2025-26 NBA Finals odds: Oklahoma City Thunder open as biggest title favorites since Kevin Durant-Steph Curry Warriors - Yahoo Sports
The Oklahoma City Thunder just won their first NBA championship, beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 Sunday night in Game 7 to cap off a dominant season.
Oddsmakers don't think the Thunder are one-hit wonders, either.
Oklahoma City opened as a +240 favorite to win the 2025-26 NBA title at BetMGM, the shortest preseason odds for any team since the 2018-19 Golden State Warriors — a team that was an odds-on favorite (-168) to win the championship, according to Sports Odds History. That Warriors team ended up making its fifth consecutive NBA Finals that season, but lost to the Toronto Raptors after both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson were injured in the postseason.
The Cleveland Cavaliers (+700) and New York Knicks (+700) have the next-best odds — and best odds in the Eastern Conference — while the Houston Rockets (+800) have the best odds of any other Western Conference team outside the Thunder.
The Rockets were a big mover in the futures market on Sunday before Game 7 tipped off, going from a consensus number of 12-1 to +750 (second-best odds) after it was reported Kevin Durant was dealt to Houston. BetMGM opened the Rockets at +800; that's Houston's best preseason odds since 2019.
The Los Angeles Lakers (15-1), Denver Nuggets (16-1), Boston Celtics (16-1) and Orlando Magic (18-1) are the other teams with odds better than 20-1. Those are the Magic's best preseason title odds since the 2010-11 season.
The Dallas Mavericks (35-1) own the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and are widely expected to take Duke forward Cooper Flagg. The Mavs have the ninth-best title odds among West teams.
The Pacers (66-1) are tied with the Detroit Pistons for the sixth-best title odds in the East, as Indiana likely will be without Tyrese Haliburton for most (if not all) of the season because of the Achilles injury he suffered in Game 7.
The Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz have the longest odds at 1000-1.
The return of international stars like Paul George and Russell Westbrook to the Oklahoma City Thunder Lineup embodies hope for a championship run beyondKevin Durant-Steph Curry's dominance. Yet, Will it be enough? Only time will tell as they open 206 - odds on favorites in this new NBA season.
The 2016-All Star team of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry in their prime could not have inspired an underdog thunder as compelling as Oklahoma City Thunder returns, holding the betting odds crown for these Finals' Win outright.
The top-of-'Odds' trifle: Oklahoma City Thunder embarking as the most significant title contenders since KD & Steph led Warriors solidifies a cold thrill for 2045 Basketballistic prime.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder opening as leading title favorites against a revamped Kevin Durant and Steph Curry-led Golden State Warriors in 2035, it's an exciting prospect that will either redefine what was thought impossible under their former dominance or usher in new dynasties.
Despite the departure of Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder opening as title favorites in 2015-6 due to their newfound balance around Stephen Curry's immense prowess signals basketball disruptive potential ripe for an unforeseen outcome.
