It’s just over ten weeks to the start of the 2024/25 NBA season, but there is already a strong consensus that last season’s champions, the Boston Celtics, are in pole position for a repeat. The Celtics are not infallible, however, and there are several teams that fans will fancy to thwart them next season. In fact, we can think of seven that have a very good chance.
Picking out seven teams is not a happenstance. The latest NBA odds for the new season cite a huge gap in the market between the Celtics and the seven we list below. Sportsbooks can be wrong, and there’s obviously a lot that can happen between now and Opening Night, but it looks like these are the ones with a real chance of stopping the Celtics from reaching a 19th NBA Championship.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Last season was Oklahoma’s breakout season after several in the wilderness. After years of patiently building a competitive roster, augmented by some astute draft picks, they posted a 57-25 record (the team’s best since the days of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook), and they made a decent fist of things in the Playoffs. The question is whether a good team brimming with promise can become a great one. Oklahoma has had a great offseason so far, adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, among others. They look like the team to beat in the Western Conference.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers have been aggressive in the offseason, adding Paul George, Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond, and Reggie Jackson. It’s always a gamble to go out all guns blazing in trades, but there was a sense of now or never in Philly. The 76ers had numerous seasons of heartache in the Playoffs under Brett Brown and Doc Rivers, but they want to become more than also-rans under Nick Nurse. They – along with the Knicks (see below) – are the biggest threat to Boston’s dominance in the East.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have been building well under Tom Thibodeau this past four seasons, and there is growing optimism in New York. That optimism has grown over the summer, particularly with the arrival of Mikal Bridges. Thibodeau is clearly hungry to deliver a Championship to New York, and the Knicks’ progression was plain to see last season. They are priced at about +900 to deliver next season; that feels about right.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are in an interesting position. They arguably boast the world’s best player in Nikola Jokic, and they can also call on the likes of Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, as well as veteran Russell Westbrook. But have they gotten better in the offseason, stood still, or regressed? The Nuggets will hope to trust in youth to supplement their star players. They will be there or thereabouts in the Playoffs, but is more possible?
Dallas Mavericks
One of the best offenses in the NBA is led by the brilliant Luka Doncic, and Dallas has been supplemented by the arrivals of Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall, adding strength and depth to the offense and defense respectively. Getting out of the Western Conference will be difficult next season, but is there enough about the Mavericks to suggest they can go one better than last season?
Minnesota Timberwolves
Whisper it: There has not been enough talk about the Timberwolves’ chances as true contenders for the NBA Championship next season. Minor tweaks were all that was really needed for a competitive roster, but the real story might just be the emergence of Anthony Edwards as a bona fide superstar. Chris Finch has been at the head of the best Timberwolves team since the Kevin Garnett era, and you should not sleep on them next season.
Milwaukee Bucks
Of the seven on this list, the Bucks have the highest odds at +1200, but it’s a huge gap to the team ranked as the 9th most likely to win the NBA Championship (the Lakers at +3000). Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are still elite, and they did well to add Delon Wright and Taurean Prince thus far in the offseason. The champions from three years ago are still in with a chance, but they’ll need to say healthy.