NBA Finals Betting Odds: Thunder Historic Favorites vs. Pacers
After the Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the finals on Thursday night, their odds of winning the title increased from -380 to . Set to face the Indiana Pacers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. are tied for the second-biggest favorites in the final chapter of the NBA season over the last 24 years. Let’s examine their historic NBA Finals odds and why the market is lining them as such.
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2025 NBA Finals Betting Odds
Biggest Favorites In NBA Finals (-750 Or Greater)
| Year | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Lakers | -2000 |
| 2018 | Warriors | -1075 |
| 1996 | Bulls | -950 |
| 1999 | Spurs | -900 |
| 2000 | Lakers | -800 |
| 2025 | Thunder | -750 |
| 2002 | Lakers | -750 |
Thunder Odds Make NBA Betting History
According to the database above (via Sports Odds History), the Thunder’s betting odds are dead even with the 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers for the second-largest price entering the NBA Finals over the last 24 seasons.
The 2017-18 Golden State Warriors led the way during this stretch. They were -1075 favorites against the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which Steph Curry and Co. delivered a sweep. By converting that to implied probability, they had a 91.2% chance of winning the title entering Game 1.
If Oklahoma City’s price point holds, it showcases an 88.2% implied probability of claiming the franchise’s first championship. It’s led by arguably the best defense in modern NBA history, shattering the NBA record for best point differential in a season (plus-12.9 points per game) and pacing the league in defensive rating, opponent field goal percentage, and deflections per game.
The last time the Thunder reached the NBA Finals (2012), they fell to the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. However, they possessed an elite trio in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.
Those players had four years or less of pro experience but were ahead of schedule. Similarly, this version is guided by the 26-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s MVP and now Western Conference Finals MVP, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, bulldozing the age and experience probability from a championship standpoint.
Alternative Way To Bet On Thunder
If you’re interested in betting on Oklahoma City to win the title but would prefer to avoid such steep odds, Gilgeous-Alexander’s odds of taking home the NBA Finals MVP is a slightly cheaper option at . As of this publication, you’d need to bet $5.56 to win $1.00.
The next Thunder on the board is Williams, a longshot. Given that Oklahoma City will likely square off against the Pacers’ vulnerable defense, I don’t see a path for Williams, requiring a poor showing from Gilgeous-Alexander to stand a chance to win the award.
- Related: Karl-Anthony Towns Injury Update & Knicks-Pacers Game 5 Odds
NBA Finals MVP Odds
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