It wasn’t that long ago that Houston was the team to beat in the Southwest Division. The Rockets enter the 2021-22 season with the longest odds to win the division title.
One of the bright spots in the Southwest is the young talent. Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson are three of the NBA’s newest budding superstars and they all play in the Southwest Division.
Here’s a look at the 2021-22 NBA Southwest Division futures odds and picks (What is a futures bet?).
2021 Dallas Mavericks Team Preview and Futures Odds
Odds to Win Southwest Division: -250
The Dallas Mavericks are the presumptive favorites to win the Southwest for one reason – Luka Doncic. At 22 years of age, the 6-7 Doncic can carry an entire team by himself. He’s that good.
Last season, Doncic averaged 27.7 points, 8.6 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game. The good thing is that he doesn’t have to do it alone. Kristaps Porzingis (20.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg) needs to stay healthy and Tim Hardaway is as good a shooter as there is in the league.
The big change in Dallas is at head coach where Rick Carlisle is out and Jason Kidd returns to lead his former team, the Mavericks. He will benefit from having Doncic, who will benefit from playing for one of the all-time greats.
2021 Memphis Grizzlies Team Preview and Futures Odds
Odds to Win Southwest Division: +350
Morant is one of the most exciting players in the NBA . He averaged 19.1 points per game last season to lead the Grizzlies. Memphis picked up C Steven Adams, a solid defender, in the offseason. Jarrett Culver joins Memphis too, but he has been a disappointment since being drafted sixth overall in 2019.
The Grizzlies (+350) need big seasons from guys like Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr. They have a young roster, but they play great defense and with Morant anything is possible.
2021 New Orleans Pelicans Team Preview and Futures Odds
Odds to Win Southwest Division: +650
There may not be a bigger attraction in the league than Zion Williamson. He averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds a game last season, but one player does not make a team.
The Pelicans (+650) picked up point guard DeVonte Graham and C Jonas Valanciunas in the offseason plus they drafted 6-8 Trey Murphy III with the No. 17 overall pick.
New Orleans let Lonzo Ball go, but picked up a new coach in Willie Green. Green’s addition of Mike D’Antoni to the staff might be the best move the team made this offseason. The Pelicans may score even more in 2021-22.
2021 San Antonio Spurs Team Preview and Futures Odds
Odds to Win Southwest Division: +4500
The San Antonio Spurs were quiet in the offseason. DeMar DeRozan is now in Chicago. Dejounte Murray (15.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and Keldon Johnson (12.8 ppg) return, but the Spurs lack a star. In fact, San Antonio lacks a lot of everything.
How the Spurs will be any different than the team that finished 10th in the West last year at 33-39 is a big unknown. It’s the big reason why the team is given +4500 to win the division.
2021 Houston Rockets Team Preview and Futures Odds
Odds to Win Southwest Division: +15000
The Rockets finished with the worst record in basketball last season. It could be another long year for Houston.
Since dumping most its talent over the last few seasons, Houston is in a complete overhaul. The future of the franchise will be built around No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green. The Rockets also picked Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba in this year’s draft.
That said, the Rockets will be young. They did add veteran Daniel Theis, but this is a team short on depth and experience. Their +15000 odds to win the division reflect that.
2022 NBA Southwest Division Predictions
If Morant had just one real star riding along with him, one might be able to picture the Grizzlies pulling off a Southwest Division title. Minus that, Doncic and the Mavericks are the team to beat. Even with Porzingis playing hurt, Doncic has proven he can carry this franchise. He’ll do it again in 2021-22.
PREDICTION: MAVERICKS -250
Get our 2022 NBA Eastern Conference futures picks and 2022 NBA Western Conference futures picks for the upcoming season.
