The Oklahoma City Thunder will open the 2026 NBA Playoffs as the clear betting favorite to capture a second straight championship, listed at +110 at DraftKings. San Antonio follows at +500, Boston at +550 and Denver at +900. Cleveland (17-1) and New York (18-1) are the only other clubs below 20-1.
Books Comfortable With Thunder and Nuggets
Despite Oklahoma City’s top ranking on the odds board, sportsbooks report limited exposure on the Thunder because of their short price throughout the season. “Among the true contenders, OKC is the best result on the futures market,” BetMGM sports trader Anthony Parenti said in an email, noting the operator is “in the enviable position of getting to cheer for the favorite to win it all.” Denver is viewed similarly after spending most of the year at single-digit odds.
Long-Shot Openers Turn Spurs and Celtics Into Liabilities
The Spurs and Celtics have become the biggest liabilities for major sportsbooks after starting the campaign at long odds. San Antonio opened at 65-1 at DraftKings, giving bettors ample time to invest before Victor Wembanyama’s breakout season pushed the club to +500. The Spurs now hold the highest handle for NBA Finals and Western Conference futures at both BetMGM and DraftKings.
Boston began the year around 60-1 while Jayson Tatum recovered from an Achilles injury and the roster underwent significant turnover. With Tatum back, the Celtics are +155 to win the East and +550 to claim the title. “They were bet at some really big numbers,” DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello said. Caesars Sportsbook lead NBA trader David Lieberman added, “Those two teams are not great results for us.”
Movement Elsewhere on the Board
Minnesota’s odds swung dramatically, shortening to 12-1 during the winter before drifting to 50-1 in early April and stretching to 100-1 after the Timberwolves drew Denver in the first round.
The Los Angeles Lakers slid from 12-1 to 150-1 following injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Even so, they remain popular wagers and are BetMGM’s largest remaining future liability, according to Lieberman and Avello.
Further down the list, bettors hunting for long shots in the East have targeted Atlanta at 130-1 and Philadelphia at 150-1, hoping to replicate last season’s surprise run by Indiana.
Source: ESPN.com
