The 2025-26 NBA season started last night with a thrilling double-overtime game in Oklahoma City, where the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, edged out the Houston Rockets 125-124.
Last season, OKC captured their second NBA championship in franchise history by defeating the Indiana Pacers in a hard-fought seven-game NBA Finals series.
Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are projected to repeat as champions by most online NBA betting sites. Today, we’ll take a look at the latest NBA odds for conference winners and league champions, and use the data to predict this season’s results.
Western Conference
Oklahoma City is way out in front of the pack, with a moneyline that separates them by 330 points from the next highest-rated team, the Denver Nuggets.
Western Conference Winner
- Oklahoma City Thunder +145
- Denver Nuggets +475
- Houston Rockets +900
- Los Angeles Lakers +900
- Golden State Warriors +1000
- L.A. Clippers +1200
- Minnesota Timberwolves +1200
- Dallas Mavericks +1800
- San Antonio Spurs +3500
- Memphis Grizzlies +12500
- New Orleans Pelicans +20000
- Phoenix Suns +20000
- Sacramento Kings +20000
- Portland Trail Blazers +25000
- Utah Jazz +35000
The Nuggets’ betting futures are worthy of consideration because they are always a threat to go all the way as long as they have Nikola Jokić on their roster. Beyond Denver, the Houston Rockets, LA Lakers, and Golden State Warriors will all payout at 9-to-1 or better if they win the Western Conference and go to the NBA Finals.
Eastern Conference
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers finished with an impressive 64-18 record, topping the Central Division and the Eastern Conference, but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Indiana Pacers. This year, they enter the 2025-26 NBA season with high expectations to build on last season’s success and make a deeper playoff run.
Eastern Conference Winner
- Cleveland Cavaliers +210
- New York Knicks +400
- Orlando Magic +650
- Atlanta Hawks +800
- Boston Celtics +1200
- Detroit Pistons +1200
- Philadelphia 76ers +1200
- Milwaukee Bucks +1600
- Miami Heat +4000
- Indiana Pacers +4500
- Toronto Raptors +4500
- Chicago Bulls +12500
- Brooklyn Nets +40000
- Charlotte Hornets +50000
- Washington Wizards +50000
The trio of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland are expected to carry the Cavs to the Finals, but the field appears much more competitive than the West based on the latest NBA futures.
One team to keep an eye on is the Orlando Magic at +650. They are poised for a strong 2025-26 season thanks to their solid young core led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Additionally, Orlando made a key offseason signing of Desmond Bane, a sharpshooter who shoots 41% from three-point range, which addresses their previous struggles in perimeter shooting and adds a much-needed offensive boost.
Our Projections: The Thunder Beat The Magic In The Finals
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