NBA Championship odds – who are the favourites after season openers?

The NBA has kicked off for another season following this week’s opening round of games. And, according to the best UK bookmakers, as well as most fans and commentators, last year’s champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are favourites to repeat their title success. 

However, they aren’t the only team in the mix with the likes of the Nuggets, Cavs, Knicks, and, slightly further back, the Timberwolves, all looking to lift the Championship banner. 

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Oklahoma City Thunder (13/5)

The Thunder won 68 games in last year’s regular season before taking the Championship. Oklahoma City’s roster has not only remained unchanged, but the youthful lineup, which includes last year’s MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is only likely to improve as it matures. 

Gilgeous-Alexander heads into the season as the joint favourite to be crowned MVP once again, while Ladbrokes have given the Thunder odds of 13/5 to retain the title. However, no team has retained the crown since 2018, and the Western Conference is home to seven of this year’s top ten favourites. 

Thanks to Gilgeous-Alexander’s free throws in the closing seconds of the game, the Thunder started their defence with a marginal 125-124 victory over the Rockets.  

Denver Nuggets (5/1)

The Thunder needed seven games to get past the Nuggets in last season’s Western Conference semifinals, and Denver improved during the offseason. They brought in Cameron Johnson to shore up the defence while strengthening a fairly weak bench. 

The Nuggets' machinations and trades saw their NBA odds to win the Championship this year lifted to 5/1. Denver’s first game is against the Warriors this Friday. 

Cleveland Cavaliers (15/2)

Away from the Western Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers are viewed as having the best in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs had the top offensive rating last season, but they will likely need to improve on their ninth-place defensive record. 

Odds of 15/2 set Cleveland up as third favourites for the title. The Cavs have a tough opener against the New York Knicks tomorrow.

New York Knicks (9/1)

The Knicks sit just behind the Cavs in the betting. Their odds to win the NBA Championship are 9/1, having replaced head coach Tim Thibodeau with Mike Brown during the offseason. Other than that, the franchise’s roster remains largely the same, but for a few key additions to the second unit. 

Another team with defensive frailties, the New York Knicks’ young core could see enough improvement to push for a title challenge this time around. 

Minnesota Timberwolves (12/1)

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be hoping to improve on their two successive conference finals appearances this year. 

Guard Anthony Edwards could be the key to that improvement – if he can make a step forward, so too will the Timberwolves, and if this does happen, odds of 12/1 could end up looking very good value for money. 

NBA Championship Odds 2025

Odds correct at time of writing.