2024 NBA title odds: Clippers join inner circle of Finals contenders

Dont look now, but the Los Angeles Clippers are a top-flight title contender.

After a red-hot two months, the Clippers have joined the Celtics, Nuggets, and Bucks in the inner circle of the NBAs best teams.

Kawhi Leonard and Co. are currently +500 to win the 2024 NBA championship, the third-best odds behind Boston (+265) and Denver (+375), and a smidge ahead of Milwaukee (+700) atCaesars Sportsbook.

The Clippers opened the season with eighth-best title odds at +2600 but rose to fifth at +1300 (FanDuel Sportsbook) following their blockbuster trade to acquire James Harden from the 76ers in late October.

But after a 3-7 start to the season, the Clippers dropped to +2200 to win the title in late November far from the contender status they are today.

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Since then, the Clippers have gone 33-10 and steadily climbed the odds board thanks to what’s become a months-long hot streak.

By Jan. 9, the Clippers jumped to +950, becoming the fourth team to have title odds better than 10-1.

Paul George #13 celebrates with Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers prior to the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Getty ImagesNow, as the league heads into the All-Star Break, the Clippers have leapfrogged the Bucks on the ladder and sit at 36-17, third in the Western Conference and two games behind the No. 1 seed Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Clippers rise comes after years of disappointment during the Leonard-Paul George era that began with a historic trade in the summer of 2019.

Los Angeles has made just one Conference Finals round since Leonard and George joined forces in 2019-20.

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After several years of pegging the Clippers as title contenders, oddsmakers seemed to have softened on them this time around with the +2600 preseason number.

If they can pull it off, the Clippers would be the biggest preseason long shot to win the title since the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors (+2800) shocked the world with their first championship, according to Sports Odds History.