OKC Heavy Favorite to Repeat as NBA Champions

The Oklahoma City Thunder were the perceived weaker team in only a handful of contests last year while on the path to securing their first NBA championship.

Those who set the odds anticipate a comparable journey this year.

The Thunder, who commence their championship defense this Tuesday facing off against the Houston Rockets, are firmly projected to achieve another championship, showing at 2-1 at ESPN BET. Such figures represent the shortest odds entering a season since the dominant Golden State Warriors in 2017-18.

“They stand out significantly above [everyone else], and they are expected to be the favored team in nearly every contest, barring some unforeseen situation,” Jeff Sherman, a seasoned NBA odds analyst for the Westgate SuperBook located in Las Vegas, remarked concerning the Thunder.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, at +650, possess the second-lowest odds behind the Thunder. The Denver Nuggets (+650) are the solitary additional team displaying title odds less than +1000.

The New York Knicks are listed at +1000, followed by the Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, both at +1500 each.

While Oklahoma City is the decidedly strong favorite, the Thunder’s low odds have individuals placing wagers examining other possibilities.

At ESPN BET, almost 50% of the funds wagered on the odds for the NBA title outcome rested on the Nuggets. Denver also attracted the largest volume of wagers and financial investment toward winning the title at BetMGM. The Nuggets’ odds shifted from nearly 15-1 down to +650 during this offseason, as the team underwent adjustments centered around Nikola Jokic.

Jokic is considered the likeliest candidate to secure the MVP award and is shown at +215 at ESPN BET, followed by Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at +250. The Lakers’ Luka Doncic is positioned next at +440.