Bookmakers truly believe that the Oklahoma City Thunder will continue their NBA reign and successfully defend their championship.
The Thunder, who ended the regular season on Sunday (12) with the best campaign in the league, with 64 wins and 18 losses (78%), are the big favorites to retain the Larry O’Brien Trophy, with odds ranging between +110 and +135, according to a survey carried out with bookmakers on Sunday night.
On the other hand, the Portland Trail Blazers, who will play beyond the regular season for the first time since the 2020/21 season, have the toughest task ahead. Portland, eighth in the Western Conference, will face the Phoenix Suns in a playoff game and is the biggest underdog to reach the NBA Finals, with odds of up to +250,000.
The odds are well aligned with the campaigns, with the San Antonio Spurs (62-20, 75.6%) having the second best odds, between +450 and +550.
The Boston Celtics (56-26), bolstered by star Jayson Tatum’s solid return from a torn Achilles tendon in last year’s playoffs, are the next favorites. The Detroit Pistons (60-22) had a better regular season, but perhaps don’t have the same recent playoff record as their Eastern Conference rival, who won the NBA title two seasons ago.
DraftKings has the defending champion Thunder at +110 odds, followed by Spurs at +500, Celtics at +550 and Nuggets at +950.
Next, we have the Cleveland Cavaliers (+1600), the New York Knicks (+1800) and the Detroit Pistons (+2200).
The highest odds among the 20 teams are for the Portland Trail Blazers at +200,000. DraftKings predicts the seventh-seeded Phoenix Suns will defeat the eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers by a margin of 4.5 points in Tuesday’s playoff game in Phoenix.
FanDuel also believes the Oklahoma City Thunder will repeat as the NBA title (+115), followed by the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics (both +550), the Denver Nuggets and Cleveland (both +1,100), the New York Knicks (+1,800) and the Detroit Pistons (+2,000).
On the platform, the Portland Trail Blazers are at +75,000, along with the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat, as the three teams with the highest odds.
FanDuel goes a step further, offering odds for the finalists, with the Celtics-Thunder matchup as the favorite (+330), following the conference breakdown of the odds for the overall winner.
The Thunder represents the Western Conference in the four highest rated matchups, against the Cavaliers (+550), Knicks (+850) and Pistons (+900). Anyone predicting a Celtics-Spurs final can bet at odds of +1,000, and Cavs-Spurs at +1,500.
The highest odds are +75,000 for Cavs-Warriors, Knicks-Lakers, Knicks-Clippers, Knicks-Warriors and Pistons-Lakers.
To go further and choose the match and the winner, the Thunder beat the Celtics with odds of +500. A Boston win over Oklahoma City has odds of +1,200.
Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, current NBA MVP, is the favorite to repeat the feat and win the NBA Finals MVP award, with odds of +135. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama comes next, with odds of +500.
BetMGM believes the Thunder will win the title, with odds of +135, followed by Spurs (+450), Celtics (+550), Nuggets (+1,000) and Cavaliers (+1,400). The Trail Blazers have the highest odds at +250,000.
NBA Finals Winner Quotes (DraftKings)
Oklahoma City (+110)
San Antonio (+500)
Boston (+550)
Denver (+950)
Cleveland (+1.600)
Nova York (+1.800)
Detroit (+2,200)
Houston (+6.000)
Minnesota (+9.000)
Atlanta (+13.000)
Philadelphia (+17,000)
Charlotte (+17.000)
Los Angeles Lakers (+25.000)
Toronto (+25.000)
Orlando (+35.000)
Phoenix (+60.000)
Los Angeles Clippers (+70.000)
Miami (+70.000)
Golden State (+80.000)
Portland (+200.000)
