2024-25 NBA Championship Odds and Predictions

The Boston Celtics just got done winning their first NBA title in over 15 years. They seem poised to give it another go next season, and the recent NBA Championship odds indicate they’re a good bet to do just that.

Should the Celtics be the team you back, or is another contender more worth your time? Before you place your bets, let’s look at the latest NBA Finals odds for next year.

2024-25 NBA Championship Odds

The 2024-25 NBA Finals odds are live at the top basketball betting sites. The actual pricing can and will change at any given moment. 

Different periods in the year can promote fluctuation in pricing, too, so be sure to check out our tips for a little insight as to when to place your bets.

For now, here’s a look at the current 2024-25 NBA betting odds for next season’s Finals as of late June, 2024:

Boston just got done claiming their first title since 2008 and here they are, favored to run it back. 

They have by far the best odds to win the 2024-25 NBA Finals, but there are other teams worth considering. Let’s break down why Boston does or doesn’t make sense for next year, and what other teams stand out when trying to predict who will win the NBA Finals next.

Why Are the Celtics Favored to Win Again?

The argument against the Celtics is weak. I suppose I could tell you that just two NBA teams have repeated as league champs in consecutive years since 2011. The days of dynasties do seem to be a distant memory, after all.

However, Boston is loaded. They’re not projected to lose anyone worth noting, they’ll probably attract cheap vets seeking their first ring, and they’re incredibly well-coached.

Joe Mazzulla has them watch The Dark Knight to build up confidence.

I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t seem like a head coach to be trifled with. Of course, more importantly, Boston is just really good at just about everything. This team ranked 3rd in defensive efficiency and 1st in offensive efficiency a year ago.

Boston beefed up their defense by landing Jrue Holiday and they just won a title with Kristaps Porzingis barely playing and doing so on one good leg. The Celtics might only get better going into next season, so the real question is why wouldn’t they be favored?

The only real obstacles? Injuries and perhaps complacency. Odds are Boston is deep enough to withstand injuries, though, and they’d probably wake up in time to defend their title. At +300 odds, they’re kind of a screaming value when you look at how good they actually are. In fact, they’re a lock to win the Eastern Conference as well.

Top 2024-25 NBA Finals Contenders

Boston is absolutely a threat to repeat as NBA champs, so their 2024-25 NBA Finals betting odds honestly look pretty great. That said, there are still some worthy adversaries in The Association, starting with the team that won it all the year prior, the Nuggets. 

Oklahoma City Thunder +750

The Oklahoma City Thunder made some key offseason moves that position them as the favorites to come out of the Western Conference. In addition to stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, the Thunder added Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein.

The Thunder also have young studs on the bench in Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Luguentz Dort. They’re eight deep in their rotation and don’t have any weaknesses after this offseason. The addition of Hartenstein, gives OKC a legit big man to play alongside Holmgren. Adding Caruso gives them one of the top defensive guards in the league.

From offensive scoring to defensive mastery, this team is a legit threat to the Celtics and provide great value at +750 odds.

Philadelphia 76ers +800

Nick Nurse is one of the most underrated coaches in the league and Joel Embiid is an MVP-winning superstar.

Embiid was on track for his second straight MVP nod before getting hurt last year, and that’s been his story for much of his career. Whether it was the deterioration of Ben Simmons or Joel’s inability to stay healthy, he and the Sixers can’t get out of their own way.

The emergence of Tyrese Maxey (25.9 points and 6.2 assists per game last year) was the one major beacon of hope. He forms a lethal one-two punch with Embiid, with Philly possessing the coaching and surrounding depth to potentially take the next step.

Philadelphia made one of the biggest acquisitions in the offseason by signing Paul George. This now gives the 76ers one of the best trios in the league and makes them a legitimate contender for the Eastern Conference championship with their rival the Celtics.

Denver Nuggets +850

It’s weird how quickly everyone has forgotten how good the Nuggets are. They coasted to the franchise’s first ever title in 2023 and during the regular season last year appeared to be as good as ever.

Denver has to contend with an improving Western Conference, there’s no denying that. Several other teams are now in position to give them issues, but if healthy, the Nuggets are as talented as anyone.

The Nuggets are one of the few teams that offer a top-10 unit both in offensive and defensive efficiency. They also have multi-MVP stud Nikola Jokic, who is reason enough to back them at their +800 NBA Finals odds.

New York Knicks +900

I’ll start you off with the Knicks, who were grinded to a pulp after an entire year of everyone playing 45 minutes per game. I’m being facetious, but Tom Thibodeau is notorious for over-playing his guys, and he certainly was guilty of that last season.

At full strength, the Knicks have proven they could be a serious problem. And that was the case even when they weren’t, as Jalen Brunson went into superhero mode for much of last year.

This team was very good even without Julius Randle for their entire playoff run. In fact, they acquired Bojan Bogdanovic to help their bench scoring, and even he was lost to injury.

New York ran into some bad luck, but they turned those misfortunes into an aggressive offseason by acquiring Mikal Bridges from a trade with the Brooklyn Nets. They also re-signed OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa.

The bench has plenty of talent with Don’t DeVincenzo and Josh Hart. The Knicks are the deepest team in the Eastern Conference and will be a legitimate threat to the Celtics.

Dallas Mavericks +1000

We have to talk about the team that just bowed to the Celtics. Dallas was not a legitimate title threat coming into the playoffs, but they hit their stride and willed their way to the league’s biggest stage.

Did they over-achieve? Absolutely. Were they simply lightning in a bottle? Only maybe. The way I see it, Dallas did far better than expected, but when you have a generational talent like Luka Doncic, that’s possible every single season.

Doncic wasn’t healthy in the Finals, though. If he can commit to better conditioning and the Mavs make some big moves to put themselves in better position, these NBA Finals betting odds could look like a joke a few months from now.

Minnesota Timberwolves +1000

The Minnesota Timberwolves appear to have a very bright future ahead of them. They were able to retain most of their players and drafted well, which gives them even more youth with plenty of upside.

The core of their team goes unchanged and they are a threat to reach the NBA Finals. They had the best defense in basketball (105.9 efficiency rating) all year, and youth tripped them up in the WCF.

If Anthony Edwards can stop pointing fingers and the Wolves take that next step, you could be looking at the 2024-25 NBA Champions.

Milwaukee Bucks +1200

Even more overlooked than Denver would be the Bucks, who have endured quite the fall from grace over the past two years. They’ve remained a force in the regular season, but have quickly gone from the league’s #1 seed and NBA Finals favorite to a total after thought.

Doc Rivers will do that to you. So will not being healthy. Make that two consecutive seasons where Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t 100% for the playoffs, and you can guess how Milwaukee’s stay in the post-season went.

On paper, the Bucks still have a fearsome trio with Giannis, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton leading the charge. That Big 3 makes them a viable contender, and their +1000 odds are appealing. However, can we trust Doc to make the right calls and this squad to stay on the floor? It’s admittedly a big ask.

Phoenix Suns +3000

The Phoenix Suns have +3000 NBA Finals odds, but they’re closer to contending than what those odds indicate. In theory, anyways, as they do have to face a stiffer conference as a whole.

There’s always the possibility Phoenix panics and sends a star like Kevin Durant packing by the Trade Deadline. However, the fact that the team made a big move in bringing in Mike Bundenholzer as their head coach tells me they’re focused on contending with this roster.

On paper, they’re probably right. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal do give them a dynamite trio offensively. They just need to keep working together to find the right flow to take that next step. They also need to remain healthy.

The additions of Mason Plumlee and Tyus Jones gives them highly capable depth pieces that they didn’t have last year. Add Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, you have two role players that greatly complement the star players.

Phoenix offers great betting value for a team led by Durant and Booker.

Miami Heat +4000

The Miami Heat have a stellar coach in Erik Spoelstra, who will be called upon to find the right balance between veteran players and youthful talent.

The Heat were able to keep Jimmy Butler, but wasn’t able to land other big free agents. So, they will be depending on their young talent to step up like Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. Rookie Kel’el Ware looks like a draft steal as he provides a highly capable backup big for the Heat.

This team will go as far as their young players take them. And, that could be to the Eastern Conference Finals at the very least.

Longshot 2024-25 NBA Finals Bets

Want to up the ante even further? You can always take a stab at the next big thing arriving as soon as this year.  Usually it takes steps for teams to morph into a true title threat, but it wouldn’t be completely unprecedented for a team to come out of nowhere to chase a title. If you like the odds, these teams could be worth a bet.

Orlando Magic +5000

I also wouldn’t completely ignore the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference. They’re young, but Orlando was vastly improved en route to a 47-35 record, and they gave the Cavaliers a dog fight in the first round of the Playoffs.

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are a pretty alluring tandem, and Orlando isn’t afraid to get dirty (2nd in defensive rating last season). With their defensive aptitude and maturing young roster, could Orando see a huge leap and push for a Finals appearance?

The addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, improves a team that was already one of the best on the defensive side of the ball. The bench has numerous young pieces like Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, and Anthony Black.

The future is very bright for the Magic and they’re definitely a worthy longshot flier.

Sacramento Kings +6000

For the Sacramento Kings, it’s all about talent. They have a terrific inside/outside game via De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. They were able to re-sign Malik Monk and have one of the top young two-way forwards in the league – Keegan Murray.

However, trading for DeMar DeRozan now gives this team a legit Big 3, which is what the NBA has become. A team needs at least three star players to truly compete for the NBA Championship.

Although the Kings unloaded Harrison Barnes in the DeRozan trade, they still have plenty of depth and role players to complement the Big 4.

In addition to Malik Monk, the Kings also have Kevin Huerter, last season’s breakout player in Keon Ellis, Trey Lyles, Alex Len, Orlando Robinson and rookie Devin Carter.

The Kings are built to contend in the Western Conference. They’re an absolute steal at +6000 odds. In fact, the Kings are the biggest steal for this wager.

San Antonio Spurs +10000

Lastly, let’s not rule out Victor Wembanyama delivering Gregg Popovich the ultimate swan song. The legendary Spurs head coach has appeared to be relatively washed in recent years, but that’s nothing Wemby can’t fix.

Wemby can’t do it all on his own, though. San Antonio won just 22 games a year ago, and they have glaring holes. However, talent attracts talent and the Spurs should look to be aggressive as they try to keep their franchise stud happy.

If the Spurs integrate the right pieces this off-season, who is to say a generational player can’t nudge them to a title? They’re certainly one of the bigger longshot NBA picks to win it all, but never say never.

2024-25 NBA Championship Prediction

You came here for the latest 2024-25 NBA Finals odds, and you got them. You also got a close look at the most viable bets to dethrone the Celtics.

Denver was here two seasons ago and won. Milwaukee has a nice Big 3. Luka got to the Finals and will be out for blood. There are countless other teams who are definitely knocking on the door. Eventually, another team will unseat Boston.

Ultimately, I just don’t see that happening in 2024-25. The one thing the league had going for them was that Boston didn’t know they could get it done yet. Now they do.

Boston may very well be setting up to be a dynasty. I think it starts with a repeat, and I wouldn’t at all be shocked to see them string together even more titles. You can still bet on other teams to win the NBA Finals, but Boston is a really tough sell at +300.

Bet: Boston Celtics +300

NBA Championship Prop Bets

The following NBA Championship prop bets are courtesy of Bet365:

NBA Winning Conference

• Eastern (-130)
• Western (+100)

Looking at the Top 5 odds-on favorites, three of them are in the Eastern Conference: Celtics, 76ers and Knicks.

These three teams are far and away the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and that doesn’t even include the Bucks who are a step below, but still the best of the rest.

As for the Western Conference, it really comes down to which teams you believe can beat the Celtics. Denver is a great team, but they can’t even get past the Mavericks, who we saw is unable to beat Boston. The Timberwolves and OKC are two young, rising teams but they will have matchup problems against the Celtics as well.

Ultimately, if Boston stays healthy, they should win a second consecutive NBA title with the best Top 6 in the league. Take the Eastern Conference for this prop bet.

Bet: Eastern Conference (-130)

NBA Winning Division

• Atlantic Division (+130)
• Northwest Division (+240)
• Southwest Division (+650)
• Central Division (+800)
• Pacific Division (+800)
• Southeast Division (+2500)

This prop bet provides us an opportunity to either ride with the favorite or take a flier on another option. With that said, I believe we should leave the flier route for the following prop bet, and stick with the favorite in this one.

The Atlantic Division consists of five teams: Celtics, Knicks, 76ers, Raptors and Nets. Although the Raptors and Nets have really no chance to win the Eastern Conference, let alone the NBA Title, the top three teams in this division are all real contenders for both.

As mentioned above, the Celtics, 76ers and Knicks are all in the Top 5 betting favorites to win the 2024-25 NBA Championship. So, to get all three in one bet is incredible.

At +130, we still have plenty of value on plus-money odds. These odds are only going to shrink with each passing month of the regular season. You can expect all three teams to be among the top seeds in the Eastern Conference all year long.

Bet: Atlantic Division (+130)

State of NBA Champion

• The Field (-350)
• Texas (+850)
• New York (+900)
• California (+1100)
• Florida (+2500)

For this prop bet, The Field represents roughly two-thirds of the league. It includes teams like the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, OKC Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves who comprise five of the Top 7 betting favorites to win the NBA Championship.

Yet, this prop bet also gives us a great option for taking a flier on California. The Golden State consists of four teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Lakers, Warriors and Kings are all Playoff teams that will contend in the Western Conference. The Kings could actually compete in the Western Conference Finals. And, you can never count out the former champs in the Lakers and Warriors.

At +1100 odds, California is a great option as a flier to combine with the Celtics, Atlantic Division, and Eastern Conference NBA Championship wagers.

Bet: California (+1100)

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