Latest NBA Finals Odds for Every Team Ahead of Game 5 of Conference Semifinals
By Reed Wallach
With three of the four postseason series tied at two games a piece in the second round, let’s take stock in the NBA title race.
The Boston Celtics are the clear favorites to win a franchise record 18th NBA Championship this season, and the path is getting even easier as every other series is tied at two while Boston is up 3-1 on a banged up Cavaliers team.
Behind Boston, it appears that a Western Conference team will pose the biggest challenge to the Celtics in the NBA Finals with the Pacers and Knicks lacking the ability to match up with the No. 1 seed in the East, per oddsmakers.
Here’s the updated title picture, which looks a lot like it did at the start of the second round despite a chaotic first four games.
2024 NBA Championship Odds
- Boston Celtics: -140
- Denver Nuggets: +370
- Oklahoma City Thunder: +750
- Minnesota Timberwolves: +850
- Dallas Mavericks: +1300
- New York Knicks: +3100
- Indiana Pacers: +5000
- Cleveland Cavaliers: +100000
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Denver Nuggets Pose Biggest Threat to Boston Celtics
It’s been far from typical, but the Nuggets have regained its spot as the second choice to win the NBA Championship after falling as far as +1600 following back-to-back losses at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Denver is home for Game 5 on Tuesday as four-point home favorites, but Minnesota has proven capable, who is the fourth choice to win it all at +850.
The Nuggets, with both Game 5 and potentially a decisive Game 7 at home, are modest favorites to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season, where the team would be favored to make it back to the Finals.
Oklahoma City Thunder Rally to Beat Mavericks, Odds Shift
The Thunder erased a double digit second half deficit to beat the Mavericks in Game 4 in Dallas, evening the series at two games a piece.
Oklahoma City, behind NBA MVP runner up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, were able to grab the victory despite shooting a dismal 38% from the field and 26% from beyond the arc.
With the series tied and OKC having home court, the Thunder are favored yet again to win the series and advance to the WCF, where the team would have home court over either the Nuggets or Timberwolves.
The Thunder are the third choice to win its first ever championship.
Game 5 is Wednesday in OKC with the Thunder sitting as 4.5-point favorites.
Pacers-Knicks Both Seen as Longshots
The banged up Knicks coughed up a 2-0 series lead in Indiana with the Pacers winning both games, but Indiana must win at Madison Square Garden in order to get to the Eastern Conference Finals to face what’s almost certainly a well-rested Celtics team.
Oddsmakers don’t view either of these teams as title threats given the state of the Knicks rotation, losing three rotation players in the postseason alone, and the Pacers lack of high-end talent.
Game 5 is Tuesday at MSG with the Knicks slight favorites, -1.5.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.