As we turn the page to start a new year, it\u2019s fun to look back at the preseason odds for the NBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What teams are meeting expectations, who is rising above, and who has faltered as the season closes in on its halfway point.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here are the grades for the five teams with the best odds to win the finals at the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.<\/p>\n
#1 Oklahoma City Thunder +240: A+<\/h2>\n
The Thunder were the most dominant team in the league last season, and they\u2019re even better this year<\/a>. OKC is 30-2 against every team that\u2019s not in San Antonio, and has looked unbeatable at specific points this season. They have an uncanny ability to smother teams. If you fall behind them, they bury you. It\u2019s very reminiscent of the 2018 Warriors.<\/p>\n Since returning from injury, Jalen Williams has struggled to fit into the Thunder’s rotations, so once he gets going, they might be unbeatable. The biggest key to the Thunder’s success this season is that their depth pieces have gotten so much stronger. Chet Holmgren is the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, Ajay Mitchell went from an end-of-bench piece to a potential Sixth Man of the Year, and Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins have become perfect role players to an elite bench unit.<\/p>\n Oh yeah, and they have last season’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a>, who might go back-to-back. The Thunder are currently +105 to win the Finals, and that still feels like a smart bet.<\/p>\n Before Nikola Jokic and half the Nuggets roster got injured, I would have given them an A. Jokic was back to being the no-doubt best player alive, Jamal Murray is currently having a career year, and the rest of the role players have fit in better than in years past. Then the injury bug decimated Denver, and they\u2019re going to have to battle to stay afloat until they can recover.<\/p>\n If the Nuggets can survive without Jokic, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Jonas Valanciunas for the next month or so, they can contend with the Thunder for the West.<\/p>\n Lastly, I am wildly surprised that the Nuggets seem to have lost the Michael Porter Jr. trade. Maybe removing Porter Jr.\u2019s personality was an addition by subtraction. Still, he\u2019s having a career year in Brooklyn, averaging just under 26 points a night, while playing a valuable role in one of the better defenses in the East. As long as Jokic is on this team, they\u2019re always going to be contenders, especially with Jamal Murray providing a career year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I wouldn\u2019t blame you if you were even lower on the Cavs than I am; however, they started the year with the injury bug instead of finding it mid-season like the Nuggets. It looked bleak in Cleveland for a bit, but I believe they\u2019re starting to play<\/a> like a team that was the favorites in the East to start the year.<\/p>\n They\u2019re still not even back to 100%, as they\u2019re waiting for Max Strus to make his debut, and one of DeAndre Hunter, Sam Merrill, or Dean Wade manages to find themselves on the injury report each night. When they\u2019ve had all their role players, they\u2019ve looked like an entirely different team. Weirdly enough, this team is at its best with Merrill in the lineup. He\u2019s seemingly been the catalyst for the best version of this team.<\/p>\n You can\u2019t talk about the Cavs without mentioning Donovan Mitchell playing at a first-team All-NBA level. He\u2019s been at his best all year, but he needs more from Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. If he can get All-Star play out of them, the Cavs can still win the East. I might be a touch too high on the Cavs, but don\u2019t be surprised when they finish this season as a top-three seed in the East.<\/p>\n Who would\u2019ve thought that the missing piece for the Knicks was Mike Brown? His ability to trust his bench has made life far easier for the Knicks’ starters. Jalen Brunson can have more off nights when you can trust guys like Jordan Clarkson or Tyler Kolek to give you great spurts off the bench.<\/p>\n Where I do have some concerns is the rest of the starting lineup. Mikal Bridges, OG Annunoby, and Karl Anthony-Towns haven\u2019t had their best seasons in the Big Apple. They\u2019ve been more inefficient and struggled with consistency throughout the year. Fortunately, in the most significant moments, like on Christmas Day or the NBA Cup Finals, they\u2019ve risen to the moment.<\/p>\n#2 Denver Nuggets +550: B-<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
Dec 18, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts during the second half against the Orlando Magic at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
#3 Cleveland Cavaliers +750: C-<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
Jan 2, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) looks to pass while being defended by Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
#4 New York Knicks +900: B+<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
Dec 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and forward OG Anunoby (8) react after a three point basket by center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) to clinch a win over the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n