Every Team’s Odds to Win Eastern Conference in 2025-26 NBA Season: Cavs Favored Over Knicks

A lot has changed in the Eastern Conference since last season.

Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers are favored to win the Eastern Conference in 2025-26. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

October is here and basketball bettors are gearing up to make their futures bets ahead of the 2025-26 season. Injuries have caused some massive odds shifts in the Eastern Conference winner market since last year and the Cleveland Cavaliers stand out as +220 favorites at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Oddsmakers appear to have a lot of faith in Cleveland despite how early it fizzled out after finishing 2024-25 with the NBA’s second best record. However, the New York Knicks aren’t too far behind.

Let’s take a look at the cases for four of the teams with the best shot to come out on top in the Eastern Conference.

Odds to Win the Eastern Conference in 2025-26 Season

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

• Cleveland Cavaliers: +220
• New York Knicks: +340
• Orlando Magic: +600
• Atlanta Hawks: +950
• Detroit Pistons: +1100
• Boston Celtics +1200
• Philadelphia 76ers: +1500
• Milwaukee Bucks: +1800
• Indiana Pacers: +3000
• Miami Heat: +4500
• Toronto Raptors: +4500
• Chicago Bulls: +12500
• Charlotte Hornets: +30000
• Brooklyn Nets: +50000
• Washington Wizards: +50000

Cleveland Cavaliers

It’s not surprising to see the Cavaliers sitting atop this odds leaderboard. Cleveland kicked off 2024-25 with a historic 15-game winning streak pulled off a separate 16-game winning streak later on in the year. Dominance on offense had a lot to do with that success.

The Cavaliers finished last season averaging a league-leading 121.9 points per game thanks to the ease with which they created looks. Kenny Atkinson’s regime emphasized off ball movement and cutting in a way that other teams didn’t, and you could argue that the team made upgrades by making trades down the home stretch before last year’s playoffs.

De’Andre Hunter’s 3-and-D play complements the Cavs’ All-Star guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland perfectly. Now that trio will get a full offseason to mesh alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The jury is still out on one of the Cavs’ new pieces, though.

Lonzo Ball has to stay healthy enough to be a reliable backup point guard after returning from a two-year hiatus last year. His playmaking and defensive prowess could be a game changer if he can consistently give Mitchell and Garland breathers. Time will tell, as he hasn’t played in more than 35 games since the 2020-21 season.

New York Knicks

The Knicks have made some subtle but much-needed moves over the offseason. Like Cleveland, New York fell to last year’s Indiana Pacers in the playoffs. Adding depth became a focal point for the Knicks ahead of 2025-26 and they did not disappoint. 

Tom Thibodeau’s habit of running his starters into the ground frustrated Knicks fans last postseason and a few key pieces could lessen the load on Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.

Thibs was let go and the Knicks hired Mike Brown, so things could change in the upcoming season.

Hart, Bridges and Anunoby all cracked the top 10 in total minutes played last season, but help is on the way in the form of Guerschon Yabusele.

The former Philadelphia 76er returned from a five-year NBA layoff to average 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 38.0 percent from deep. He can play either forward spot and provide significant frontcourt support for a team that was forced to deploy Landry Shamet as a backup small forward at times last season.

Brunson will continue to be the Knicks’ floor general and leader, but adding a former 50-40-90 player in Malcolm Brogdon on a prove-it deal alongside Jordan Clarkson can only stabilize a backcourt group that includes Tyler Kolek. Only one of them has to work out. The Knicks are my favorite pick to win the Eastern Conference and there’s a ton of value in betting on them now.

Orlando Magic

Calling 2024-25 an up-and-down year for Orlando would be an understatement. The Magic made the postseason with a .500 record despite the fact that all three of their best players missed at least 22 games. 

Pablo Banchero and Franz Wagner missed an extended period of time with torn right oblique’s before Jalen Suggs missed the back half of the year and playoffs with a knee injury, but Orlando still posted the NBA’s best scoring defense. The Magic have now retooled to address their biggest problem: Outside shooting.

Orlando ranked dead last in 3-pointers made per game (11.2) and team 3-point percentage (31.2). Acquiring former Memphis Grizzlies sharpshooter Desmond Bane will work wonders for their offense. Bane is a career 41.0 percent shooter from deep and can help a Magic squad that only scored more points per game than the Nets and Hornets last season.

Orlando might not win the Eastern Conference, but they have all the tools to be very competitive with a healthier campaign, Bane and a shored up point guard rotation with Tyus Jones.

Atlanta Hawks

I’m not sure if any team in the Eastern Conference had a more impressive offseason than the Hawks. Trae Young carried the Hawks to the play-in tournament in a year where Jalen Johnson missed 46 games and Hunter was shipped off to the Cavaliers in a midseason deal. Atlanta persevered and posted a top-five scoring offense that averaged 118.2 points per game. That number could increase now that Young has more to work with.

Former Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis was Atlanta’s biggest offseason pickup. The 7’2” sniper averaged 19.5 points while shooting 41.2 percent from deep in a down year in 2024-25 and will fit in nicely alongside Onyeka Okongwu in his first full season as a starting center.

Johnson’s return will be crucial alongside 2025 Defensive Player of the Year runner up Dyson Daniels, who lead the NBA in total steals (229). However, Atlanta’s bench pickups shouldn’t be underestimated. The Hawks also acquired career 43.8 percent three-point shooter Luke Kennard and known perimeter defensive pest Nickeil Alexander-Walker to solidify the backcourt. 

Young has the defense and shooting to thrive and make much more of his 2025-26 season. I expect them to bounce back in a big way and the Southeast Division is a toss up between the Hawks and Magic.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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