The 2022-23 NBA standings as predicted by oddsmakers

The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors are set to rule the Western Conference standings this season, but it’ll be the combination of Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, two Eastern Conference teams, that’ll have the most productive regular seasons. 

That is, according to over/under win totals set by Stake.com. 

The oddsmakers have released win lines for all 30 NBA teams, giving a gauge at how the NBA standings could stack up over the course of the 82-game schedule. 

The top six teams in each conference are automatically granted entry into the NBA playoffs. Teams slotted seven through 10 participate in the Play-In Tournament to seed the final two spots in the postseason using a four-team, three-game format.

Eastern Conference predicted standings

The Celtics and Bucks are projected to lead the East with 53.5 wins. The Celtics, according to Stake, are +290 to win the conference, with Milwaukee a +330 bet. Both teams tied with 51 wins a year ago, two behind the conference-leading Miami Heat.

The Toronto Raptors, who finished fifth in the East with a 48-34 record, are set at 46.5. The Raptors hold the 15th-best odds at an NBA championship at +3500, meaning a $100 bet would net a $3500 return.

In all, four of the top six teams from a season ago will remain at that level, with the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers elevating from play-in status to a secured playoff position. Only the Charlotte Hornets, who were a play-in team last year, will fall out of the top-10, with the New York Knicks elevating upward, according to the oddsmaker.

1. Boston Celtics – 53.5
2. Milwaukee Bucks – 53.5
3. Brooklyn Nets – 51.5
4. Philadelphia 76ers – 50.5
5. Miami Heat – 49.5
6. Cleveland Cavaliers – 47.5
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7. Toronto Raptors – 46.5
8. Atlanta Hawks – 45.5
9. Chicago Bulls – 41.5
10. New York Knicks – 38.5
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11. Washington Wizards – 35.5
12. Charlotte Hornets – 34.5
13. Detroit Pistons – 29.5
14. Orlando Magic – 26.5
15. Indianapolis Pacers – 24.5

Western Conference predicted standings

The Warriors, who bested the Celtics in six games last June, share a three-way tie for top spot in the West at 52.5, sharing the mark with the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors and Clippers each share a +350 line to win the conference, with the Suns coming in at +375.

Phoenix led the NBA with a 64-18 record in 2022, and the Clippers missed postseason play after registering just 42 wins. Los Angeles did add point guard John Wall, who has averaged 19.1 points per game over his 613-game NBA career.

Overall, five of the top six teams from a year ago will again reclaim a spot in the conference’s top six, with the Clippers elevating from their play-in status a year ago. The Utah Jazz, however, will slump from a fifth-place finish all the way out. The Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Portland Trail Blazers will all get a taste of the play-in after missing out a year ago, according to the oddsmaker.

1. Golden State Warriors – 52.5
2. Phoenix Suns – 52.5
3. Los Angeles Clippers – 52.5
4. Denver Nuggets – 50.5
5. Memphis Grizzlies – 48.5
6. Dallas Mavericks – 48.5
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7. Minnesota Timberwolves – 48.5
8. Los Angeles Lakers – 46.5
9. New Orleans Pelicans – 44.5
10. Portland Trail Blazers – 39.5
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11. Sacramento Kings – 33.5
12. Utah Jazz – 26.5
13. San Antonio Spurs – 23.5
14. Houston Rockets – 23.5 
15. Oklahoma City Thunder – 22.5