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NBA trade deadline betting impact: Heat's title odds shorten to 20-1

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The NBA trade deadline didn't drastically reshape the title picture. The only former All-NBA player moved Thursday was 31-year-old Isaiah Thomas, but he'll likely be waived, and eight of the 12 top teams by record didn't make a move.

It felt like a trade deadline without clear winners or losers, but oddsmakers disagreed, adjusting the prices of eight teams, including seven contenders. Here is a list of every club's title odds before and after the trade deadline, with a breakdown of the teams that saw the biggest adjustments:

TEAM AFTER BEFORE
Los Angeles Lakers +225 2-1
Milwaukee Bucks +275 3-1
Los Angeles Clippers 3-1 3-1
Houston Rockets 12-1 14-1
Miami Heat 20-1 30-1
Boston Celtics 25-1 20-1
Denver Nuggets 30-1 30-1
Philadelphia 76ers 30-1 25-1
Toronto Raptors 30-1 30-1
Utah Jazz 30-1 30-1
Dallas Mavericks 40-1 40-1
Indiana Pacers 100-1 80-1
New Orleans Pelicans 100-1 100-1
Portland Trail Blazers 100-1 100-1
Brooklyn Nets 300-1 300-1
Oklahoma City Thunder 300-1 300-1
Memphis Grizzlies 1000-1 1000-1
Orlando Magic 1000-1 1000-1
San Antonio Spurs 1000-1 1000-1
Chicago Bulls 2000-1 2000-1
Detroit Pistons 2000-1 2000-1
Phoenix Suns 2000-1 2000-1
Sacramento Kings 2000-1 2000-1
Atlanta Hawks 10000-1 10000-1
Charlotte Hornets 10000-1 10000-1
Cleveland Cavaliers 10000-1 10000-1
Golden State Warriors 10000-1 10000-1
Minnesota Timberwolves 10000-1 2000-1
New York Knicks 10000-1 10000-1
Washington Wizards 10000-1 10000-1

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Miami Heat (30-1 to 20-1)

There is no question in bookmakers' minds that the Heat "won" the deadline after flipping three seldom-used players for Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill. There are real questions about how much those three have left in the tank, but they all fit well in Miami's rangy defense. Is it worth such a big price adjustment? Probably not. But the Heat were worth buying even before this deal, so there's still value at 20-1 if you aren't sold on Milwaukee surviving a playoff run.

Houston Rockets (14-1 to 12-1)

Are we sure these odds moved in the right direction? The Rockets essentially swapped Clint Capela for Robert Covington, which should help their shooting and switching defense in the playoffs but could become a major issue against big-heavy teams like the Lakers and Nuggets. Houston's center is now the 6-foot-5 P.J. Tucker, which sounds nice against the Jazz and Thunder but likely won't be enough to beat three Western Conference contenders in the postseason. Stay away from the 12-1 price.

Milwaukee Bucks (3-1 to +275)

The Bucks saw a minor price adjustment despite not making a deadline deal. Neither did Toronto, Boston, or Indiana, which are all threats to upend the East's top seed in the playoffs. It's hard to say Milwaukee needed to make a move after a 44-7 start to the year, but if you weren't buying at 3-1, there's no need to suddenly sniff this price. How Giannis Antetokounmpo handles playoff defenses will still determine this team's fate.

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Los Angeles Lakers (2-1 to +225)

The Lakers have had their issues this year, but the formula is clear: feed Anthony Davis in the half court and let LeBron James do the rest. That's been good enough for the best record in the West. Oddsmakers docked L.A. for sitting out the deadline, but the Lakers' complementary pieces have exceeded expectations. Their stars' play as of late should assuage concerns about them not adding a rotation piece Thursday.

Boston Celtics (20-1 to 25-1)

The Celtics were expected to be active during the deadline, but they stood pat despite significant holes in their frontcourt. It makes sense from a roster-building standpoint - most available centers carried salary baggage - but a lack of rim protection could be an issue against Milwaukee or Toronto in the playoffs.

Philadelphia 76ers (25-1 to 30-1)

This price adjustment might not have been enough. The 76ers have serious fit issues that we could have all predicted: They can't shoot, they lack a secondary playmaker, and their bigs just don't mesh. Adding tertiary shooters at the deadline isn't enough to pounce on the Sixers' title odds.

C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.

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