Following the All-Star break, the defending champions and the two top teams in the NBA are the frontrunners to win the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder are both favored at +225 to win the Finals at BetMGM, while the Cleveland Cavaliers trail at +800. The Thunder and Cavaliers lead their respective conferences with impressive 44-10 records. The Cavaliers are 5.5 games ahead of the Celtics, while the Thunder maintain an eight-game lead in the West over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Both the Celtics and Thunder opted to stay put at the trade deadline in February. The Thunder welcomed back Chet Holmgren from injury, while the Cavaliers acquired De’Andre Hunter from the Hawks in exchange for Caris LeVert.
The Celtics have won two out of three games against the Cavaliers and have one more matchup scheduled for Feb. 28 in Boston. A win for the Celtics could potentially give them the tiebreaker if they manage to close the 5.5 game gap.
With less than 30 games left in the regular season, the Knicks, Nuggets, and Lakers are closely trailing the top three teams. New York sits at +1300, while the Lakers and Nuggets are at +1400. The Knicks are third in the East, just 2.5 games behind the Celtics, while the Lakers are currently fifth in the West.
Despite recent trades and acquisitions, questions loom over the Lakers’ defense as they aim to optimize the pairing of Luka Dončić and LeBron James. Denver, with Nikola Jokić leading the charge, seems to offer the best value among the top contenders, riding an eight-game win streak into the All-Star break.
The Celtics hold the highest betting percentage at BetMGM, followed by the Lakers and Nuggets. The Grizzlies and Bucks trail with odds no better than +2500 and +3000, respectively.
Here’s a breakdown of the odds for teams with a 100-1 or better chance of winning the Finals in 2025:
2025 NBA Finals odds
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Boston Celtics (+225)
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Oklahoma City Thunder (+225)
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Cleveland Cavaliers (+800)
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New York Knicks (+1400)
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Los Angeles Lakers (+1400)
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Memphis Grizzlies (+2500)
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Milwaukee Bucks (+3000)
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Los Angeles Clippers (+3500)
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Dallas Mavericks (+4000)
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Golden State Warriors (+4000)
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Houston Rockets (+5000)
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Minnesota Timberwolves (+5000)
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Philadelphia 76ers (+6600)
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Phoenix Suns (+8000)
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Indiana Pacers (+10000)
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Orlando Magic (+10000)