2025-26 NBA Outright Season Preview & Tips: Cavaliers could go all the way
The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated both the regular season, going 68-14, and the playoffs to land a first NBA Championship since 1979 last term and they are strong 2/1 favourites to retain their crown.
That is understandable, given they lost nobody over the summer and are an extremely youthful roster. They will only improve with time and it will take something special to stop them.
The rest of the teams are clearly aware of that fact, though, and plenty of contenders have made significant moves to close the gap.
The Houston Rockets added Kevin Durant, the Orlando Magic brought in Desmond Bane and the Denver Nuggets – a team that took OKC to seven games in the playoffs – have strengthened their depth by signing Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr and Bruce Brown.
That is not mentioning the many other teams who boast numerous All-Stars, and 2/1 is short enough to swerve given the amount of time between the season’s start and the Finals, with two teams in particular catching the eye in the outright betting.
NBA 2025-26 Season Betting Tips
- Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA Championship @ 7/1
- Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Championship @ 25/1
Tip 1 – Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA Championship @ 7/1
Nobody in the East could touch the 64-18 Cleveland Cavaliers in the regular season but one of the biggest shocks of last term came via their defeat to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Cleveland were expected to reach the Finals but Kenny Atkinson’s team capitulated against the Pacers, going down 4-1.
However, they should have learned from their mistakes and a young roster will only improve with time.
The signings of Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr will also raise their ceiling, plus there is always the chance they trade perennial playoff-underperformer Jarrett Allen to make way for another star and increase their championship chances.
The East looks weak this year, with Boston and Indiana missing their best players and question marks hanging over Milwaukee and Philadelphia.
The Knicks, Hawks and Magic are the likely challengers to the Cavs but they all lack experience so, at the very least, consider backing them each-way for the championship.
Tip 2 – Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Championship @ 25/1
OKC are the standouts in the West – but experience can be everything in the playoffs and a clash with the Golden State Warriors could see them fall short.
Including playoff games, the Warriors went 30-11 in the period between signing Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry’s season-ending hamstring injury. Butler complements Curry perfectly, and vice-versa, making Golden State a force to be reckoned with again.
Age is not on their side with fellow veterans Al Horford (39) and Draymond Green (35) joining Curry (37) and Butler (36) in the starting five, so their regular-season record may take a hit as load management comes into play.
But they are a team built for the playoffs. Steve Kerr is also an excellent coach with four titles to his name – the Warriors are far too big to earn a fifth under his stewardship.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
