The Cavaliers are still undefeated and playing incredible basketball
The Warriors are quickly climbing thanks to their depth and defense
The Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies are headed in the wrong direction
The 2024-25 NBA season has progressed to the second-ever In-Season Tournament, which will provide a snapshot of what is to come in the upcoming NBA playoffs.
The Boston Celtics are heavy favorites to win both the IST and the NBA Finals, while the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are soaring up the odds boards following impressive starts to the season.
There hasn’t been a repeat NBA champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Will the Celtics break the trend or fall victim to any of the nearby contenders?
Here’s a comprehensive overview of NBA championship odds, the top contenders, dark horses, and more.
We’ve been encouraged by the Timberwolves' start to the season. Julius Randle has not embraced the relentless defensive mindset but fits in very well on offense, while Anthony Edwards leads the league in made threes per game on an incredible 46.1 percent clip. The team’s three-point defense is great, and they have one of the best bench units in the Association.
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The Celtics are getting up a record number of three-point attempts per game, and it’s working. They create a mathematical scoring advantage with their long-range marksmanship and have versatile wings that can create offensive and defensive mismatches, and that’s without Kristaps Porzingis touching the floor yet. Joe Mazzulla has a clear-cut style of play that is conducive to long-term winning, and Boston feels almost inevitable right now.
The Thunder have had one of the most impressive starts to the season, namely because of their outstanding defense. Their personnel is outstanding and stifles nearly everyone in front of them, allowing them to survive their uncharacteristic three-point shooting woes to start the year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t quite where he was last year, but that doesn’t matter if the other team can’t score.
Tom Thibodeau has the Knicks’ offense working but now needs to instill the defensive identity that came to define his coaching style. NY is just 20th in defensive rating but is fourth in offensive rating and has enough firepower to outgun most opponents despite them being under .500. Their versatility with Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby bodes well for future playoff matchups, and they just need to establish the fundamentals.
Dallas has two game-wreckers in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, an experienced and historic shooter in Klay Thompson, and a bunch of supporting players that buy into their role. The team is third in defensive rating and regularly dominates the fourth quarter thanks to the creative abilities of their star guards. The team went on a run to the NBA Finals last year but are riding a four-game losing streak at the time of writing.
We already touched on most of the reasons to like the Timberwolves. They have an MVP-level player who is currently the most prolific three-point shooter in the game, a great rebounder and interior defender as well as an awesome perimeter defender, a top-class bench, a secondary scorer, and the perfect blend of youth and experience. They need to tighten the screws inside the arc on defense but are already very close to becoming elite.
Phoenix isn’t impressive just because of their record. Their style of play improved their defensive connectivity and created lots of wide-open three-point attempts, leading to more efficient and balanced offense. Rookie Ryan Dunn is nasty at the point of attack on defense, while Kevin Durant and Devin Booker can be the best scorers in the league on any given day.
The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA Finals over the Dallas Mavericks 4-1. The C’s did not lose more than one game in any of their playoff series and brought back their entire starting five, along with important bench contributors such as Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser.
The title was Boston’s first since 2008 and broke a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championships in NBA history.
Who Won the 2024 NBA Finals MVP?
Jaylen Brown was named the NBA Finals MVP after he averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals on 44 percent field goal shooting. Brown received seven of 11 first-place votes, while Jayson Tatum (22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists) received four.
Which NBA Teams Have Not Won the Finals?
10 of the NBA’s 30 franchises never won an NBA Finals trophy. The list of teams includes the following:
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis Grizzlies
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns
Utah Jazz
2025 NBA Championship FAQs
Do the NBA Champions Receive a Prize?
NBA champions do not receive a traditional monetary prize for winning the NBA Finals. Instead, they are awarded the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy, a prestigious and symbolic honor. This trophy represents the team's victory and achievement as the NBA champions for that particular season.
While there is no cash prize for winning the NBA Finals, the players, coaches, and other team personnel receive championship rings commemorating their victory.
Additionally, winning the NBA Finals can benefit the players and the team. Players may receive bonuses as part of their contracts for reaching and winning the Finals, on top of those presented to the players from additional television revenues for participating in the postseason. However, the primary reward for winning the NBA Finals is the honor, recognition, and prestige of being crowned the NBA champions.
What Is the Larry O’Brien Trophy?
The Larry O'Brien Trophy is awarded to the team that wins the NBA Finals—named after Larry O'Brien, the league commissioner from 1975 to 1984.
The trophy is made of sterling silver and measures about 2 feet tall, featuring a basketball on top of a hoop. It weighs approximately 14.5 pounds. Each year, the NBA champions are presented with the Larry O'Brien Trophy following their title-clinching game to symbolize their achievement and victory in the National Basketball Association.
What Are NBA Championship Rings?
NBA Championship Rings are commemorative jewelry pieces presented to the winning members of the Championship team. They are customized for each team, featuring logos, accomplishments, player numbers, and more to make the piece unique to each player.
The rings are distributed to members of the NBA Champions during the first home game of the following season. Players who have joined a new team have their ring delivered or presented to them during their first return match against their Championship squad.
Who Were the First NBA Champions?
The first NBA Champions were the Philadelphia Warriors. In the National Basketball Association's (NBA) inaugural season in 1946-1947, the Philadelphia Warriors emerged as the champions by defeating the Chicago Stags in a five-game series. The Warriors were led by notable players such as Joe Fulks and coach Eddie Gottlieb.
Which NBA team Has Won the Most Championships?
The Boston Celtics have the most championships in NBA history, with eighteen.
Which NBA Franchise Was Fastest to an NBA Championship?
The team to win the NBA Championship fastest was the Milwaukee Bucks. Founded in 1968-1969, the Bucks won their first NBA Championship after the 1970-71 season.
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Francisco Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Baltimore Bullets en route to their first NBA title.
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Grant is a sports and sports betting journalist who prides himself on delivering breaking news and insightful analyses of the industry. Grant graduated from Virginia Tech in 2021 and is feverishly pursuing his ambitions in the sports betting field.
In his free time, Grant can be found passionately watching sports, doing a workout, or searching for adventure with his friends.
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