NBA Central Division Odds: Bucks Are Ready for Another Title Run

The preseason is well underway, and tip-off for the 2023-24 NBA season will be here in less than a week.

For the past five years, the Milwaukee Bucks have owned the Central Division in the Eastern Conference. Is that going to stay the same in 2023-24?

Here are the Central Division odds, per the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook:

NBA Central Division Odds

Milwaukee Bucks

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: -360

After a first-round exit at the hands of Miami Heat, the Milwaukee Bucks changed it up in the offseason to push themselves back to the top of the NBA.

The big trade ahead of the preseason brought Damian Lillard to Milwaukee in exchange for Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, and a 2029 first-round pick in a three-team deal. Making the switch of Holiday for Lillard will bring another level of offense while losing some defense.

No matter the moves that were made, the Bucks will still be led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP has been playing at a top level nonstop since 2017-18, and last year, he recorded his highest points-per-game average with 31.1. He's turning 29 in December, showing that he still very well may have his best seasons ahead of him.

Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez both return this season, giving the Bucks all the firepower they need to take the Central Division for the sixth straight year and contend for the NBA Championship yet again.

Cleveland Cavaliers

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +260

The Cleveland Cavaliers have the talent on the roster. We saw that firsthand last year when they finished as the fourth seed in the East. But then the playoffs came around and they disappointed, losing in five games to the New York Knicks.

Heading into 2023-24, Cleveland will lean on Donovan Mitchell to lead the way in his second season with the team. Mitchell paced the team with 28.3 points per game. What will determine if the Cavs can go higher in the East, however, is what Darius Garland does.

Garland has all the talent to be a special, top-of-the-league type of player. He's averaged slightly more than 21 points per night for two seasons in a row in addition to around 8 assists. He has a chance to grow into an elite player, and if he does, it would give the Cavaliers one of the best 1-2 punches in the sport. The same goes for Evan Mobley, who has showcased the potential to be one of the NBA's best power forwards.

The big offseason move for the Cavaliers was signing Max Strus to a 4-year, $62 million contract. Adding Strus should give them more options and shooting offensively, possibly taking the burden off of Mitchell and Garland when needed.

There's a lot to like about Cleveland -- they just need to keep growing together after last year. But even if they improve, their chances of getting a Central Division crown will hinge more on the Bucks' performance than their own. Unless Milwaukee underwhelms, it is unlikely the Cavs win their first division since the 2017-18 season.

Chicago Bulls

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +3600

The Chicago Bulls are a play-in team at best at this stage.

After an exciting 2021-22 season, the Bulls took a step back last year with the uncertainty of Lonzo Ball hanging over their head, DeMar DeRozan taking a slight step back, and their overall roster not being as strong as it was the year prior.

The good news for the Bulls is that they still have the trio of DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic returning this year. That's about it, though, as they didn't have a draft pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. They'll lean on that trio once again.

Chicago will likely be fighting all year to earn a playoff spot, and they don't have much of a chance to win the division. Their +3600 odds really do tell you everything you need to know regarding their potential to take the Central. It isn't happening anytime soon.

Indiana Pacers

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +3600

Much like the Bulls, the Indiana Pacers are a potential play-in team more than a surefire playoff team -- or one that is competing for the division -- but the Pacers have an exciting future no matter how you look at it.

Tyrese Haliburton is one of the best young talents in the game, making leaps year after year. His second season as the cornerstone of the Pacers' rebuild saw him average a double-double, finishing the 2022-23 campaign by averaging 20.7 points and 10.4 assists on 49.0% shooting from the field. If Haliburton takes another step, this team can make a postseason appearance.

The Pacers selected Jarace Walker in the first round of the draft and acquired Obi Toppin, improving their backcourt to pair both with long-time center Myles Turner. Their big signing of the offseason was adding Bruce Brown Jr.. Brown played a crucial role in the Denver Nuggets' championship run, so adding his experience will only help the young core of Indiana.

It should be a season filled with learning and developing, but that means the Pacers, at the very least, will be a fun team to watch throughout the season. The play-in is in play for them. The division -- not so much.

Detroit Pistons

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +25000

Monty Williams is the new head coach of the Detroit Pistons. After what Williams helped accomplish with the Phoenix Suns, there has to be some excitement for the future of this team.

Now, it won't all happen in a year, but the Pistons have a bright future beginning with the return of former No. 1 overall selection Cade Cunningham.

Cunningham missed all but 12 games last season due to a stress fracture in his left leg. He did make sure to show up in those games, averaging 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. Cunningham has all the potential to be the franchise player Detroit drafted him to be just that -- it's just going to take some time.

They got Cade some help by drafting Ausar Thompson. The likes of Bojan Bogdanovic, Jalen Duren, and Jaden Ivey should all play key roles, too, for a Detroit team in the midst of a rebuild.

This isn't a division-winning team or a playoff team right now, but there are some interesting pieces in place.

Do you think you know which NBA teams will succeed or falter this season? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA win total odds market to bet any team's win total with America's Number One Sportsbook.

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