2024-25 NBA season picks & best bets
The WNBA season wrapped up dramatically on Sunday, and now the NBA takes center stage on the hardwood. Tuesday night marks the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign with a double-header TNT that sends New York to Boston before the Lakers host Minnesota in LA. The Celtics are the defending NBA champions, while the other three teams involved on opening night dominated headlines during the offseason.
What will transpire in the association this season? Let’s break down the odds and discuss the best bets to make.
2024-25 NBA Finals odds
Boston, New York and Minnesota are, without question, three of the best teams in the league. The Lakers can only hope to join them in the championship discussion, but they currently look like a LeBron James-Bronny James soap opera. Teams like Oklahoma City, Denver and Philadelphia have more realistic title aspirations than those of LA.
Here are some of the odds to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy next summer:
- Boston Celtics +310
- Oklahoma City Thunder +650
- New York Knicks +800
- Denver Nuggets +950
- Minnesota Timberwolves +1000
- Philadelphia 76ers +1000
- Dallas Mavericks +1000
- Milwaukee Bucks +1400
- Los Angeles Lakers +3000
- Phoenix Suns +3000
- Golden State Warriors +3500
- Memphis Grizzlies +4000
- Miami Heat +4500
NBA 2024-25 Season Predictions
Pick #1 - Minnesota Timberwolves to win NBA title (+1000)
Pick #2 - Phoenix Suns to win NBA title (+3000)
Pick #3 - Jayson Tatum to win MVP (+1400)
PICK #1: Timberwolves reload for another shot at the title
The biggest offseason trade saw the Timberwolves send Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. New York is stealing the headlines because, well, it’s New York – but don’t be surprised if Minnesota ends up being declared the winner of that trade. Randle is awesome when healthy and has averaged over 20.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in each of the last four seasons. DiVincenzo scored 15.5 PPG in 2023-24 and shot better than 40% from three-point land for the first time in his career. And then, of course, there is Anthony Edwards.
He just might be the best player in the entire league; he is certainly the most exciting. Throw Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Joe Ingles and Naz Reid into the mix, and both the starting lineup and the bench on this team are impressive. The Wolves made it to the Western Conference Finals this past season; don’t be surprised if they go a step or two further next summer.
PICK #2: Led by Durant and Booker, the Suns cannot be discounted
Admittedly, there is a lot to dislike about the Suns. That said, there is enough to like such that +3000 odds are too good to entirely pass up. If you are looking for a longshot play, Phoenix is the way to go. The Suns got swept by Minnesota in the first round this past season, but Kevin Durant, Kevin Booker and Bradley Beal will run it back.
There is no doubt that the talent is immense; they simply need to stay healthy and put it all together. Head coach Mike Budenholzer is now assigned to get the most out of those superstars. Budenholzer is a title-winning coach (with the Bucks in 2020-21), so he may be able to work some magic with the Suns.
PICK #3: NBC champion Tatum could take another step
Tatum is the sixth favorite at +1500 to win NBA MVP, which gives him enticing value. The former Duke standout won the NBA title with his Boston squad this past summer, but he will still play with a chip on his shoulder in 2024-25.
That is for two reasons – one, teammate Jaylen Brown won NBA Finals MVP; two, Tatum got basically no playing time with gold-medal-winning Team USA at the Paris Olympics. He still has something to prove. Last season, he averaged 26.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG and a career-best 4.9 APG. The 26-year-old could be even better this season.
