2024-25 NBA Southeast Division Odds and Predictions

By:

Kody Miller

in

NBA

Last Updated on

The Orlando Magic won the Southeast Division by one game last season. They’re a young team on the rise, but one can’t help but wonder if a healthy Miami Heat team coasts to first place.

Sports bettors will get a chance to bet on which way they think it’ll go, at least, as the latest 2024-245 Southeast Division odds are live at your favorite sports betting sites.

I’ve already looked at the Atlantic Division, and this breakdown wraps up the Eastern Conference. But who is the team to back, you say? Let’s look at the latest odds and analyze each team’s chances of coming out on top.

2024-25 NBA Southeast Division Odds

Here are the NBA odds to win the Southeast Division, available at most sportsbooks.

NBA TeamDivision OddsO/U WinsMake PlayoffsPlay-In Tournament
Orlando Magic-150O/U 47.5Y(-750)/N(+475)+2800
Miami Heat+150O/U 44.5Y(-450)/N(+320)+4000
Atlanta Hawks+1100O/U 36.5Y(+180)/N(-230)+12500
Charlotte Hornets+5500O/U 30.5Y(+500)/N(-800)+20000
Washington Wizards+40000O/U 18.5Y(+2000)/N(-20000)+30000

The 2024-25 Southeast Division odds suggest we’re in for a two-team race for the top spot. The Orlando Magic edged out the Miami Heat for first place last year, but things could easily change this time around.

While those are probably the two teams we should be investing in at NBA sportsbooks, one other team to consider could be the Atlanta Hawks.

Trae Young (assuming he’s not traded before I finish typing this sentence) is still capable of carrying a team to the playoffs, and his Hawks have a solid young supporting cast. If you want to bank on Orlando regressing or Miami staying injured forever, the Hawks at +1100 aren’t looking so bad.

Orlando and Miami are the only two teams with favorable odds to even make the playoffs this year, however, so sticking with them when looking at this betting market may be wise.

That said, it’s always worthwhile to analyze wagers fully. With that, let’s break down each team and see why it might make sense to back them to win this division.

NBA Southeast Division Teams

To get a good idea of how each team measures up in this division, here’s a look at their record from last year, as well as pricing for other key 2024-25 markets.

Orlando Magic

  • 2023-24 Record: 47-35
  • Southeast Division Odds: -150
  • Over/Under Wins: O 47.5 (-105), U 47.5 (-115)
  • Make the Playoffs: Y (-750), N (+475)
  • Play-In Tournament: +2800

The Orlando Magic impressed last year, as they leaned on hard-nosed, gritty defense and team basketball en route to a return to the NBA playoffs. Last season marked their first Southeast Division crown since the 2018-19 season, and it also snapped a three-year streak of missing post-season play.

Paolo Banchero may not be a true superstar yet (or ever), but he’s good enough to be the centerpiece of Orlando’s attack. He lived up to expectations last year, putting up 22.6 points per game, and at age 21, could just be scratching the surface of his potential.

He really doesn’t need to blossom into some amazing stud for the Magic to have success, though. Banchero is a rock solid star who does everything well, and he has help with Franz Wagner (19.7 points per game) pitching in as the team’s second best offensive weapon.

Offense is not yet Orlando’s strength, but there is potential for it to iron out the wrinkle in due time. This team presently hangs its hat on the defensive end of the floor, where they ranked 2nd in all of basketball a season ago.

Orlando’s ability to both maintain that defensive bite and slowly progress on offense could be their ticket to their first 50+ win season since 2010-11. If they can do that, they’ll absolutely be in the running to win consecutive division titles for the first time since that 59-win campaign.

Not a fan of them to repeat as Southeast Division champs? I’d at least keep them in your thoughts when you bet on the NBA Cup winner this year.

Miami Heat

  • 2023-24 Record: 46-36
  • Southeast Division Odds: +150
  • Over/Under Wins: O 44.5 (-110), U 44.5 (-110)
  • Make the Playoffs: Y (-450), N (+320)
  • Play-In Tournament: +4000

The Miami Heat feel like a terrific value bet. This is a team that weirdly is always a threat to make a run to the NBA Finals, and yet here they are, not even favored to win their division.

It’s almost as if people forget how talented this squad is, or the fact that they have perhaps the best coach in the game in Erik Spoelstra.

Jimmy Butler’s future is undeniably in question. If you’re into betting on NBA trades, he’s easily one of the biggest names to monitor. However, for as long as he’s in South Beach, his presence keeps Miami among the fringe title contenders.

More importantly – at least for this betting market – Butler being on the Heat makes Miami a more than viable bet to take back this division.

Seriously, what is there to dislike about this crew? They’re well-coached, they were 5th in defensive efficiency a year ago, and everyone knows – especially in the playoffs – that this team is capable of getting hot from long range.

To be frank, the only thing Miami needs to worry about is their health.

If the Heat can keep their main guys on the floor (Tyler Herro played just 42 games last year), the rest should take care of itself. Nobody had a better record inside the division (13-3) and a banged up Miami squad missed out on the division crown by one game.

Yeah, I’m probably hammering them at their +150 Southeast Division betting odds.

Atlanta Hawks

  • 2023-24 Record: 36-46
  • Southeast Division Odds: +1100
  • Over/Under Wins: O 36.5 (-105), U 36.5 (-115)
  • Make the Playoffs: Y (+180), N (-230)
  • Play-In Tournament: +12500

Before I lock in the Miami Heat to win this division, I’ll have to talk myself out of seriously considering the Atlanta Hawks. The main reason why I’m even lending them a cursory glance is undoubtedly the presence of Trae Young, even though nobody knows how long he’ll stay with this franchise.

Still, he’s currently there, and if the Hawks get off to a nice start, maybe this relationship can be salvaged.

Atlanta missed the playoffs after a subpar 36-46 run last year, but they’d been a playoff regular in each of their last three seasons. Young’s explosive scoring, outside shooting, and elite playmaking were a huge reason why, and I just can’t quite leave him for dead just yet.

The nice thing is that despite a trade that sent Dejounte Murray out of town, there are other things to like about this team – particularly since you can get them at +1100 odds to win this thing.

Jalen Johnson (16 points and 8.7 rebounds per game) is a rising star, Bogdan Bogdanovic remains a solid secondary scoring option, and big men Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu rotate to give the Hawks an ever solid presence at the five spot.

The most compelling reason to stay onto the Hawks? The arrival of #1 overall NBA Draft pick, Zaccharie Risacher. Long-term, he could make Young expendable. But for now, he’s actually a more logical fit alongside Young than Murray ever was – providing solid defense and spot-up ability from three.

Risacher flashed nice ability during the NBA Summer League, and if he can progress quickly, he just may help Atlanta calibrate and become a playoff threat yet again.

Overall, I’m obviously not fully sold. The Hawks own the league’s 5th fastest pace and they can put up points, but they’ve done little to correct their defense. If adding Risacher to the mix changes that, they could offer elite betting value.

Charlotte Hornets

  • 2023-24 Record: 21-61
  • Southeast Division Odds: +5500
  • Over/Under Wins: O 30.5 (-115), U 30.5 (-115)
  • Make the Playoffs: Y (+500), N (-800)
  • Play-In Tournament: +20000

It isn’t easy to sell the Charlotte Hornets as a legit Southeast Division title threat. Winning just 21 games last year is one clear indicator they’re not ready for that big of a jump, but this team was also horrific (31st) in defensive efficiency last year.

The talent level also isn’t where it needs to be. Don’t get me wrong, the Hornets do have some dudes that can ball. The problem is, they’re some mixture of inexperienced, raw, or flawed.

This team will only go as far as star point guard LaMelo Ball can take them at the moment. Considering he has played more than 36 games just once in a season so far in his career, we can safely assume that probably isn’t very far.

Ball does check all of the boxes of a superstar, though. He put up 23.9 points per game last year, and also dished out 8 assists per game. He even chipped in on defense (1.8 steals per game) and had his best overall shooting season since his rookie year.

But Ball is also inconsistent, can sometimes struggle with turnovers, and still isn’t as efficient as a team’s #1 option has to be. It doesn’t get a whole lot better as you move along to guys like Brandon Miller or Miles Bridges, either.

Both forwards are immensely talented and have high ceilings, but they also are inconsistent performers with their own question marks. But collectively, the talent dries up quickly after Charlotte’s weak Big 3, and their team defense just isn’t good enough.

The Hornets should again be fun. They’ll push the pace and put up points, and on the off chance Ball actually stays on the court, maybe they’ll crush their win total (I do like that bet), but banking on them to edge out both Orlando and Miami feels like a massive reach.

Washington Wizards

  • 2023-24 Record: 15-67
  • Southeast Division Odds: +40000
  • Over/Under Wins: O 21.5 (+110), U 21.5 (-140)
  • Make the Playoffs: Y (+2000), N (-20000)
  • Play-In Tournament: +30000

The Washington Wizards are a way worse pitch than the Hornets. They often aren’t even fun to watch, as they lack high-end talent and are just as bad on defense as Atlanta and Charlotte are.

Washington does push the pace (1st in the NBA), though, and I’ll admit that when they’re clicking, they can make for an entertaining game. It really just depends who they’re facing and if their shots are falling.

Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma make for a fun, albeit inefficient duo that don’t mask a sagging defense. Both players can get hot offensively, but they bring little else to the table.

Washington also made not so great decisions this off-season, as they traded away improving prospect Deni Avdija and spent the number two pick in the NBA Draft on what looks to be a flawed prospect in Alex Sarr.

Of course, maybe Avdija was part of the problem on defense, and not enough of a solution on offense. And maybe Sarr will be a beast and dominate the interior on both ends of the floor in a couple of years.

Only time will tell. However, for the 2024-25 season, I can safely inform you that this Wiz squad will be going nowhere. Losing Deni hurts their rebounding and outside shooting, and bringing in Sarr soaks up a roster spot that will either be wasted completely, or spent on someone who simply isn’t ready for this level of basketball yet.

Poole and Kuz, along with perhaps the likes of Marvin Bagley, Malcolm Brogdon, and Corey Kispert, could make for some fun nights where you hammer the Over on the game total. But betting on the Wizards to actually push for 30 wins – if not more than that? No chance.

NBA Southeast Division Predictions

If you want to know who will win the 2024-25 NBA Southeast Division, I think it truly comes down to two teams. Atlanta is a fun bet if you don’t mind some risk and want to get crazy with your betting. At +1100, they’re live to mess things up if Young sticks around and they can improve their defense a bit.

Realistically, though, the Southeast Division winner comes down to the Magic or Heat.

Both of these teams have tasted success from within this division, and both teams have displayed elite ability on the defensive end of the floor.

Orlando is the most recent winner, but I still don’t trust them completely. That, and Miami dominated inside this division and still nearly took the crown despite dealing with a litany of injuries all season long.

Look for the Heat to be a little bit healthier this year – just healthy enough to snag the Southeast Division title back from Orlando.

Bet: Miami Heat +150

Recent NBA Southeast Division Winners

YearWinnerResult
2023-24Orlando MagicLost in First Round
2022-23Miami HeatLost in NBA Finals
2021-22Miami HeatLost in Eastern Conference Finals
2020-21Atlanta HawksLost in Eastern Conference Finals
2019-20Miami HeatLost in NBA Finals
2018-19Orlando MagicLost in First Round
2017-18Miami HeatLost in First Round
2016-17Washington WizardsLost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
2015-16Miami HeatLost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
2014-15Atlanta HawksLost in Eastern Conference Finals