The Oklahoma City Thunder restored order in the Wild West on Sunday, rolling past the surging Denver Nuggets 121–111.
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set the tone with a game-high 34 points as the Thunder now deal with their star being sidelined due to an abdominal strain that will keep him out through at least the All-Star break. The Thunder built an 18-point cushion and eased off late in the fourth, never allowing the outcome to come into doubt.
Even as injuries pile up, OKC remains on track to post the highest net rating in league history while keeping its grip atop the conference. That dominance is reflected in the market, where bet365 now lists a Thunder (+125) vs. the Field (-160) futures option.
Let’s break down the latest odds with February underway and the season reaching its midway point.
🏆 2026 NBA Championship odds
| Team |  |
|---|---|
 Oklahoma City Thunder |
+125 |
 Denver Nuggets |
+550 |
 Cleveland Cavaliers |
+1200 |
 New York Knicks |
+1400 |
 Minnesota Timberwolves |
+1400 |
 San Antonio Spurs |
+1500 |
 Boston Celtics |
+1500 |
 Detroit Pistons |
+1600 |
 Houston Rockets |
+1800 |
 Los Angeles Lakers |
+4000 |
The Thunder's odds have moved from +230 before the season began to +125 today. Rounding out the Top 5 are the Denver Nuggets (+550), Cleveland Cavaliers (+1200), New York Knicks (+1400), and Minnesota Timberwolves (+1400).
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
📈 2026 NBA Finals odds over time
Here's a visual representation of how the NBA championship has odds evolved since June 2025.
💰 Sportsbook betting splits and insights
Highest ticket percentage
• Nuggets 8.8%
• Thunder 8.7%
• Mavericks 8.2%
Highest handle percentage
• Thunder 17.9%
• Mavericks 16.3%
• Lakers 13.3%
Biggest liability
• Mavericks
• Lakers
• Warriors
Data courtesy of BetMGM.
2026 NBA Championship opening odds
- Thunder +230
- Knicks +900
- Pacers +900
- Timberwolves +1000
- Cavaliers +1100
- Rockets +1200
- Lakers +1600
- Spurs +1600
- Nuggets +1700
- Celtics +2000
- Warriors +2300
- Magic +2500
- Mavericks +4000
- Clippers +4000
- 76ers +4500
- Heat +5000
- Pistons +7000
- Bucks +7500
- Grizzlies +10000
- Raptors +15000
- Suns +17000
- Kings +20000
- Pelicans +20000
- Nets +25000
- Hawks +30000
- Bulls +40000
- Trail Blazers +40000
- Wizards +60000
- Hornets +60000
- Jazz +60000
🤖 AI NBA Championship prediction
We turned to the enormous computing power of ChatGPT to find out who the large language model believes will be the last team standing this season. Not surprisingly, it stuck with the defending champs.
Oklahoma City has the cleanest runway to be the best team in 2026: an MVP-caliber engine in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander entering the heart of his prime, a two-way star wing in Jalen Williams, and a 7-footer in Chet Holmgren whose blend of rim protection, spacing, and feel supercharges modern schemes. That trio already drives elite half-court efficiency and a top-tier defense, and it’s backed by organizational continuity that reliably turns role players into playoff-useful pieces. Holmgren’s strength and timing appear to be fully NBA-hardened, unlocking more switching and fewer help-and-recover compromises, while SGA’s mid-range and foul-drawing remain matchup-proof in May and June.
Depth and optionality push the Thunder over the top. They can win big or small, play five-out without sacrificing rim protection, and toggle between pressure defense and conservative coverages depending on opponent. Crucially, they still have surplus picks and cap flexibility to plug the inevitable holes that show up in a long postseason, whether that’s a second unit scorer, another stretch big, or a specialist wing.
Expect a rotation stacked with plus length, shooting, and decision-making around the core; enough to outlast the West’s heavyweights and finish the job in the Finals.
NBA Championship Odds FAQs
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the favorites for the 2026 NBA title.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025 NBA title, defeating the Indiana Pacers 4-3 in the NBA Finals.
NBA Championship odds above are in American format, meaning a $100 bet at odds of +250 would profit $250 if it wins.
Oddsmakers at sportsbooks create odds to win the NBA Championship based on the team's implied probability to win the title. The team with the lowest odds has the best chance to win the NBA Championship.
The Los Angeles Lakers are available at around +4000 to win the 2026 NBA title.
Odds typically update in real time based on playoff outcomes, injuries, and market movement.
Most legal sportsbooks offer NBA Finals futures, including bet365, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings.
