Models unsure whether Warriors are favorites or underdogs

Oddsmakers and computer models are split when it comes to the Dubs’ chances of holding up the Larry O’Brien trophy for the seventh time ever — Golden State is both the betting favorite to win the title and the biggest underdog in two computer models on prominent blogs.

As of Monday, the Warriors (+120) were a considerable title favorite on BetMGM, following by the Boston Celtics (+220), Miami Heat (+425) and the Dubs’ Western Conference Finals opponent, the Dallas Mavericks (+650).

Meanwhile, longtime Boston homer Bill Simmons’ sports site The Ringer gave Golden State just a 15% chance of winning the NBA title, according to their “NBA Odds Machine.” According to the site, the odds are generated based on “team strength as measured by point differential — a historically strong predictor of future success — with adjustments for individual wrinkles like injuries and schedules,” though they don’t share any actual methodology. The favorite, according to Simmons and a staff that subsists strictly on a diet of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and Wahlburgers double-deckers? The Boston Celtics, who have a 44% chance to win it all, a coincidence that fans were quick to note:

To be fair, the Celtics have been the NBA’s hottest team since January and have knocked off back-to-back legitimate title contenders in the Brooklyn Nets and defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. To be less fair, of course Simmons’ site has the Celtics as the overwhelming favorites.

But The Ringer is not alone.

Nate Silver, who owns significantly fewer Red Sox beanies than Simmons (and is a self-admitted Detroit fan), has the Warriors even further out of the hunt. According to FiveThirtyEight (the data journalism hub he founded), Golden State has just a 7% chance of winning the title using the site’s RAPTOR player predictions (which don’t account for wins and losses but are instead based entirely on “each player’s future performance based on the trajectory of similar NBA players”). The Celtics are the favorites according to that model, with a 43% chance.

FiveThirtyEight’s alternate model, which factors in Elo ratings (“a measure of team strength based on head-to-head results, margin of victory and quality of opponent”), gives the Dubs a 16% chance of winning the Finals and bumps the C’s up to a 47% chance.

So who’s right? Well, for one, Vegas odds aren’t a predictor of anything really — they’re a reflection of how much betting has occurred on a particular team and how Vegas would like to direct future bets. An efficient market moves lines to 50-50 probabilities and they make money by charging you to make a bet.

On the other hand, the FiveThirtyEight computer model gives the Mavericks a 73% chance of beating the Warriors who 1) hold homecourt advantage (where they’re a perfect 6-0 this postseason), 2) are the consensus pick to beat the Mavericks by an overwhelming margin amongst NBA pundits, and 3) have four players on their team with three NBA championships apiece. (Luka Doncic, meanwhile, has never even reached an NBA Finals.)

So, no one is right. But also, maybe everyone is right??

The Warriors and Mavericks will find out starting Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals in San Francisco.