NBA Western Conference Prediction: Can the Suns win After the KD Trade?

The NBA returns from its All-Star break Thursday night, and the playoff races in the Eastern and Western Conferences will heat up as soon as play resumes. With the acquisition of Kevin Durant, it would seem the Phoenix Suns have placed themselves firmly in contention to win the NBA Western Conference.

A blockbuster deal like this is sure to affect our experts’ NBA Western Conference prediction, so let’s break down the most-recent odds available at BetMGM Sportsbook and explain why our experts’ love Phoenix’s chances to come out of the West.

NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE WINNER PREDICTION: Denver Nuggets (+350 at BetMGM Sportsbook)

Join BetMGM Sportsbook to fade or follow our experts’ NBA Western Conference predictions with a chance to earn $1,000 in bonus bets if it loses.

NBA Western Conference prediction for 2023

While the Suns (32-28) currently sit in fifth place in the Western Conference, 9.5 games back of the Conference-leading Nuggets (41-18), our experts feel that the Kevin Durant trade gives just cause to reassess some of our earlier NBA Western Conference predictions.

In the end, it’s probably unlikely that the Suns can make up a full 9.5 games with only 22 games remaining in their season, we think it’s fair to assume that this will invigorate their offense and lead to a bit of a surge up the rankings.

If nothing else, the new-look Suns should absolutely be able to overtake the Clippers (33-28, fourth place in the West) and the Kings (32-25, third place in the West). If this NBA Western Conference prediction holds true, then the Suns will at least have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, and we certainly feel they can make up a one-game and 1.5-game deficit over their last 22 contests.

Suns are current favorites after trading for Kevin Durant

Currently, the Phoenix Suns are +230 favorites to win the West at BetMGM after the Kevin Durant acquisition, but this feels like a bit of a market overreaction.

Just before the Suns traded for Durant, they were somewhere in the +600 to +800 odds neighborhood, depending on the book. It feels as if the sportsbooks want you to believe the hype and back the Suns and Durant to win the West, even if it’s a tough path to do so.

On the contrary, one can currently bet on the first-place Nuggets, who have a nine-and-a-half game cushion at a +300 price with BetMGM, which feels like a much better value play. Our experts are unfazed by the Kevin Durant deal in the end, sticking with the Nuggets to win the West (+350 at BetMGM Sportsbook) as their NBA Western Conference prediction.

Bet on the Suns or Nuggets to win the Western Conference at BetMGM Sportsbook

All that said, we understand if you want to back Phoenix, but you can back the Nuggets or Suns at BetMGM Sportsbook. New users who sign up for a new account with BetMGM today can get $1,000 in bonus bets should their first bet lose.

That means if you want to fade our expert’s NBA Western Conference prediction, you can simply sign up for a new BetMGM account with no promo code required, make your first deposit, and back the Suns to win the Western Conference at +230 odds.

Should the Suns not win the Western Conference, you’ll be credited with your full stake back in bonus bets up to $1,000. That means right or wrong, you’re still a winner with BetMGM Sportsbook.

Bet on the Suns to win the Pacific Division at -165 odds for less risk at BetMGM

If you're not feeling bold enough to pick the Suns to win the Western Conference after reading our expert NBA Western Conference prediction, no problem, as we still have just the bet for you at BetMGM Sportsbook.

Currently, the Suns are in third place in the Pacific Division, a game and a half back of the division-leading Kings and half a game back of the second-place Clippers. If they were already right in the mix before acquiring a player of Kevin Durant’s stature, it’s fair to assume Durant can push the Suns over the edge and at least secure a first-place finish in the Pacific Division.

Bettors can currently play the Suns to win the Pacific Division at -165 odds with BetMGM Sportsbook. While that may be a little juicy, it feels like barring something catastrophic happening, it is far and away the most likely outcome, and it gives bettors some skin in the game without having to fade our NBA Western Conference prediction, where it feels like the book is just trying to get us to eat the cheese and fall right into a trap.

Create a new account at BetMGM and take advantage of $1,000 back in bonus bets should your first bet lose. That means you can bet the Suns to win the Pacific Division, and even if they manage to fumble the bag, you’ll still walk away with up to $1,000 in bonus bets.

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