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NBA Power Rankings Based on Finals Odds (Celtics, Pistons, Rockets Rising)
It's officially March, and the NBA is closing in on the final 20 games of the regular season for every team, meaning a playoff push has to happen now for teams in the play-in field.
The latest NBA Finals odds at DraftKings Sportsbook feature 11 teams with +7000 or shorter odds, while the rest of the league is considered a massive long shot to win it all. Only two teams -- the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets -- are set at shorter than 10/1 to win the title this season.
Recently, teams like Detroit, Boston and Houston have seen their odds improve to win the title, especially with the Rockets leaping into the the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
As we near one month remaining in the regular season, here's a look at my latest power rankings based on the Finals odds for every NBA team.
NBA Power Rankings Based on Finals Odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (+140)
The No. 1 team in net rating and defensive rating, the Thunder won a marquee matchup with Denver on Feb. 27 and could go up a level once Jalen Williams (hamstring) returns to the lineup.
2. Detroit Pistons (+1400)
Detroit has the No. 2 defense in the NBA and has dominated some other Eastern Conference contenders (like New York) during the regular season. The one concern? The Pistons lack of a secondary ball-handler after Cade Cunningham.
3. San Antonio Spurs (+800)
The Spurs recently won 11 games in a row and have beaten OKC in four out of five meetings this season. San Antonio lacks playoff experience, but it is likely locked into a top-two seed in the West, which puts it in a great spot to get a favorable first-round matchup.
4. Boston Celtics (+1100)
Boston has the No. 1 offense in the NBA and is the No. 2 seed in the East with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) missing the entire season to this point. If he returns, the C's could jump to the favorite in the conference.
5. Denver Nuggets (+550)
Denver has basically been a .500 team over its last 30-35 games, and it's dropped six of 10 to fall to the No. 5. seed in the West. The Nuggets need Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson healthy if they're going to win the Finals this season.
6. New York Knicks (+1500)
The Knicks can be maddening, as they are 0-3 against Detroit but just blew out the Spurs on Sunday. The Knicks' core five is one of the best in the NBA, but the team needs to hold up on defense in the playoffs if it's going to compete with Detroit and Boston.
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (+1100)
Cleveland added James Harden at the deadline, and Donovan Mitchell and company have an easy schedule to close out the regular season that could help them jump from No. 4 to as high as No. 2 in the East. Still, we've yet to see the Mitchell-led Cavs win in the second round of the playoffs.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (+3000)
Minnesota knocked off Denver on Sunday, and it has a path to a top-three seed in the West. A top-10 team in offensive and defensive rating, the Wolves have built playoff equity by making the last two Western Conference Finals.
9. Houston Rockets (+2200)
Houston is now the No. 3 seed in the West, but it has some major concerns when it comes to its clutch time offense (bottom 10 in the league in this season). It's possible a bigger role for Reed Sheppard could help Houston remain in the top four in the conference going into the playoffs.
10. Los Angeles Lakers (+6000)
A lot has been made about the Lakers' defensive issues, but they are just 1.5 games out of the No. 3 seed in the West and have one of the game's best players in Luka Doncic.
If L.A. can figure out lineups around Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, it could be frisky in the playoffs.
11. Philadelphia 76ers (+7000)
The Sixers have fallen to +7000 to win the NBA Finals with Joel Embiid hurt, and they need so many things to go right health wise to win a title this season. Ultimately, I can't be on Embiid holding up for enough time to reach the Finals, even though Tyrese Maxey has been one of the 15-best players in the league this season.
12. Toronto Raptors (+20000)
Toronto is a little disrespected at this number, as it holds the No. 5 seed in the East and is one of the 10-best defenses in the NBA. Still, it's hard to see the Raptors winning multiple playoff series to get out of the East.
13. Charlotte Hornets (+20000)
Charlotte is just one game under .500 and has the No. 4 net rating in the league over its last 15 games. The Hornets are a real threat to get the No. 6 seed and would be a scary play-in team to face in the first round.
14. Los Angeles Clippers (+50000)
The Clippers started the season 6-21, but they are 22-10 since. Kawhi Leonard is playing at an MVP level, and the Clippers have a real chance to move up to the No. 8 or 7 spot in the West with both Golden State and Phoenix dealing with injuries.
15. Orlando Magic (+14000)
Orlando has fallen well short of expectations, but it remains in the No. 7 spot in the East. The upside for the Magic? Franz Wagner (ankle) should return this month, which could help them make a late-season surge in the standings.
16. Miami Heat (+20000)
Miami is likely going to end up in the play-in tournament, but Erik Spoelstra's team always seems to find its way in to the playoffs. The Heat are playing better as of late, ranking seventh in the NBA in net rating over their last 15 games.
17. Phoenix Suns (+25000)
Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker have been injured recently, likely cementing the Suns as a play-in team this season. Still, that's a major step up from preseason expectations, and Phoenix is in firm possession of the No. 7 spot at this point in the season.
18. Atlanta Hawks (+60000)
Atlanta is 11th in net rating over its last 15 games and is back to .500 after an up-and-down first 62 games. The Hawks are still in play for the No. 6 seed in the East.
19. Milwaukee Bucks (+60000)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to return on Monday, and the Bucks had a recent 7-3 stretch that kept them in play for a play-in spot in the East. If Giannis returns to his MVP-level form, the Bucks are still in consideration for a play-in spot in -- and maybe more -- this season.
20. Golden State Warriors (+15000)
Steph Curry's knee injury has cemented an already banged-up Warriors team as a clear play-in squad, and there's a real chance they fall to the No. 9 or No. 10 spot if he doesn't return soon. Curry has been ruled out for 10 more days as he recovers from "runner's knee."
21. Portland Trail Blazers (+300000)
Portland has slipped to the No. 10 spot in the West, but it should remain in the play-in tournament with all the tanking teams around it. The Blazers' biggest issue may be Deni Avdija's back injury which has lingered for several weeks.
22. Memphis Grizzlies (+500000)
Memphis is looking to tank, but it has a pretty clear lead on Dallas for the No. 11 seed in the West.
23. Dallas Mavericks (+500000)
The Mavs are in full tank mode, and Cooper Flagg (foot) has missed seven games in a row. If Flagg plays limited games/minutes the rest of the season, the Mavs will end up one of the four worst teams in the conference.
24. Chicago Bulls (+500000)
Chicago snapped an 11-game skid on Sunday, but this team has been awful over its last 15 games, going 2-13 while ranking dead last in offensive rating and 28th in defensive rating.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (+400000)
The Pelicans had a four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, but they are actually motivated to win since they don't own their first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The problem? Zion Williamson was injured on Saturday, which certainly makes it tougher for New Orleans to climb in the standings.
26. Utah Jazz (+500000)
Utah has ruled out several players for the season and now Lauri Markkanen is set to miss two weeks with a hip issue. The Jazz are 1-17 when Markkanen sits this season, but at least fans can still watch Keyonte George fill it up on offense.
27. Washington Wizards (+500000)
Washington is set to debut Trae Young this week, but it has no intention of winning games with Anthony Davis (out for the season) and Alex Sarr (hamstring) both banged up.
28. Brooklyn Nets (+500000)
The Nets have lost eight games in a row, but rookie guard Nolan Traore has shown some flashes that he could be a building block going forward.
29. Indiana Pacers (+500000)
The Pacers are in a reset year with Tyrese Haliburton out, and they've gone just 1-8 without Pascal Siakam, who has recently been sidelined with a wrist sprain.
30. Sacramento Kings (+500000)
The worst team in the NBA right now, Sacramento has sidelined several veterans for the rest of the season as it chases the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.
Follow @peterdewey2