NBA Championship Odds
The Boston Celtics won the 2023-24 NBA title, thoroughly dominating the Dallas Mavericks in a five-game series in the NBA Finals. On their way to winning an NBA championship, the Celtics beat the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. Boston was the most dominant team in the league all season long, and it was fitting that the season ended with the Celtics beating an opponent with ease. But now is when the fun begins. A lot of teams that lost last season will be hungrier than ever heading into next year, and that means that things are about to get even more challenging for the Celtics. Also, some of the top contenders in the NBA are about to improve via the 2024 NBA Draft and a wild offseason. With that in mind, keep reading to see who the favorites are to win the 2024-25 NBA title, as well as some other teams to keep an eye on.
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2024-25 NBA Title Odds
(Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and accurate as of 10:30 pm ET on June 17th)
Boston Celtics +280
Denver Nuggets +700
Oklahoma City Thunder +800
Minnesota Timberwolves +850
Milwaukee Bucks +850
Dallas Mavericks +900
Philadelphia 76ers 12-1
New York Knicks 14-1
Golden State Warriors 18-1
Los Angeles Clippers 18-1
Los Angeles Lakers 20-1
Phoenix Suns 22-1
Memphis Grizzlies 28-1
Miami Heat 30-1
Cleveland Cavaliers 40-1
Indiana Pacers 40-1
Sacramento Kings 50-1
New Orleans Pelicans 50-1
For the rest of the NBA Championship Odds, head to DraftKings Sportsbook!
2024-25 NBA Championship Favorites
Boston Celtics (+280)
The Celtics lapped the rest of the Eastern Conference in 2023-24, finishing with 14 more wins than the second-seeded New York Knicks. Boston was also first in the league in adjusted net rating (+10.8), according to Dunks & Threes. The Oklahoma City Thunder were second in that regard, but their number was down at +6.8. Statistically, Boston was a cut above everybody in the league, and watching the Celtics beat the Mavericks to a pulp in the NBA Finals was really something to see. Well, this Boston team isn’t going anywhere. Sure, things might be a little more challenging than they were in 2023-24, as the rest of the teams in the NBA are only going to get better. And Boston likely won’t have as much injury luck as it did on its way to winning a title. But the Celtics are returning all of their key pieces and now have a championship DNA. They know what it takes to win and will no longer be tense in big moments.
Denver Nuggets (+700)
Nuggets head coach Mike Malone stated that Denver will be ready to compete next year, noting that his team was tired after a championship run in 2022-23. Watching Jamal Murray limp his way through the playoffs, in addition to seeing Nikola Jokic looking visibly gassed towards the end of the Minnesota Timberwolves series, means that Malone might have been on to something. And realistically, Denver looked like a championship-level team in spurts last season, but the team wasn’t able to put it all together at the right time. The Timberwolves were also a brutal on-court matchup for them. But you’d have to be crazy to rule out Denver as a championship contender next year, even if the team loses Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency. As long as Jokic is around, the Nuggets will like their chances in a seven-game series. Denver also has some young players that are going to improve, like Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther.
Oklahoma City Thunder (+800)
The Thunder were second in the league in adjusted net rating last season, and they won a playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans. Oklahoma City also put up a nice fight against the Mavericks, who went on to win the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder also happened to do all of that way ahead of schedule. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turned into a legitimate superstar, and he could have easily took home MVP honors during the regular season. And Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren proved to be awesome running mates for him. Now, Oklahoma City just needs to make some small improvements. Look for the Thunder to add a little size in the offseason, as Mark Daigneault was missing a playable center in the playoffs. But this team is crazy talented and plays the right way. That said, it’s only a matter of time before Oklahoma City has its moment.
2024-25 NBA Championship Teams To Watch
Philadelphia 76ers (12-1)
The Sixers were unable to beat the Knicks in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, but they were competitive with a banged-up Joel Embiid. Philadelphia has one of the best one-two punches in basketball, with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey complementing one another perfectly. The Sixers also happen to have a boatload of cap space, and they also have some valuable trade assets. So, backing Philadelphia to win a championship in 2024-25 is a solid long-term investment. This is a team that can compete in the Eastern Conference right now, but we know Daryl Morey isn’t going to be shy about adding talent. That said, this team might look a lot more dangerous by the start of next season.
Phoenix Suns (22-1)
The Suns flamed out in the first round of the playoffs, as they got swept by the Timberwolves and weren’t very competitive in the four games. But Phoenix didn’t have a lot of time to build chemistry last season. A full offseason should do wonders for this group, especially with Mike Budenholzer taking over as head coach. Budenholzer’s teams always launch a lot of 3s, which is something Phoenix desperately needs to do. He has also proven to be very reliable when it comes to building out solid defenses, so the Suns should be a good two-way team. Phoenix is also going to be aggressive in looking to upgrade the roster, as the team has come out and stated that it is looking to move its 2031 first-round pick for upgrades. Overall, I just don’t think it’s a good idea to count out a team with this type of talent, especially with more on-court structure coming.
