New York Just Won The NBA Title And Three Teams Are Already Favored Over Them For 2027

Alright, Seattle fam, grab your coffee because the NBA just dropped some wild news and it's got me scratching my head. The New York Knicks just clinched their first NBA championship since 1973, painting the whole city orange and blue, right? You'd think they'd be set up as the immediate favorites for the next title, but NOPE. Sportsbooks around the country have already released their 2027 NBA championship odds, and get this: the reigning champs aren't even number one. They're not even number two or three! Three teams already have better odds to lift that trophy in 2027. Insanity, I tell ya.

The Champs Were Long Shots, Now They're... Still Not Favored?!

Let's be real, the Knicks' run to the title was straight-up cinematic. Their regular season was a total rollercoaster, an up-and-down mess that had fans wondering if they'd even make it. They actually entered the postseason as a 17-1 long shot to win it all, making them the third-biggest underdog to snag the championship in the last 50 years, according to SportsOddsHistory.com. They even started with a rocky first round against the Atlanta Hawks, but then, man, they found their groove. They went on an absolute tear, winning 15 of 16 games. They capped it off by knocking out the favored Spurs in just five games in the Finals. And here's a mind-blowing stat from ESPN Research: they finished with an unbelievable +283 point differential in their postseason run, the largest in NBA history! You'd think that kind of dominance would scream "Dynasty!" but nope.

Why Oddsmakers Are Sleeping On The Champs

So, who are these teams that oddsmakers are putting ahead of the historic Knicks? We're talking the San Antonio Spurs at +250, the Oklahoma City Thunder at +260, and the Boston Celtics at +550. The newly crowned champion Knicks? They're sitting at +650 at DraftKings. What gives? Well, the whispers are getting louder about Giannis Antetokounmpo. This offseason could see him making a move, and that's apparently shifting the entire NBA landscape for oddsmakers. Prediction market Kalshi says the Miami Heat and the Celtics are the most likely spots for Antetokounmpo if he leaves the Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat are 40-1 for next year's title, while the Bucks, without him, are a wild 250-1. Talk about a potential shake-up! After that, we've got the Indiana Pacers (28-1) and the Denver Nuggets (28-1) making up the next tier, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, and Cleveland Cavaliers, all stacked at 30-1. Poor Sacramento Kings are way out there at 1,000-1, the longest shot on the board. It's wild to think the confetti is still falling in New York, and the conversation is already all about 2027 and potential blockbuster moves. The NBA offseason is about to be a circus, and it just shows how quickly things can change in this league. With potential superstar moves on the horizon, these early odds are just the appetizer for what's going to be a truly insane few months. Get ready, because the future of the NBA is already looking absolutely chaotic, and we're here for every minute of it!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.