Even though we've seen a sixth unique titleholder in as many years, oddsmakers are still favoring the newly-crowned Boston Celtics in the race for the 2025 NBA championship.
The 2023 champion Denver Nuggets currently possess 7.5-to-1 odds, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With the Finals having just ended, here's a look at where all 30 teams across the Association sit to potentially capture the Larry O'Brien trophy next year.
2024-25 NBA Championship odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +300 |
| Denver Nuggets | +750 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +850 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +900 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +900 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +1000 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1200 |
| New York Knicks | +1600 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +3000 |
| Miami Heat | +3000 |
| Phoenix Suns | +3500 |
| Golden State Warriors | +3500 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +4000 |
| Indiana Pacers | +5000 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +5000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +5000 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +5000 |
| Sacramento Kings | +5500 |
| Orlando Magic | +8000 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +10000 |
| Houston Rockets | +15000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +15000 |
| Chicago Bulls | +55000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +100000 |
| Toronto Raptors | +100000 |
| Charlotte Hornets | +100000 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +100000 |
| Utah Jazz | +100000 |
| Washington Wizards | +100000 |
| Detroit Pistons | +100000 |
Odds as of June 20
Why are the Boston Celtics favored to repeat?
It's incredibly difficult to forge a "dynasty" in this day and age, what with the league's ever-changing thresholds which severely tax those willing to spend an arm and a leg to build a championship-worthy roster. The top-tier talent is spread far and wide, so capturing consecutive titles - as evident by the last six seasons - is next to impossible.
However, with this iteration of the Celtics, they're perhaps best equipped to differ from the norm. Jayson Tatum is about to command the largest contract ever received, and Finals Most Valuable Player Jaylen Brown is locked in for the long haul, with both players 27 years of age or younger. Jrue Holiday inked a four-year extension, as well, while Kristaps Porzingis is signed through the 2025-26 campaign.
Finishing the regular season with the best overall record and then steamrolling through the playoffs with only three losses along the way rightfully makes Boston the betting favorite to do it all again next year, but the rest of the league won't go away quietly.
NBA Championship Betting Strategy
Much of what formulates odds for NBA title contenders obviously stems from regular-season success. However, once the postseason comes and goes, how far a team advances can greatly impact the championship odds heading into next year before free agency and the draft gets underway.
What Impacts NBA Championship Odds?
- Winning and losing streaks
- Injuries to key players
- Seeding in the standings
- Win-loss records against specific opponents
- Postseason success
How To Bet On NBA Futures
AnNBA futures bettends to revolve around the outcomes of both the regular season and playoffs as opposed to specific games the day of.
Here are some examples of some of the more popular futures bets:
- Which team will win theNBA Championship?
- Which player will win theMost Valuable Player award?
- Will Team X qualify for theNBA playoffs?
Last 10 NBA Championship Winners
| Year | Winning Team | Preseason Odds To Win Title | Opponent In Finals | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | +350 | Dallas Mavericks | 4-1 |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | +1800 | Miami Heat | 4-1 |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | +900 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | +550 | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | +450 | Miami Heat | 4-2 |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | +1850 | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | -187 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | -128 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-1 |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | +280 | Golden State Warriors | 4-3 |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | +2800 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-2 |
The Celtics' win in 2024 marked the sixth-different champion in as many years, a feat which hadn't been accomplished by the league since 1975-80.
The last team to win consecutive championships was the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. That capped off a 10-year run in which only five different teams (Warriors, Lakers, Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Spurs) won a title.
NBA Teams With The Most Championships
| Team | NBA Titles | NBA Finals Appearances | Most Recent NBA Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 18 | 23 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 32 | 2020 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7 | 12 | 2022 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 6 | 1998 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 6 | 2014 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 9 | 1983 |
| Detroit Pistons | 3 | 7 | 2004 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 6 | 2013 |
| New York Knicks | 2 | 8 | 1973 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 3 | 2021 |
Boston's 2024 win moved it past the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championship wins by a single franchise in league history.
The Bulls are the most efficient, sweeping six titles during the 1990s, and the Warriors have the most recent title wins, with four in the last ten years.
NBA Teams That Have Never Appeared In A Finals
| Team | Number Of Seasons | Furthest Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Clippers | 49 | Western Conference Final(2021) |
| Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats | 30 | Eastern Conference Semifinals (1993, 1998, 2001, 2002) |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 29 | Western Conference Final(2004) |
| Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies | 23 | Western Conference Final(2013) |
| New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans | 17 | Western Conference Semifinals (2008, 2018) |
What a sad, sad list of teams. If you’re a fan of these squads, apologies in advance — your team (probably) isn’t breaking the curse this year. Never say never though! The Clippers and Pelicans have made exciting runs recently, we’re all rooting for them to make it eventually.
NBA Championship Odds Trends
- Four of the last sixNBA Finals havebeen decided in six games.
- In the last 21years, the Western Conference is 12-9in NBA Finals.
- Also over the past 21years, the No. 1 seed has won the championship 13times. Those aresolid odds.
- The lowest-seeded team to win the NBA Finals in recent history wasthe sixth-seed 1995 Houston Rockets.
- Since 2010, the top team in the regular season has won the championship fivetimes.
