The Denver Nuggets are the cream of the crop in the NBA after winning their first championship in franchise history.
Denver will be looking to repeat in 2024 but one team in the West could challenge its reign — the Pelicans.
I’m picking New Orleans to win the West and go to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Listed at 16/1 at BetMGM, the Pelicans are tied for the eighth-best odds to win the Western Conference with a 5.9 percent implied probability.
Teams with far bigger questions remain ahead of them such as the Memphis Grizzlies (14/1), Los Angeles Lakers (+650), Los Angeles Clippers (11/1) and Dallas Mavericks (11/1).
2024 NBA Finals predictions
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The Nuggets remain the favorites to go back to the NBA Finals at +260.
Shop around, though, because the Nuggets are available as high as 19/1 in the market.
The Pelicans have been subject to bad injury luck over the past couple of seasons with NBA All-Stars stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram combining to miss 98 games last season.
Although those concerns still exist, if those two can stay healthy, the Pelicans may be in the driver’s seat in the conference.
At this stage, we know Williamson has a lengthy injury history but there were encouraging signs that he and the Pellies were ready to take a leap.
Williamson looked to be in great shape and slimmer than in previous years while averaging 26 ppg on 60.8 percent shooting.
New Orleans was also atop the Western Conference standings at 17-11 before he pulled his hamstring and missed the rest of the season.
A big factor for why the Pelicans could contend immediately is their lineup versatility.
They’re not just a two-man team.
They can play big with Williamson and Jonas Valancuinius in the front court or go small-ball and have Williamson play center.
The NBA playoffs are all about matchups and adjustments and with this roster, coach Willie Green has plenty of flexibility to counter a lot of opposing teams’ game plans.
Supporting characters such as combo guard CJ McCollum (20.9 ppg), defensive specialist Herb Jones (1.6 steals per game) and 3-point sniper Trey Murphy (40.9 percent) can also each contribute offensively to take the pressure off Williamson and Ingram.
It’s the Wild West right now in the NBA.
Each team in the Western Conference (including the Nuggets) has flaws that can be exploited.
There’s no true juggernaut like the vintage Warriors waiting for the Pelicans in the playoffs.
The only reason we’re seeing Western Conference odds this high for the Pelicans is due to Zion’s health.
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If he manages to get his injuries in order, New Orleans will be a scary opponent for any team to try and knock off.
Another encouraging factor is the Pelicans have made the play-in tournament without Zion in each of the last two seasons.
In 2022, they even pushed the Suns to seven games before bowing out in the first round. The talent on this roster is undeniable.
If you plan to bet the Pelicans to win the West, this means we need Williamson to actually play 65 or more games.
If this comes to fruition, we may not only be talking about New Orleans to make the NBA Finals but the former No.1-overall pick being a serious contender to win MVP as well.
2024 NBA Finals pick
New Orleans Pelicans (+1600, BetMGM)