Three NBA Teams That Could Win Their First Championship

With 35 NBA titles combined, the Celtics and Lakers seem to win it all, but not this time. There's fresh blood in the mix chasing glory this postseason.

The NBA Playoffs Are Here!

It only seems that the Boston Celtics (18 titles) or the Los Angeles Lakers (17 titles, including five in Minneapolis) win the championship each season. That’s not so, and there’s new blood in these 2025 playoffs with chances at a first NBA championship, the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

First, though, is a matter of semantics. Having finished the 2024-25 regular season with a league- and franchise-best record of 68-14, the Oklahoma City Thunder began these playoffs as around +165/+175 favorites to win it all.

While it would be the team’s first title in Oklahoma, forefather Seattle SuperSonics won a championship in 1979. Historians note the Sonics left town after the 2007-08 season.

So, whether you would consider this a ‘first’ title depends on how you look at it.   

There’s no denying that the Buffalo Braves/San Diego Clippers/Los Angeles Clippers franchise has never won it, nor the Indiana Pacers (three titles in the American Basketball Association, though) or the Minnesota Timberwolves.

As of this writing in the early portion of these NBA playoffs, odds had the Clippers at 22-1 (+2200), the Timberwolves at 40-1 (+4000), and the Pacers at 60-1 (+6000).

In the first round of the postseason, it’s OKC opposing the Memphis Grizzlies (another non-title franchise), the Clippers drew the Denver Nuggets, and the Pacers against the Milwaukee Bucks.   
 
Here’s a bit of a primer on the postseason of 2025…

H3: What Day Do the NBA Finals Start?
Subject to change, here is the NBA Finals schedule…

Game 1 - Thursday, June 5th.
Game 2 - Sunday, June 8th.
Game 3 - Wednesday, June 11th.
Game 4 - Friday, June 13th.
Game 5 - Monday, June 16th.
Game 6 - Thursday, June 19th.
Game 7 - Sunday, June 22nd.

(Note that Games 5,6, and 7 are, if necessary, and that the better-record team hosts Games 1,2,5, and 7, the “worse-record” team hosting Games 3, 4, and 6).

H3: Who Is Favored to Win the NBA Finals 2025?

As was mentioned, it’s the Oklahoma City Thunder as currently the approximate +165/+175 favorites to win the NBA Finals. Sitting second on the board are the defending-champion Boston Celtics (+185/+190), then the Cleveland Cavaliers (+550, or 11-2). Everyone else is in double figures on the board.

H3: Who Is in the Playoffs 2025?
Having ended the play-in round of the playoffs, here are the 16 teams in the 2025 NBA playoffs.

In the East, it’s 1-Cleveland Cavaliers, 2-Boston Celtics, 3-New York Knicks, 4-Indiana Pacers, 5-Milwaukee Bucks, 6-Detroit Pistons, 7-Orlando Magic, 8-Miami Heat.

In the West, it’s 1-Oklahoma City Thunder, 2-Houston Rockets,  3-Los Angeles Lakers, 4-Denver Nuggets, 5-Los Angeles Clippers, 6-Minnesota Timberwolves. 7-Golden State Warriors, 8-Memphis Grizzlies.   

Thus, the NBA bracket has 1 versus 8, 2 versus 7, 3 against 6, and lastly, 4-5.

That’s the same in both conferences.

Does  BetUS Have Constant Updates on NBA Lines?

Indeed, and it’s fluid. As was mentioned, at the outset of the postseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder were +165/+175 favorites to win the NBA championship. Sitting second on the board were the defending-champion Boston Celtics (+185/+190), then the Cleveland Cavaliers (+550, or 11-2).

Since the board is going to change sporadically, if not daily, during these playoffs, bettors are advised to find the best time to grab a team(s). Remember that individual game and series wagers are also out there, along with any number of prop wagers.

Any Final Thoughts?

If you can get past the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA championship winner odds of 2025, there is money to be made. Do your homework, starting with keeping tabs on the NBA playoff schedule.