2022-23 NBA Previews – Central Division Odds
Looking for 2023 NBA Central Division Predictions? We’ve got your back. The Central Division is arguably the most diverse Eastern Division with a bonafide contender, teams on the rise, and two legitimate tanking squads.
2023 NBA Handicapping
Central Division Season Preview
Division Favorite: Milwaukee Bucks -284
Milwaukee Bucks
Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer
2021-22 Record: 51-31
Odds To Win Division: -284
Odds To Win Conference: +300
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +660
Three teams finished with a 51-31 record (Celtics, 76ers) but based on tiebreakers the Bucks fell to third which at the time seemed like a positive given everyone in the East was trying to avoid playing the Brooklyn Nets.
Turned out it wasn’t such a lucky charm as the Nets imploded allowing the Celtics to sweep them while the Bucks lost Khris Middleton in Game 2 versus the Bulls.
Although they dealt with Chicago in a gentleman’s sweep and pushed the Celtics to seven they had nothing left at the end of the series losing the last two games in blow-out fashion.
Although the Celtics, 76ers, and great (on-paper) Nets are all getting buzz to win the conference, most analysts are picking the Bucks and for good reason. First, they have the inimitable Giannis Antetokounmpo who is hungry to win another title and has his Robin (Middleton) back healthy.
Constancy and health are the keys for the Bucks as they have essentially the same core returning and besides Middleton, Serge Ibaka is finally healthy, Brook Lopez who missed the majority of the season is ready and should get Joe Ingles back sometime in the second half making the team much deeper than they were last year.
Barring massive injuries the Bucks will EASILY win the Central Division.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Head Coach: J.B. Bickerstaff
2021-22 Record: 44-38
Odds To Win Division: +340
Odds To Win Conference: +1425
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +3000
The Central squad everyone is anxious to watch is the rising Cavaliers who pulled off the big offseason trade to add star Donovan Mitchell to the fold. It came at a price though, as Koby Altman had to send out part of the team’s depth along with draft picks.
What made this club so exciting last season was they were the lone squad playing three big men in their starting rotation – – 7 footers Evan Mobley and Lauri Markkanen plus 6’11 Jarrett Allen.
Markkanen exits via the trade and the question now is how two 6’1″ guards will mesh (Darius Garland/Mitchell) given both are used to having the ball in their hands.
On paper, this club checks off most boxes with youthful talent, stars, grizzled vets, and a quality coach. The big questions are who’ll defend opposing wings and how long it will take for the team to find their identity and chemistry.
Chicago Bulls
Head Coach: Billy Donovan
2021-22 Record: 46-36
Odds To Win Division: +660
Odds To Win Conference: +2700
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +5800
For much of the first half of 2021-22, the Bulls were the Cinderella story of the NBA holding the top rung of the Eastern Conference ladder while DeMar DeRozan was a legitimate MVP contender.
But then tragedy struck as both Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso were felled by injury removing the team’s top two defenders. The resulting effect was a free fall that witnessed them drop from first to sixth.
The Bulls registered the fourth-best league record pre-All-Star (38-21) but finished 8-15 down the stretch. More concerning was their inability to beat the top-ranked clubs registering a 1-14 record against the top-four EC seeds.
While DeRozan and LaVine can score points against any team, neither are stellar defenders (nor is Nikola Vucevic). Factor in, Ball underwent another knee surgery that will keep him out for an undetermined time and it’s likely this squad suffers from mediocrity again.
Detroit Pistons
Head Coach: Dwane Casey
2021-22 Record: 23-59
Odds To Win Division: +15000
Odds To Win Conference: +20000
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +46000
By all accounts, the Detroit Pistons did what they set out to do in 2021-22 — develop their youth and TANK another season hoping to draw the top draft pick again.
Troy Weaver has done a brilliant job acquiring young talents and prospects like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey along with timely trades (Bojan Bogdanovic) but this squad is still a season away from contending for a playoff seed.
Despite the depth of the East, the truth is this club could go on a run if Casey gets them buying into the defensive end and vie for a play-in seed,
But with the lure of Victor Wembanyama dangling and a LOADED 2023 draft class, I’d bank on the Pistons finding a way to lose down the stretch if their win total is too high.
Indiana Pacers
Head Coach: Rick Carlisle
2021-22 Record: 25-57
Odds To Win Division: +22000
Odds To Win Conference: +26000
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +50000
The Pacers have begun their rebuild in earnest and while they’ve stated a desire to remain competitive don’t be fooled by the rhetoric. Indy will spend the first half of the season showcasing the talents of Buddy Hield, Myles Turner, and Oshae Brissett to prep them for the trade deadline.
In the second half, watch for mysterious injuries to mount as the Pacers sit cornerstone Tyrese Haliburton and Carlisle trots out copious G-Leaguers in order to secure one of those three coveted bottom-three seeds to bolster their shot of winning the 2023 Draft Lottery.
NBA Central Division Prediction
Talent wins so place your bets on Giannis and the Bucks and if you want a dark horse then the Cavaliers could surprise with a home-court seed although it’s doubtful they’ll be able to supplant Milwaukee at the top of the Division.
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