The 2024-2025 NBA season begins on Tuesday night. And while there will be optimism and hope from fanbases leaguewide, we know the truth is that there aren’t a whole lot of realistic title contenders.
DraftKings currently gives just eight teams better than a 30-to-1 chance to win the 2025 NBA Finals. At the same time, DraftKings gives those eight teams all a 14-to-1 or better chance to win the championship.
So, there’s a large perceived gap from the top eight teams to the next tier, but the top eight are all viewed as legitimate title contenders.
Let’s rank those eight NBA teams as title contenders entering the season:
8. Milwaukee Bucks
NBA title odds: +1400
2023-24 NBA season: 49-33; first-round playoff exit
For the second straight season, the Milwaukee Bucks had their season end after one playoff series. A massive disappointment from the 2021 NBA champions with a pre-30 Giannis Antetokounmpo (two-time NBA MVP and the 2021 NBA Finals MVP). It was particularly disappointing last season with the Bucks adding eight-time All-Star Damian Lillard to form a dynamic duo alongside The Greek Freak. Additionally, there was optimism when Doc Rivers took over as head coach in January, but the Bucks still managed to go just 17-19 in the regular season (to go with the early playoff exit) under his leadership.
Perhaps things will look much better in the second season of the Antetokounmpo-Lillard pairing and the first full season for Rivers as Bucks head coach. But we need to see it look great before we start viewing the Bucks ahead of the teams on this list. Still, the Antetokounmpo, Lillard, and Rivers trio at least offer star power to dream on, to go with past evidence of success.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
NBA title odds: +1000
2023-24 NBA season: 56-26; conference finals exit
With the T-Wolves, it’s all about Anthony Edwards and an elite defense.
Anthony Edwards wowed with moments and performances that had some folks in the basketball world dropping MJ and Kobe comps last season. He was particularly incredible in the conference semifinals, leading the Wolves to a stunning series victory over the defending champion Denver Nuggets. He’s still only 23 years old, so it’s possible that he’ll just keep getting better. And as he’s already shown, he has the superstar ability to take over a series vs any opponent.
The defense was a league-best unit last season, led by Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert at center. Having Gobert also made fellow seven-footer Karl-Anthony Towns more expendable, and Minnesota traded KAT to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo (and a future first-round pick). It remains to be seen how this goes for the Wolves, but the move certainly improves their depth on paper.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
NBA title odds: +1000
2023-24 NBA season: 47-35; first-round exit
It feels like the Sixers have been in the title-contending conversation for most of the last decade, and understandably so with a superstar like Joel Embiid — the 2022-23 NBA MVP — on the team. But do you know when the Sixers were last even in the conference finals? 2001, when the Allen Iverson-led Sixers lost in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Philadelphia is the classic “we’ll believe it when we see it” team.
But maybe we do see it this season. After all, the Sixers now have a legitimate Big 3 with the offseason blockbuster addition of nine-time All-Star Paul George to join Embiid and breakout star Tyrese Maxey (a 23-year-old who could still be an ascending talent).
5. New York Knicks
NBA title odds: +800
2023-24 NBA season: 50-32; conference semifinals exit
After so, so many years of disappointment, the Knicks have finally lived up to expectations and showed incredible fight over the last two seasons. Led by a bulldog in star guard Jalen Brunson (who keeps getting better and better, and loves the big moment), can the Knicks take the next step this season?
Tom Thibodeau will certainly have them playing hard every night and exhausting opponents in the postseason. And now the Knicks made big moves to acquire Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, giving them much more firepower alongside Brunson.
Maybe this could be the season the Knicks win their first championship since 1973 (!).
4. Dallas Mavericks
NBA title odds: +1000
2023-24 NBA season: 50-32; NBA Finals exit
The Mavericks made a very impressive run to the NBA Finals in June, led by the brilliance of 2023-24 NBA scoring champion Luka Dončić. It’s hard to believe that Dončić is still just 25 years old.
Kyrie Irving forms a lethal scoring duo alongside Dončić, and now they’re joined by sharpshooting five-time All-Star Klay Thompson.
The Mavs are going to score, a lot. Where their season ultimately goes will likely depend on the defense- and how effective Thompson, 34, remains there.
3. Denver Nuggets
NBA title odds: +950
2023-24 NBA season: 57-25; conference semifinals exit
Having the best player in the world is a great place to start in a league that is all about stars. Nikola Jokić has been named NBA MVP in three of the last four seasons, most recently bringing home the award last season. In 2023, he led the Nuggets to the championship and was named NBA Finals MVP.
As long as Jokić is healthy and playing anywhere close to what he’s capable of, the Nuggets are going to be a threat for the title. And winning in Denver is such a challenge for any opponent.
Jokić will of course need some help, though. The Nuggets will need Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon — who look like stars at times — to be on top of their game deep into June.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
NBA title odds: +650
2023-24 NBA season: 57-25; conference semifinals exit
The Thunder “arrived” even sooner than the NBA world expected, and there’s no reason to think they go away anytime soon. This is an ascending team loaded with young talent, and general manager Sam Presti complemented that with shrewd moves to add veteran talent over the offseason.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a 26-year-old superstar who has averaged over 30 points per game in consecutive seasons, and he finished second in NBA MVP voting last season. Chet Holmgren has freaky talent with guard skills in a 7-foot-1 frame, and he finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting last season after filling up the stat sheet (averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game). Jalen Williams finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting the season before and averaged 19.1 points in his sophomore campaign.
OKC added to that by trading for versatile guard Alex Caruso, the ultimate glue guy and a relentless defender. Additionally, they signed 26-year-old free-agent center Isaiah Hartenstein (7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds per game with the Knicks last season), but he’ll miss at least one month to start the season after suffering a fractured left hand.
1. Boston Celtics
NBA title odds: +310
2023-24 NBA season: 64-18; NBA champions
Boston was viewed as the championship favorite in the 2023 playoffs before getting knocked out by the Miami Heat in the conference finals. The Celtics didn’t screw around in the 2024 postseason, going 16-3 (4-1 in the NBA Finals) en route to their first title since 2008.
Led by stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (the NBA Finals MVP), this is a deep team that can defend and score, and beat you in so many ways.
The defending champions will be the 2025 title favorites until it’s clear they should not be.
