Thunder and Celtics Are The Ones to Beat: Here's Who's Favored to Hoist the Larry O'Brien
The NBA regular season is in the books, the play-in tournament wrapped up Friday, and the oddsmakers have spoken. The Oklahoma City Thunder are sitting pretty as the betting favorite to win the 2026 NBA Finals, with the Boston Celtics right on their heels. If you've got money riding on this postseason, you need to know who the smart money is backing.
The Thunder Are The Class of the League
Oklahoma City remains the title betting favorite heading into the playoffs. They've been dominant all season, and the oddsmakers aren't shy about it. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder enter the playoffs as the favorites to win it all. When you've got that kind of respect from the betting world, it means you've been doing something right all year long.
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The Boston Celtics are following right behind the Thunder in the championship odds. They're the other team that has separated itself from the pack and earned respect heading into the postseason. With both conferences now in clear focus, these two franchises have positioned themselves as the teams to beat when the real games start.
The Playoffs Are Here
The play-in tournament is done, the regular season dust has settled, and we're about to find out if the favorites can actually get it done when it matters most. Thunder-Celtics matchup in June? That's the script the oddsmakers are writing.
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