Tuesday night marks the start of the 2024–25 NBA season with a thrilling doubleheader.
After their ring ceremony, the defending champion Boston Celtics will play the New York Knicks, while the second game of the evening will pit the Los Angeles Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After retaining the essential components of their championship run from the previous season, the Celtics are still the favourites to win the NBA Championship heading into opening night, with a price of +300.
But they face fierce opposition from their own conference, where the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks, who have undergone major renovations, will probably face them in the postseason.
The Oklahoma City Thunder appear prepared to contend for an NBA championship from the west, while the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves, the Western Conference finalists from the previous season, will also be aiming to make a trip back to the conference finals.
News about NBA Championship Odds
The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers have a better chance of contending with the Boston Celtics this season after making big summer signings. In the summer, the Knicks traded for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, giving up Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Bojan Bogdanovic, and numerous first-round picks in the process. The pursuit of big man Towns resulted from the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson’s injury concerns. Bridges also brought Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and DiVincenzo back together, albeit briefly, before the latter was part of the trade that brought Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In free agency, Paul George was added by the Philadelphia 76ers to their roster. The 34-year-old forward was unable to reach an agreement on a new deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Along with George, the 76ers added Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, Guerschon Yabusele, and Jared McCain to their core group of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Kelly Oubre Jr. this summer. The 76ers have said clearly what they want: a title or nothing at all. Embiid has confirmed that he is not likely to play two nights in a row in an effort to remain healthy for the postseason.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have surpassed the Denver Nuggets, the 2023 champions, and the Western Conference finals from the previous season in the betting ranks with to the arrivals of Alex Caruso and former Knicks centre Hartenstein. The Thunder, led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are expected to improve on a successful season in which they were defeated by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semifinals the previous year.
Both the Mavericks and the Timberwolves have upgraded their rosters this summer. Dallas has added Klay Thompson to their roster through free agency, and Minnesota has added depth with the addition of Rob Dillingham, a highly anticipated lottery pick, and the aforementioned Randle and DiVincenzo. The Phoenix Suns are very interested in outsiders at +3000 after adding Mike Budenholzer, a new coach, and Tyus Jones, a traditional starting point guard.
