NBA Championship Odds: Thunder, Spurs, Hornets Rising; Lakers, Timberwolves Drop

It’s almost playoff time in the NBA, and the final week of the regular season is a perfect time to take a quick look at the latest odds to win the title, especially since the top-10 teams in each conference have been decided.

There are still a ton of ways that the final standings could shake out, but it’s pretty clear that a few teams stand out above the rest in the eyes of oddsmakers. Four teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets are shorter than 10/1 to win it all with OKC (+120) set as the clear favorite.

Every season, there is a key trend that I follow when it comes to the NBA in net rating. Over nearly the last 30 years, every team that has gone on to win the NBA Finals finished with a net rating in the top eight of the league during the regular season.

Here’s a look at the teams in the top eight with just three or four games left for each squad this season.

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Since the 1996-97 season, every team that won the NBA Finals finished top 8 in net rating in the regular season.

This season's top 8:

1. OKC
2. Spurs 📈
3. Pistons 📉
4. Celtics 📉
5. Knicks
6. Hornets 👀
7. Rockets
8. Nuggets

Notable:
9. Cavs 📉
10. MIN 📈
16. LAL 📉
18. PHI
— Peter Dewey (@peterdewey2) April 6, 2026

A very interesting group, especially with the Charlotte Hornets riding a huge second half of the season to get themselves into this mix.

Recently, Charlotte (now +20000), San Antonio (+550) and OKC (+120) have rode long winning stretches to improve their Finals odds, and the Spurs are starting to close in on Boston for the No. 2 spot in the NBA.

Boston is the clear favorite in the East with Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung) injured, as the Cleveland Cavaliers (+1500), New York Knicks (+1800) and Detroit Pistons (+2500) are well behind them in the odds. Only the Knicks and Pistons currently meet the net rating criteria to win the title this season.

The Lakers’ NBA Finals odds have absolutely cratered with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both injured, and they dropped to 16th in the NBA in net rating after Sunday’s loss to Dallas. The Minnesota Timberwolves – who have lost three in a row – are another team that has taken a hit in this market, falling to +5000. Minnesota was a top-eight team in net rating not that long ago, but it has played poorly since the All-Star break, posting a net rating of -0.8 in 22 games (12-10).

There’s still some time for teams to turn things around ahead of the playoffs, but the top title contenders seem pretty clear in each conference.

Here’s a look at the complete NBA Finals odds list with just one week left in the regular season.

Latest Odds to Win the NBA Finals

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Oklahoma City Thunder: +120
Boston Celtics: +500
San Antonio Spurs: +550
Denver Nuggets: +900
Cleveland Cavaliers: +1500
New York Knicks: +1800
Detroit Pistons: +2500
Minnesota Timberwolves: +5000
Houston Rockets: +6500
Philadelphia 76ers: +9000
Atlanta Hawks: +15000
Charlotte Hornets: +20000
Orlando Magic: +20000
Los Angeles Lakers: +30000
Los Angeles Clippers: +30000
Miami Heat: +30000
Toronto Raptors: +40000
Golden State Warriors: +50000
Phoenix Suns: +50000
Portland Trail Blazers: +300000

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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