NBA Championship 2025 Odds: Will the Celtics Repeat?

Oklahoma City Thunder (+200)

• • Head Coach: Mark Daigneault
  • 2023-24 Record: 57-25 (Loss Conference Semifinals)
  • NBA Titles: 1 (Seattle Supersonics)
  • Key Players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams

The Thunder are 60-12 and have taken a two-game lead over Cleveland in the race for the best overall record, which would land them home court in the NBA Finals, should they get there. Oklahoma City continues to be the class of the league with an NBA-best net rating of 12.8. They’re fourth in offensive net rating, and first in defensive net rating.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are the youngest team to ever reach 60 wins, doing so at the eighth-fastest pace in NBA history ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/IJ3R9kBE4C

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 26, 2025

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a runaway favorite in the NBA MVP odds to win it for the first time, as he leads the NBA with 32.8 points per game. But the Thunder’s biggest weapon is their defense, where they can run out nine players who are at least above-average defenders. Chet Holmgren has worked himself back into shape after a pelvic injury, giving the Thunder one of the best rim protectors in the league.

The only knock on the Thunder is a lack of playoff experience. After three straight seasons of missing the playoffs, OKC swept New Orleans last season, then lost in six games to Dallas. They were overwhelmed by the Mavericks’ size and physicality, so they went out and got Isaiah Hartenstein.

I think the Thunder’s lack of experience won’t be a problem as everyone is gunning for them this season, and they’ve passed most tests with aplomb. Oklahoma City is properly priced in these NBA Championship odds, but they’ll have some competition.

Boston Celtics (+220)

• • Head Coach: Joe Mazzulla
  • 2023-24 Record: 64-18 (Champions)
  • NBA Titles: 18
  • Key Players: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis

The reigning champions have been terrific since the All-Star break, posting a record of 14-3! They’re only 4.5 games behind Cleveland in the Eastern Conference, but the Celtics might run out of time to catch the Cavaliers as they have just nine games left in the regular season.

Celtics have now made 20+ threes in 58 games since Joe Mazzulla became head coach.

Boston is 52-6 in those games, including tonight.

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) March 27, 2025

The Celtics continue to lean on their three-point shooting. Boston’s 48.3 three-point attempts are almost six more per game than second-place Chicago. They’re also seventh in the league, hitting 37.1% of those attempts.

The team also doesn’t get enough credit for their defense as the Celtics are fifth in defensive net rating. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are great on the offensive end, but they can lock up the opposing wings, and Tatum has even guarded centers this season.

I do have some concerns about the Celtics when their three-pointers aren’t falling as they don’t seem to have a Plan B. They just continue to shoot more and hope they start to go down. The Celtics are 29^th in the league in free-throw attempts, which is frustrating as they have players who should get to the foul line easily.

I worry that they’ll run into a cold streak at some point. But they haven’t yet, and the Celtics are very deserving of being where they are in the NBA title odds for 2024-25!

Cleveland Cavaliers (+550)

• • Head Coach: Kenny Atkinson
  • 2023-24 Record: 48-34 (Loss Conference Semifinals)
  • NBA Titles: 1
  • Key Players: Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley

The Cavaliers might feel slighted by their NBA championship price as they’ve been one of the top two teams all season. However, Boston is getting the benefit of the doubt as the defending champions, and Oklahoma City have also been fantastic. Still, the Cavs should use this as motivation for the postseason.

could watch this for HOURS. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/Gj3UaQUQDe

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 23, 2025

The Cavs are second in net rating behind Oklahoma City, and just ahead of Boston. They’re first in offensive rating as Kenny Atkinson is way out in front of the NBA Coach of the Year odds, due to his handling of the Cleveland offense.

Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are money in clutch time, while Evan Mobley’s improved outside shooting has spaced the floor. De’Andre Hunter is shooting 47.3% from beyond the arc since he was traded from Atlanta.

Cleveland is also eighth in defensive net rating, and Mobley is one of the favorites in the NBA DPOY odds. However, the Cavs don’t have the rim protection you would expect with Mobley and Jarrett Allen as their big men. The Cavs are 26^th in the league in blocks.

There is also something to be said about their playoff experience. The Cavs lost in the first round two season ago against New York, in which they were bullied. They needed seven games to beat Orlando, and then lost in five games to Boston last year.

They’re a great regular-season team, but do the Cavs have what it takes in the postseason? The NBA title odds are good, but I need to see it first.

Los Angeles Lakers (+600)

• Head Coach: J.J. Redick
• 2023-24 Record: 47-35 (Loss First Round)
• NBA Titles: 17
• Key Players: Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Austin Reaves 

The Lakers are another team that gets the benefit of the doubt, simply because of their star players. They surged up the odds at NBA betting sites after the Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis trade that sent shockwaves through the league.

The Lakers are 12-7 when Doncic plays, although it has been up and down since LeBron James missed a couple of weeks with a groin injury.

MAN ON THE LAKERS 👏 pic.twitter.com/NqEl8iSzFd

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 27, 2025

The Lakers are still figuring out their offense with Doncic and James, and they’re 12^th in offensive net rating through their last 15 games. They’ve also dropped defensively, ranking 20^th in defensive net rating in the same time. This is a team that will live and die by their ability to score. In addition to Doncic and James, Austin Reaves has emerged as perhaps the best third option in the NBA.

Can the Lakers win the title? I’ll never say never with Doncic and James on the court. But I just don’t trust their defense enough. It slows down in the playoffs, and you need to get stops. Jaxson Hayes is their lone rim protector, which says it all. I think the Lakers are a tad overpriced here, but with their two superstars, anything is possible.

Golden State Warriors (+700)

• Head Coach: Steve Kerr
• 2023-24 Record: 47-35 (Loss Play-in Round)
• NBA Titles: 7
• Key Players: Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler 

I also think the Warriors are overpriced here at +700, even though they’ve been fantastic since trading Andrew Wiggins to Miami for Jimmy Butler. The Warriors are 15-5 with Butler in the lineup.

• Warriors record with Jimmy Butler: 16-2
• Heat record since trading Butler: 4-17

There’s no sugar coating it, he has made an absolute fool out of Pat Riley & the entire Miami Heat organization.

No matter how ugly it got, all they had to was pay 22 what he deserved. pic.twitter.com/4aU4o0EFGM

— Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) March 22, 2025

Butler has energized the Warriors, especially Draymond Green, who is now among the favorites in the NBA DPOY odds! Green doesn’t have to do it all by himself now on defense as Butler, when he is motivated, can lock down anyone on the perimeter. This also takes pressure off Stephen Curry, who has missed the past three games with a pelvic injury. The Warriors are 1-2 over that time.

With the trio of Curry, Butler, and Green, the Warriors have a shot. But are they better than the Thunder, or even the Lakers or Denver? I’m not so sure about that.