conference final brings an opportunity to invest in the Nuggets without investing in the whole team.

Unless you believe the Timberwolves are going to take Game 7 in Denver, go this route: Any Nuggets conference finals victory will be punctuated by NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, so instead of Denver's +120 (FanDuel) odds to win the West, take Jokic at better than that, +135 (DraftKings) to win the Western Conference finals MVP.

The Knicks-Pacers winner must realize the fool's errand in believing in unseating the Boston Celtics. It just isn't happening.

So how can one find value on the NBA Finals favorites?

The Celtics were an underwhelming -130 to -155 at various sportsbooks on Friday morning, so the natural bet – a la the Jokic option in the West – is on the presumptive Finals MVP.

Even though Jayson Tatum believes in himself a bit more than Celtics fans – and NBA fans in general – he is a high-usage, high-volume scorer who will make the voters unable to choose anyone else. Boston, at -155 (FanDuel) to win the NBA title as of Friday morning, isn't quite the value you're seeking. 

But…

If the Celtics do take care of the Knicks or Pacers before putting down the battle-worn survivor from the Western Conference, Tatum is a clear favorite to win the MVP.

Jayson Tatum, NBA Finals MVP at +140 (BetMGM) as of Friday morning.