The dust hasn’t even settled at the TD Garden in downtown Boston, and fans are still singing Sweet Caroline in the streets, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t looking toward next June.
The 2025 NBA Finals odds have been released and, unsurprisingly, the Celtics are clear +300 favorites to repeat as champions at Caesars Sportsbook, possessing one of the deepest rosters in recent memory.
They are followed by the 2023 title-winning Nuggets (+750) and the Western Conference runner-up Timberwolves (+900).
No one will usurp Boston in terms of odds anytime soon.
The Celtics have the majority of their team under contract, and even players buried like Xavier Tillman on the bench would get significant minutes on other teams.
Boston is set to return all nine playoff rotation players.
Given the odds, the Celtics are rightful favorites, but betting at the market open has advantages.
For one, the Celtics are in a spot where they likely won’t improve dramatically between now and October.
Moreover, the teams around them should only improve.
2025 NBA Finals odds
| Celtics +300 | Nuggets +750 |
| Timberwolves +900 | Thunder +950 |
| Bucks +950 | Mavericks +950 |
| Knicks 15/1 | 76ers 18/1 |
| Lakers 22/1 | Clippers 22/1 |
| Warriors 25/1 | Suns 28/1 |
| Heat 35/1 | Pacers 40/1 |
| Cavaliers 40/1 | Grizzlies 50/1 |
| Magic 50/1 | Pelicans 60/1 |
| Kings 60/1 | Rockets 75/1 |
| Hawks 100/1 | Spurs 100/1 |
| Bulls 150/1 | Raptors 300/1 |
| Hornets 300/1 | Jazz 300/1 |
| Pistons 500/1 | Trail Blazers 500/1 |
| Wizards 500/1 | Nets 500/1 |
The Nuggets at +750 odds is an intriguing price-point but, digging deeper, they seemed to fall off last year as they badly missed guard Bruce Brown, who was a major contributor in 2023.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is is a pending free agent from that title-winning group that could easily be headed elsewhere, as he’s due a massive raise.
If the Nuggets lose him, they will have no way of replacing his contact value or talent.
At this stage, we want teams that can get better and hope the line is roughly five percent better by regular season start than when you bet on it.
The Philadelphia 76ers are a team that immediately comes to mind, as they’ve been expected to be in the market for Paul George, who could be leaving the Los Angeles Clippers.
Philadelphia is among the few teams that are competing for a championship while also possessing cap space to make a deal work with a top-level player.
Jimmy Butler also appears to be on the outs in Miami if the 76ers want to go that route.
There’s a long list of options available to Philadelphia, including another future Hall of Famer who will be flirting with multiple other franchises this offseason.
Betting on the NBA?
That would be LeBron James, who holds a player option with the Lakers.
If you want to take another shot, the Phoenix Suns appear to be gaining steam to snag James if they draft his son, Bronny, in the 2024 NBA Draft.
It’s far from a lock that James signs with the Suns (33/1) for a league-minimum contract when he could get more than $100 million from the Lakers on an extension, but it’s still worth monitoring.
Don’t forget that the Suns were among the favorites to win the title when they traded for Bradley Beal last offseason, but Phoenix did not meet expectations.
A shot on the Suns at this price is well worth it as it won’t get any higher and if James goes back to Hollywood, a cash-out should be an equal-value proposition.