Here come the San Antonio Spurs!
Written off by many as a bubble team when the season began, the Spurs have moved within 2.5 games of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference standings on the strength of a nine-game win streak. That span includes an impressive 116-106 victory over the aforementioned Thunder, whom the Spurs are now 4-1 against this season.
San Antonio has a golden opportunity to move even closer - and improve its title odds - as OKC deals with an abdominal strain to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been on the shelf since Feb. 3.
Let’s break down the latest odds as the league races towards the playoffs.
🏆 2026 NBA Championship odds
Odds from bet365, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our bet365 promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.
| Team |  |
|---|---|
 Oklahoma City Thunder |
+130 |
 Denver Nuggets |
+500 |
 San Antonio Spurs |
+1000 |
 Cleveland Cavaliers |
+1200 |
 Boston Celtics |
+1200 |
 Detroit Pistons |
+1200 |
 New York Knicks |
+1400 |
 Houston Rockets |
+2200 |
 Minnesota Timberwolves |
+3300 |
 Los Angeles Lakers |
+4000 |
The Thunder's odds have moved from +230 before the season began to +130 today. Rounding out the Top 5 are the Denver Nuggets (+500), San Antonio Spurs (+1000), Cleveland Cavaliers (+1200), and Boston Celtics (+1200).
The Spurs were the highest risers over the past week, moving from +1400 to +1000 following their latest victory over the Pistons. San Antonio now has five wins this season over a first-placed team in the Eastern and Western Conferences.
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📈 2026 NBA Finals odds over time
Here's a visual representation of how the NBA championship has odds evolved since the offseason.
🔮 NBA Championship prediction
| Bet | Odds | Bet Date | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder | +240 | Oct. 21 | 1.0 |
| Thunder | +165 | Dec. 1 | 1.0 |
| Spurs | +1000 | Feb. 24 | 0.5 |
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.
So, why did I decide to sprinkle half a unit on the Spurs in late February? Health. San Antonio is clicking at just the right time while Oklahoma City deals with injuries to SGA, Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Ajay Mitchell. That's a lot of star power riding the pine. Consider San Antonio my insurance policy.
💰 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
NBA Championship trends
- Since the Warriors' 2018 repeat, the NBA has seen seven different champions in seven years. This is the longest such streak since the late 1970s.
- 22 of the last 25 champions ranked in the Top 10 in Defensive Rating during the regular season.
- 23 of the last 25 champions were Top 5 in either Offensive or Defensive efficiency.
- Since 2019, nearly every champion has been led by a non-U.S. superstar or a team built on international depth.
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.
