The Nuggets were a wagon all season and smashed their way to an NBA championship berth. Now, Denver is chalked to win it all over the East-winning Heat.
Here's how the Nuggets won the Western Conference odds.
Who Won The 2022-23 Western Conference Championship?
| Team | Odds Before The Season |
| Denver Nuggets | +725 |
2023-24 Western Conference Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +250 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +550 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +600 |
| Denver Nuggets | +650 |
| Phoenix Suns | +750 |
| Golden State Warriors | +850 |
| LA Lakers | +950 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +1600 |
| Sacramento Kings | +2800 |
| Houston Rockets | +4000 |
| LA Clippers | +5000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +6600 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +8000 |
| Utah Jazz | +50000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +75000 |
|
Odds as of November 19th, 2024 13:33pm EST. |
How The Nuggets Pulled It Off
Denver was a regular-season talk, leading the West with 53 wins, and while Nikola Jokic didn't get his MVP, this roster is still loaded. Jamal Murray has teamed up with Jokic as an epic pick-and-roll duo, helping the squad cruise to the Finals.
Maybe Jokic is just an unstoppable force at this point. The big man is averaging just under 30 PPG during these playoffs, which he complements with his elite post-passing ability. No other center in basketball moves the ball like Jokic, and, as a result, the Nuggets offense operates flawlessly.
Denver is a tough nut to crack, and the Nuggets carry heavy chalk in the NBA Finals, I imagine they'll win it all, but we'll need to dig into the series prices for profitable bets.
Past Western Conference Championship Winners
| Year | Team | Regular-Season Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Denver Nuggets | 53-29 |
| 2021-22 | Golden State Warriors | 53-29 |
| 2020-21 | Phoenix Suns | 51-21 |
| 2019-20 | Los Angeles Lakers | 52-19 |
| 2018-19 | Golden State Warriors | 57-25 |
| 2017-18 | Golden State Warriors | 58-24 |
| 2016-17 | Golden State Warriors | 67-15 |
| 2015-16 | Golden State Warriors | 73-9 |
| 2014-15 | Golden State Warriors | 67-15 |
| 2013-14 | San Antonio Spurs | 62-20 |
The Warriors have run the West since the Spurs’ years of dominance ended. There have been key contributors come and go from the Bay Area, but the core group of Steve Kerr at coach and Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the court has brought on one of the most dominant runs in recent NBA history.
NBA Western Conference Championship History
The Western Conference has been around since 1970 but the Western Conference championship trophy was first awarded back in 2000-01. In 2021-22, the award was renamed after Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson.
NBA Teams with the Most Western Conference Championships
| Team | Titles |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 10 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 6 |
The Lakers and Spurs traded off runs of dominance for most of the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, but now there’s a new dynasty in town. Six of the Warriors’ seven all-time Western Conference titles have come in the last 10 years. With the core of that dynasty still in place, the Dubs just need a few more strong seasons to close the gap on Los Angeles.
NBA Teams That Have Never Won a Western Conference Championship
| Team | Titles |
|---|---|
| Memphis Grizzlies | 0 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 0 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 0 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 0 |
| Sacramento Kings | 0 |
The flip side of several big dynasties running the West is that we haven’t had too much historical parity. Almost half the current Western Conference has yet to ever make the NBA Finals. However, with the Clippers flashing current star power and the Grizzlies, Kings and Pelicans on the rise, maybe this list will soon be shorter.