NBA Playoffs futures predictions

The NBA Playoffs are here, and the 2025 postseason is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory. With an absolutely loaded Western Conference and the Cavaliers, Knicks, Pacers, Bucks and Pistons looking to surprise the Celtics in the East, and all the first-round action starting Saturday, it’s the perfect time to lock in some futures. 

Whether you're looking to ride with the favorites, cash in on a juicy longshot or find an edge in the early rounds, we’ve got you covered with our three best bets, featuring a couple of NBA Championship picks and a first-round prediction.

NBA Championship odds

The top of the NBA Championship winner futures board features the Oklahoma City Thunder as slight favorites at +175 following a dominant 68-win regular season, while the defending champion Boston Celtics are close behind the Cavaliers, Lakers and Warriors all sit within striking distance, with various paths that could swing their odds dramatically depending on health and matchups.

• Oklahoma City Thunder +175
• Boston Celtics +185
• Cleveland Cavaliers +500
• LA Lakers +1500
• Golden State Warriors +2100
• New York Knicks +3100
• LA Clippers +3300
• Denver Nuggets +3900

Predictions

• NBA Championship Best Bet – Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals Winner (+175)
• NBA Championship Longshot Bet – Los Angeles Lakers NBA Finals Winner (+1500) 
• NBA Playoffs First Round Series Bet – Los Angeles Clippers to beat Denver Nuggets (-110)

PICK #1: Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA Championship (+185)

Yes, they’re the favorites, and yes, picking the team with the best odds isn’t flashy, but sometimes the best bet is the obvious one. This pick is backed by more than just surface-level dominance. The Thunder are the most complete, most dangerous team in the league.

Let’s start with the numbers. Oklahoma City finished the regular season with a 68-14 record, despite navigating injuries to key rotation players like Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. They led the league in net rating at an astounding +12.7, the best mark since advanced tracking began in 1996–97. For context, the next-best team, Boston, sat at +9.4. Last year’s Finals-winning Celtics had an 11.7 mark. The Thunder are doing historic things.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the charge as the NBA’s scoring champion and MVP frontrunner, averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1 block per game. In two matchups against Boston this season, SGA scored 33 and 34, with OKC sweeping the series, including a six-point win in TD Garden. They’re one of the few teams that have the length, athleticism and defensive versatility to match up with Boston’s spread attack.

Depth is another major advantage. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams offer versatile scoring as secondary options, and both can defend, while Caruso and Luguentz Dort give them elite perimeter defense. Hartenstein is a playmaking big who anchors the paint, and the bench, featuring Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams and Caruso, is arguably the deepest in the league. They’re well-coached, young but battle-tested, and play with a fearlessness that can weather any storm. The path won’t be easy in the brutal West, but OKC has all the pieces to survive and finish the job.

PICK #2: Los Angeles Lakers NBA Finals Winner (+1500)

This one’s for the believers. The Lakers’ championship window has been tenuous at times this season, especially after trading away Anthony Davis at the deadline. But in return, they pulled off the league’s biggest heist – landing Luka Doncic from Dallas to pair with 40-year-old LeBron James in what could be his final title push.

The metrics aren’t dazzling, 11th in offensive rating and 17th in defensive rating, but this team has a gear most others don’t. LeBron and Luka have two of the best whistles in the league, leading to the #1 free-throw rate in the NBA. That becomes even more important in playoff basketball. Throw in Austin Reaves as one of the sport’s best all-around third options and one of the game’s brightest new coaches in JJ Redick, and there’s a foundation for something special.

The concerns are real. The frontcourt is thin without Davis, relying on Jaxson Hayes and Jared Vanderbilt to do the dirty work. But Luka, LeBron and Reaves are all strong rebounders and can help make up for the size deficit. Dorian Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura offer some positional versatility and shooting, and the offensive sets under Redick have noticeably improved spacing and ball movement.

This is a stars-and-scraps roster, but sometimes that’s all you need. Luka dragged a Mavericks team to the NBA Finals last year. LeBron is chasing ring #5. And if Redick can keep the rotations tight and the stars somewhat fresh, this group has the upside to shock the world. It’s a longshot, but one worth a sprinkle.

PICK #3: Los Angeles Clippers to beat Denver Nuggets (-110)

This 4-vs-5 West matchup is shaping up to be the best series of the first round, and we’re backing the hotter, deeper team to pull the upset. Despite the Nuggets having the best player in the world in Nikola Jokic, this version of Denver is vulnerable, and the Clippers are peaking at the right time.

Over the last 15 games, the Clippers rank #1 in offensive rating and #3 in defensive rating. In that same stretch, Denver has fallen to 13th offensively and 19th defensively, and just nine days ago, they made a surprising decision to fire both their head coach and GM. The vibes are off in Denver.

The matchup numbers are telling. The Nuggets are fifth in offensive rebounding, but the Clippers are the best defensive rebounding team in the league. Denver takes few threes, while the Clippers are excellent at rotating and closing out, allowing threes but punishing teams that can’t make them. Most importantly, they have the personnel to bother Jokic. Ivica Zubac is one of the few centers who can match Jokic physically, and in three meetings this season, Jokic only attempted 10 total post-ups against LAC – by far his lowest against any team.

The defensive matchups favor LA: Kris Dunn on Jamal Murray, Kawhi Leonard on Aaron Gordon, and James Harden, who has quietly committed on the defensive end this year, playing his role well. The Clippers are switch-heavy, help-and-recover monsters with wings galore. Offensively, they have enough firepower to exploit Denver’s weak links, especially Michael Porter Jr. and Murray. If Norman Powell gets loose, this series could turn quickly.

Of course, the wild card is Kawhi’s health, which is always a concern in the playoffs. But if Leonard can stay upright, this is the kind of team built to make a run, starting with a first-round statement.