The Celtics are the heavy favorites to repeat as NBA champions, but behind them are some serious contenders. Here’s a look at the top five favorites to win the 2024-25 NBA championship.
A new NBA season has arrived, and it will begin where last season ended: Boston.
The Celtics enter the 2024-25 campaign as the defending champions after rolling through last year's playoffs. The team secured Banner 18 by defeating the Dallas Mavericks in a gentleman's sweep in the 2024 NBA Finals and celebrated another championship at TD Garden.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Co. will face more challengers this season. The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers revamped their rosters in the East, while the wild Western Conference is stacked with championship contenders.
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With the 2024-25 NBA season tipping off at TD Garden Tuesday night, here's a look which teams are favored to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June.
2024-25 NBA championship odds
The Celtics are the 2025 Finals favorites entering the season with odds more than twice as high as any other team.
Next on the list are the Oklahoma City Thunder, who claimed the West's No. 1 seed last season before falling to the Mavericks in the second round. The team has bolstered the surrounding cast around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams by adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein.
The Knicks are third in championship odds after adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges in a pair of blockbuster trades this offseason.
Here is where all 30 teams stand in consensus championship odds entering 2024-25 (via The Action Network).
- Boston Celtics: +310
- Oklahoma City Thunder: +650
- New York Knicks: +774
- Philadelphia 76ers: +1000
- Minnesota Timberwolves: +1000
- Denver Nuggets: +1020
- Dallas Mavericks: +1048
- Milwaukee Bucks: +1400
- Phoenix Suns: +2404
- Los Angeles Lakers: +3431
- Memphis Grizzlies: +3734
- Golden State Warriors: +3734
- Miami Heat: +4737
- Cleveland Cavaliers: +4804
- Orlando Magic: +4958
- New Orleans Pelicans: +5238
- Indiana Pacers: +6000
- Sacramento Kings: +7022
- Los Angeles Clippers: +8890
- Houston Rockets: +10444
- San Antonio Spurs: +15000
- Atlanta Hawks: +54546
- Utah Jazz: +100000
- Chicago Bulls: +100000
- Toronto Raptors: +100000
- Charlotte Hornets: +100000
- Brooklyn Nets: +100000
- Detroit Pistons: +100000
- Portland Trail Blazers: +100000
- Washington Wizards: +100000
Recent NBA champions
The Celtics will look to become the first team to successfully defend its title since the Warriors went back-to-back in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
Here's a look back at the last 10 NBA champions:
- 2023-24: Boston Celtics
- 2022-23: Denver Nuggets
- 2021-22: Golden State Warriors
- 2020-21: Milwaukee Bucks
- 2019-20: Los Angeles Lakers
- 2018-19: Toronto Raptors
- 2017-18: Golden State Warriors
- 2016-17: Golden State Warriors
- 2015-16: Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2014-15: Golden State Warriors
