NBA Best Bets: Unders in the East

Jun 23, 2021

4for4 Illustrations/Doug Houvener

The conference finals are here and someone new is going home with the Larry O’Brien trophy this year. Okay, maybe not all of them are new, but Atlanta hasn’t won a title since 1958 or been to the finals since 1961. Milwaukee is the most recent champion, having won in 1971. The Phoenix Suns finished second in 1976 and 1993. The Clippers have never made the title game. One of these four cities getting a title is a silver lining in an otherwise mess of a season. To be clear, I’m not demeaning this championship in any way, shape or form. Every NBA season is weird, maybe not as weird as this one, but there a few that are pretty close. Remember last year when we finished the season with only 22 teams playing games in The Bubble? In 1998-99 there was a lockout that lasted into the season, which left us with only 50 games, a lot of players who clearly took it easy during the break, and teams that had no time to practice or integrate new pieces. The 1976-77 season saw the league bring in four new teams from the ABA. Whoever wins this year deserves the title and all the accolades that come with it. Tonight, we start the Eastern Conference finals. Let’s dive into the game, preview the series, and see if we can find any value in the betting markets.