Surprise favourites emerge for 2025 NBA championship
The 2024-25 NBA regular season has entered its final stretch, and the playoff picture is beginning to take shape.
The NBA playoffs are just around the corner and the final stretch of the season remains red-hot. Given the point of the season we’re at, the bigger picture begins to emerge in both the Western Eastern Conferences.
The top six teams in each conference advance directly to the playoffs, while spots seven and eight are determined by the Play-in Tournament.
THE EASTERN CONFERENCE POSTSEASON PICTURE IS SET 🚨
— NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2025
1. Cavaliers
2. Celtics
3. Knicks
4. Pacers
5. Bucks
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Hawks
9. Bulls
10. Heat#SoFiPlayIn tips off 4/15#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google tip off 4/19!
Western Conference standings ahead of the playoffs
| Straight to the Playoffs | Play-In Tournament |
|---|---|
| 1. Oklahoma City Thunder | 66-14 | 7. Memphis Grizzlies | 47-33 |
| 2. Houston Rockets | 52-28 | 8. Minnesota Timberwolves | 47-33 |
| 3. Los Angeles Lakers | 49-31 | 9. Sacramento Kings | 39-41 |
| 4. Denver Nuggets | 48-32 | 10. Dallas Mavericks | 38-42 |
| 5. Los Angeles Clippers | 48-32 | |
| 6. Golden State Warriors | 47-33 |
Eastern Conference standings ahead of the playoffs
| Straight to the Playoffs | Play-In Tournament |
|---|---|
| 1. Cleveland Cavaliers | 64-17 | 7. Orlando Magic | 41-40 |
| 2. Boston Celtics | 60-21 | 8. Atlanta Hawks | 39-42 |
| 3. New York Knicks | 50-31 | 9. Chicago Bulls | 38-43 |
| 4. Indiana Pacers | 49-32 | 10. Miami Heat | 37-44 |
| 5. Milwaukee Bucks | 47-34 | |
| 6. Detroit Pistons | 44-37 |
The favourites to become NBA champions
The Boston Celtics are looking to retain the coveted Larry O’Brien Trophy after finishing as champions last season. Before the start of the playoffs, the top 3 favourites to finish as champions are: Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Thunder continue to shine this season and remain at the top of the West with an impressive 56-20 record. They have been at the top for most of the season; if they continue, they will look to become the top seed.
HUGE STAKES for LeBron & the Lakers tonight!
— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2025
A win vs. Houston clinches:
🏀 The #3 seed in the West
🏀 The Pacific Division title
🏀 A 50-win season pic.twitter.com/TMygbgd6QP
Last season, Oklahoma City lost in the conference semifinals to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Celtics have the statistics in their favour since they have managed to reach the playoffs in each of the last 10 seasons as well as reaching the conference finals in four of the last five seasons.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were the first team to secure their playoff spot, and if that weren’t enough, they became Central Division champions for the first time since 2017-18, achieving two streaks of at least 15 consecutive victories this season.
As far as the lessons we can learn from last season, the Cavs were eliminated by the Celtics in the conference semifinals across five games.
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Here’s how the lines are at Draftkings Sportsbook:
- Oklahoma City Thunder | +145
- Boston Celtics | +215
- Cleveland Cavaliers | +700
- Denver Nuggets | +1500
- Golden State Warriors | +1700
- Los Angeles Lakers | +1900
- New York Knicks | +2500
- Los Angeles Clippers | +5000
- Minnesota Timberwolves | +6000
- Indiana Pacers | +10000
The NBA playoffs are just over 2 weeks away 👀 pic.twitter.com/0f8OZ6Y3Kd
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) April 3, 2025
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