2024-25 NBA Western Conference Odds and Predictions

The 2024-25 NBA season is just around the corner. Before it arrives, bettors should take a look at the latest NBA Western Conference odds and see if they can predict who will reach the NBA Finals.

Beyond bragging rights when you predict who reaches the NBA Finals, you can win some cold, hard cash at sports betting sites.

To do that, you need to look at the latest NBA Western Conference betting odds and consider every team that could realistically win. Luckily for you I’ve done just that, so read on for my odds analysis and predictions.

2024-25 NBA Western Conference Odds

NBA Team	Conference Odds	Top Seed	Top 6 Seed
OKC Thunder	+350	+160	-750
Denver Nuggets	+400	+400	-500
Dallas Mavericks	+450	+700	-250
Minnesota Timberwolves	+450	+375	-500
Los Angeles Lakers	+1400	+4000	+160
Phoenix Suns	+1400	+2000	+105
Golden State Warriors	+1800	+3000	+180
Memphis Grizzlies	+1800	+1800	-105
New Orleans Pelicans	+2000	+3000	+130
Los Angeles Clippers	+2200	+10000	+350
Sacramento Kings	+2500	+2500	+120
Houston Rockets	+5000	+5000	+300
San Antonio Spurs	+6500	+12500	+700
Portland Trail Blazers	+50000	+75000	+6000
Utah Jazz	+50000	+75000	+1600

The NBA odds for the above betting markets really aren’t that shocking. You’re looking at just a handful of truly elite teams in the west, with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and perhaps the Phoenix Suns standing out as legit title contenders.

It remains to be seen if the Dallas Mavericks are a team that can actually be trusted, or if last year’s magical run was something of a fluke.

As things stand, though, NBA betting sites like the Thunder to do big things going into next year, and Denver figures to be their main challenger. Can Dallas, Minnesota, and the others give them a run for their money and push for the #1 seed, a top-6 seed, or even get to the Finals? Will any of these teams contend with the Boston Celtics out of the Eastern Conference?

Let’s find out as I break down the top contenders to win the NBA Western Conference, as well as some viable value bets.

NBA Western Conference Favorites

If you’re betting on who will win the NBA Western Conference, I’d start with the following three squads.

Oklahoma City Thunder +350

The Oklahoma City Thunder appeared to be on the verge of something special last year, but when you think about it, they were probably a bit too young to take such a giant leap so quickly.

The Thunder now know what it takes to make serious noise in the NBA playoffs, however, so another big jump could be coming in 2024-25.

This team was already the best team in this conference last season, winning 57 games and putting up 120 points per game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated all year, scoring 30.1 points per game, while setting his teammates up routinely (6.2 assists per game).

SAG was the biggest piece to the Thunder’s offensive puzzle, but they were dynamic thanks to the maturation of big man Chet Holmgren (16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game) and Jalen Williams (19.1 points per game).

OKC arguably improved on offense when they traded away Josh Giddey, while Alex Caruso comes to town and gives them a more proven spot-up perimeter threat and an ace defender.

That goes right along with who the Thunder have become, as Holmgren (2.3 blocks per game) terrorizes opponents in the paint, and this defense ranked fourth in efficiency.

Across the board, the Thunder have the pieces in place to make a run to the NBA Finals. After advancing to the second round and bowing out against Dallas, OKC could be poised to get back to the league’s championship series this season.

Denver Nuggets +400

Nikola Jokic is so good at this point that it’s boring people. He’s claimed three of the past four NBA MVP trophies, and he’s statistically been dominating The Association.

The crazy part? He often seems like he doesn’t even care.

Jokic’s dominance isn’t going anywhere. Denver’s prospects aren’t so dependent on him continuing to excel – he’s going to remain the man – it’s about whether or not the Nuggets’ supporting cast can deliver.

That wasn’t the case in a 4-3 series loss in round two to the Minnesota Timberwolves last year, but it’s arguable Denver suffered from mental fatigue after claiming the NBA Finals title the previous season.

Now a bit more refreshed and refocused, it’s possible the likes of Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray can collectively bounce back and contend for yet another title.

The west is loaded, but Denver still tied for the best record in the conference last year, and measures up nicely to every other contender.

Anytime you have Jokic running the show, you have a chance. The team also added veteran guard Russell Westbrook this summer, while several depth pieces like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson could improve to the point where they demand more burn.

Deeper and hungrier than ever, the Nuggets look like the logical pivot off of the favored Thunder to win the Western Conference this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves +450

Need another legit NBA Western Conference contender? How about the Minnesota Timberwolves? Not only did they edge out the defending champions in a 4-3 series, but they got all the way to the WCF a year ago.

The T’Wolves fell short there, as their inexperience and immaturity saw them get dominated by an arguably inferior Dallas Mavericks squad.

Sometimes you have to learn lessons the hard way, of course, and Minnesota at least now knows how to get to the WCF, and how to not play with a trip to the Finals on the line.

This team’s upside is completely tied to stud shooting guard Anthony Edwards, who is often compared to Michael Jordan. That’s a bit of a stretch, but Edwards is an undeniable offensive force who is borderline unstoppable when he’s on.

Fortunately, Edwards doesn’t have to do it all on his own. The team around him was good enough to rank #1 in defense a year ago, and he has veteran experience via point guard Mike Conley and big man Rudy Gobert.

Karl-Anthony Towns gives him a second star to lean on (21.8 points per game), and this team’s explosive outside shooting (3rd in the NBA in 3-point percentage) gives them a chance against anyone.

Minnesota will still only go as far as Anthony Edwards will take them. It seems, however, that he has the ability to take them pretty far.

NBA Western Conference Betting Value

Want a bit more upside with your NBA Western Conference picks? Try these two value bets.

Phoenix Suns +1400

Is it time to give up on the Phoenix Suns? I can’t bring myself to do it just yet. Maybe it’s name recognition and star power, but the Suns still seem to have enough talent to make a lot of noise come playoff time.

In theory, the Suns have the talent on their roster to compete for a top seed. Come playoff time, they absolutely could be a team nobody wants to run into.

That admittedly was not the case last season, when the Suns barely showed up in a 4-0 sweep defeat by the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. A failure like that would indicate the Suns are closer to starting over than winning a title, but this remains a gifted team with untapped potential.

People seem to forget that Devin Booker and co. aren’t that far removed from nearly winning an NBA title. Booker himself was sensational once again during the regular season last year, putting up 27.1 points per game and leading Phoenix to 49 wins.

Nagging injuries and a lack of continuity didn’t do the Suns any favors, but Booker combined with Kevin Durant (27.1 point per game) to form one of the most lethal 1-2 scoring punches in the NBA.

Bradley Beal was a solid third option, as well, while Grayson Allen spear-headed a supporting cast that contributed to the league’s fifth best outside shooting offense.

Offensively, the Suns can hang with anyone. It’s worth wondering if they have the defensive aptitude to turn it on come playoff time, but at +1400 they still feel like a valid value bet.

Memphis Grizzlies +1800

One other terrific NBA Western Conference value bet – and perhaps the best team to back across the board – has to be the Memphis Grizzlies at +1800 odds.

Last year was a full-blown disaster for Memphis. Ja Morant – finally back after dealing with suspension issues – played in just nine games due to injury. In fact, the entire team was lit up by the injury bug, being forced to push out skeleton crew rosters on a nightly basis.

The nightmare seems to be over, however, and a healthy Morant (26.2 points per game in his last full season) promises to have the Grizz back to relevancy. Just how far Memphis climbs, of course, depends on the rest of the roster.

Desmond Bane gives Morant a solid second option, while Jaren Jackson Jr. is a nice big man that can shoot from outside and also block shots. They also added imposing big man Zach Ledey via the NBA Draft, giving them a potentially nasty frontcourt.

What bettors saw over the past year tells them nothing. What they should feel good about, though, is the fact that the Grizzlies won 51+ games and finished first in their division the last two seasons they had a healthy squad.

Finally able to field a full team of starting-caliber talent, Memphis is an obscene value bet to win the NBA Western Conference in 2024-25.

Are they safe? Absolutely not. However, they’re one of my favorite NBA picks going into the new year, based on value.

Best NBA Western Conference Longshot

The Sacramento Kings (+2500) are the best longshot bet to win the Western Conference. Here’s a team that won the Pacific Division two years ago, but fell short last postseason by losing in the Play-In Tournament. However, it wasn’t because they regressed, it was due to two key injuries as both Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk were absent for the final month of the season and postseason. That’s two of their three best 3-point shooters, their best bench player, and two guys that space the floor for De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

Fox and Sabonis provide the Kings with one of the best 1-2 combos in the league. Keegan Murray has also become one of the best young two-way forwards in the league. But it was clear that Sacramento needed more help if they wanted to truly compete in the West. So, the team orchestrated a trade for DeMar Derozan and now have a true Big 3 to compete against the Suns, Nuggets, Thunder, Mavs, and Timberwolves.

In fact, the Kings have a Big 4 now, if you include Murray. They also have the best 6th man in Malik Monk, if the Kings decide to bring him off the bench still. Huerter will be healed from his season ending injury and Keon Ellis was Sacramento’s breakout star from last season. Add in Lyles, Len, and Robinson, the Kings have enough depth to go along with their star power to be a real contender in the Western Conference. At +2500 odds, this line is a steal.

2024-25 NBA Western Conference Predictions: Who Wins The West?

Before we get into which teams we think will finish as the Top 3 seeds in the Western Conference, let’s make our prediction on which team will win the West. This Conference is loaded with talented rosters. From former champs in the Nuggets, to rising powerhouses like the T-Wolves and Thunder, the Western Conference is going to be a war of attrition all season long.

With that in mind, you need a team that’s battle tested to handle the rigors of a full season and the pressure of the Playoffs. Sure, the Mavs, Thunder and T-Wolves proved they had the youth and talent to crush the regular season and put together strong Playoff runs. But there’s only one team that’s truly battle tested and that’s the Nuggets. The former NBA Champs fell short of their quest last postseason. That should motivate Denver to get back to the top of the mountain this year.

Too many bettors and fans are sleeping on the Nuggets for the new shiny toys in the Mavs, T-Wolves and Thunder. We’re not sleeping on Denver. In fact, we think they will win the West.

NBA Western Conference Prop Bets

You can bet on who will win the NBA Western Conference, but there’s also some fun props to target.

Western Conference Top Seed

• Oklahoma City Thunder +160
• Minnesota Timberwolves +375
• Denver Nuggets +400
• Dallas Mavericks +700
• Memphis Grizzlies +1800

OKC and Denver tied for the best record in the Western Conference last year, so they look like the most logical picks to earn the #1 seed at the moment.

Minnesota wasn’t far behind, so they’re also in play. Memphis might need one full year back at full strength for me to buy into them completely, while Dallas didn’t do enough to their roster to make me believe they’ll take the next step.

OKC makes sense as the betting favorite, but the Nuggets still feel like the most complete team in the Western Conference. The value they’re offering for this wager also feels insane.

Western Conference 2nd Seed

• Oklahoma City Thunder +340
• Denver Nuggets +375
• Minnesota Timberwolves +400
• Dallas Mavericks +600
• Memphis Grizzlies +1200

If you’re not betting on the Thunder to win the top seed in the Western Conference, I think you should target them to get the two seed.

Minnesota is also in play here, while Denver makes a ton of sense if you don’t like them to get the #1 seed. Dallas is a slightly more logical pick here, but I still don’t project them to come close to the best record in the west.

If I’m betting on Denver to have the best Western Conference record, it’s OKC or Minnesota for me here. The Timberwolves offer better value, but I think OKC is the pick.

Western Conference 3rd Seed

• Denver Nuggets +500
• Minnesota Timberwolves +500
• Dallas Mavericks +550
• Oklahoma City Thunder +550
• Memphis Grizzlies +900

Depending how you bet on the Western Conference this year, all of the listed teams are viable.

Do keep in mind that there are other options for all of these Western Conference prop bets. If you really want to, you could roll the dice on someone like the Los Angeles Lakers (+2000) or Golden State Warriors (+1600).

If I were to do that, this would probably be the betting market to target. I’d still need either of those franchises to make at least one big move to give me confidence to back them, though.

Want to get even crazier? You could ignore those teams that are getting long in the tooth altogether, and chase after a squad with upside. After Wemby won the NBA Rookie of the Year, he got reinforcements and it’s possible his San Antonio Spurs (+6500) could be ready for a big leap.

As things stand, I’d go with Minnesota here. They’re offering a similar price to the other top contenders to win the three seed, but I don’t quite think they’ll make the leap to take the #1 seed in this conference just yet.

Recent NBA Western Conference Winners

Year	Team	Record
2023-24	Dallas Mavericks	50-32
2022-23	Denver Nuggets	53-29
2021-22	Golden State Warriors	53-29
2020-21	Phoenix Suns	51-21
2019-20	Los Angeles Lakers	52-19
2018-19	Golden State Warriors	57-25
2017-18	Golden State Warriors	58-24
2016-17	Golden State Warriors	67-15
2015-16	Golden State Warriors	73-9
2014-15	Golden State Warriors	67-15