The Miami Warmth are the consensus betting favourite to win the Southeast Division at -165 odds, in line with DraftKings. The Atlanta Hawks their solely professional competitors this season at +170 odds.
Miami Warmth head coach Erik Spoelstra advises Jimmy Butler in the course of the 2022 NBA playoffs. The Warmth will attempt to win the Southeast Division in consecutive seasons. (Picture: Getty)
After successful the Southeast Division 4 seasons in a row in the course of the LeBron James period, the Warmth gained the division crown each different season since 2014. The Warmth are looking for their first back-to-back Southeast title for the reason that top of the LeBron regime in South Seashore. In the meantime, the Hawks will try to win their second Southeast crown within the final three seasons.
2022-23 NBA Southeast Division Odds
- Miami Warmth -165
- Atlanta Hawks +170
- Charlotte Hornets +1400
- Washington Wizards +2000
- Orlando Magic +20000
*** Odds through DraftKings
The Warmth are one in all 5 groups within the Japanese Convention that might win the NBA title this season. DraftKings lists the Warmth at +800 odds to win the Japanese Convention and +2000 odds to win the NBA Championship outright.
Miami Warmth -165
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Warmth secured the #1 seed within the Japanese Convention playoffs final season with a 53-29 report and the most effective residence report within the East final season at 29-12. Heading into the upcoming season, the Warmth have a win projection of 48.5 o/u this season.
Regardless of accidents to key gamers like Butler, Tyler Herro, and Kyle Lowry in the course of the 2022 postseason, the Warmth had been a missed shot away from successful the Japanese Convention. That might have secured a second journey to the NBA finals within the final three seasons.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra and the Warmth are much less targeted on successful the Southeast Division than they’re about peaking on the proper time for a deep postseason run. The Warmth are nonetheless the workforce to beat within the Southeast, and you’ll again them at -165 odds to win the division in consecutive seasons.
Butler (21.4 ppg, 5.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists), Tyer Herro (20.7 ppg), and Bam Adebayo (19.1 ppg, 10.1 rebounds) anchor the Warmth. Herro gained the NBA Sixth Man of the Yr award, and he gives immediate offense off the bench because the workforce’s second-best scorer. Herro is the workforce’s largest defensive legal responsibility when he’s on the courtroom, however they discover methods to make up for it.
The Warmth chosen Nikola Jović with a late first-round decide within the 2022 NBA Draft. Jović was thought of the highest European prospect in final 12 months’s draft, however the 6-foot-11 massive man is a piece in progress.
The Warmth may add Jae Crowder in a commerce with the Phoenix Suns. Crowder was an integral a part of their run to the 2020 NBA Finals, and he’s the kind of 3-and-D veteran that Spoelstra would like to have on the ground within the postseason.
Atlanta Hawks +170
The Atlanta Hawks are the one workforce within the Southeast that can provide the Warmth any bother this season. Nevertheless, the Hawks are in a workforce in flux.
The Hawks obtained sizzling within the 2021 postseason and secured a visit to the Japanese Convention finals, so that they had a variety of expectations heading into final season. The Hawks struggled with a 43-39 report in 2021-22 and solely secured the #8 seed by means of the Play-In Event. The Warmth simply knocked the Hawks out in 5 video games within the opening spherical as a result of nobody aside from Trae Younger may persistently discover straightforward buckets.
The Hawks addressed their largest drawback this low season by shoring up their protection. They acquired Dejounte Murray in a commerce with the San Antonio Spurs however had to surrender three first-round picks. Murray established himself as the most effective two-way gamers within the NBA, averaging 21.1 factors and 9.2 assists per recreation final season.
With Murray and Younger in the identical backcourt, the Hawks now have the primary 20/9 tandem in NBA historical past as the one gamers to common 20-plus factors and no less than 9 assists per recreation within the earlier season.
The Hawks should determine what to do with an sad John Collins. The large man has been rising extra distant from the workforce after his function within the offensive diminished with the ascension of Younger as one of many elite scorers within the NBA. Collins requested a commerce final season, and we’ll see if the Hawks lastly do away with him.
With the addition of Murray to bolster the protection, the Hawks are anticipated to have a significantly better season than final 12 months, with a win complete of 45.5 o/u. The Hawks are the second favourite on the futures board at +170 odds to win the Southeast.
Charlotte Hornets +1400
Because the inception of the Southeast Division initially of the 2004-05 season, the Charlotte Hornets have by no means gained a division title. They’ll have to attend to lastly break by means of as the highest workforce within the Southeast, as a result of they simply don’t have sufficient firepower to compete with the Warmth and the Hawks.
The Hornets begin the season with out celebrity level guard LaMelo Ball, who suffered a Grade 2 sprained ankle and will miss a few weeks of motion.
The Hornets had been already lacking their second-best scorer after ahead Miles Bridges was arrested for home abuse within the low season. They had been about to signal Bridges to a contract extension, but it surely seems like his profession is over whereas he awaits attainable jail time.
In the meantime, the Hornets want a disgruntled Gordon Hayward greater than ever. Hayward needs the Hornets to commerce him, however he makes an excessive amount of cash for a man who continuously will get injured. So it is going to be robust to seek out good worth for him in a commerce.
Group proprietor Michael Jordan determined to rehire Steve Clifford, whom he fired a number of seasons in the past. He needs Clifford to tighten up the Hornets’ atrocious protection.
The Hornets had been within the Play-In Event within the final two seasons however did not safe a spot within the playoffs. They’ve a projected win complete of 33.5 o/u, so the long run seems grim in Buzz Metropolis.
Washington Wizards +2000
All-Star capturing guard Bradley Beal missed the second half of final season with the Washington Wizards whereas recovering from wrist surgical procedure. He’s nonetheless not 100%, however he’ll be able to play the season opener.
The Wizards tried to rebuild the workforce round Beal, however they’re caught in no man’s land. With a win complete projection of 35.5 o/u, the Wizards aren’t adequate to win a championship and are caught on the playoff bubble as one of many higher “unhealthy” groups within the Japanese Convention.
Kyle Kuzma was a job participant with the Los Angeles Lakers, however he’s developed right into a legit #2 scoring possibility behind Beal. The Wizards would like to depend on Kristaps Porzingis to spice up the offense, however the “Unicorn” is one other wasted expertise who spends an excessive amount of time on the damage record. Porzingis will miss the remainder of the preseason with an ankle damage, one other unhealthy omen for the large man.
Orlando Magic +20000
The Orlando Magic threw everybody a curveball once they chosen Paolo Banchero from Duke with the #1 decide within the 2022 NBA Draft. Jabari Smith, Jr. from Auburn was the consensus #1 decide in mock drafts, however he slipped to #3 and went to the Houston Rockets.
The Magic had been the worst workforce within the Japanese Convention final season and the second-worst workforce two seasons in the past. Oddsmakers challenge the Magic will end with 26.5 o/u wins this season. The Magic gained 21 video games in 2020-21 and gained simply 22 video games final season.
The Magic had been capable of restock their workforce with high faculty gamers by means of the draft over the previous couple of seasons. Current additions embody Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs. The inexperienced workforce might be workforce sometime, but it surely’s going to be one other lengthy season for the Magic. They’re lumped along with the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers because the worst groups within the Japanese Convention this season.
If the Magic proceed to suck, they’ll be in a ripe place to hit the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. Quite a few groups would like to have Victor Wembanyama from France, thought of the most effective NBA prospect in 20 years. For Magic followers, maybe their greatest hope is to complete with one of many three worst data this season to extend their possibilities of touchdown Wembanyama within the lottery.
