2026 NBA Championship Betting Odds - Basketball Lines

2026 NBA Championship Betting

Where have all the old stars gone? That is the question heading into the 2025-26 NBA season. Gamblers are having to learn to adapt or die if they want to continue to success at NBA gambling. The old losers are the new powers and the old powers are now the scuffling wannabe contenders.

At the beginning of 2025-26 action, the gambling picture has flipped upside down. Previously, the top brands that were consistently favored in future markets were the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Milwaukee Bucks.

Now, those former powers are at best in the second tier. Additionally, the defending Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers are wagering long shots for a repeat.

Down is up and up is down in the NBA, and that is a great thing for parity. But for gamblers, the landscape is challenging and potentially dangerous.

NBA Betting Lines

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics Betting News

TD Garden in Boston, MA, hosts the matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Kickoff time is at 7 p.m. ET with television coverage on ESPN.

NBA Championship Betting Odds

*Odds as of Monday, October 27, 10:00 AM ET

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Los Angeles Lakers

Last year, the Los Angeles Lakers were a tale of two seasons. In the first half of the season, Los Angeles flopped out of the gate. It appeared as if the Lakers would be on the outside looking in for the playoffs. However, when the Lakers traded for Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, the sports betting dynamics shifted significantly.

LeBron James is expected to retire or be traded sooner rather than later. And he is clearly past his prime. Doncic is not known for his defense, and there is not much secondary help. LA is a little more than a playoff team.

However, the Lakers are the most popular brand on the board. The Causal sector will still be drawn to them, especially in home games. And Luka Doncic is the marquee man that the Lakers always seem to have. Thus, gamblers must be judicious about price and value.

Golden State Warriors

Speaking of value, the Golden State Warriors don’t offer much for the NBA betting odds. Stephen Curry is about all the Warriors have, and there isn’t enough to consider them a serious championship contender. However, Curry is enough to keep Golden State a legitimate playoff contender, but little more than that.

Head coach Steve Kerr is facing a humbling era in his time with the Warriors. All of a sudden, he is no longer a “genius” without a loaded roster.

Boston Celtics

Following their 2025 NBA championship, the Boston Celtics were touted as a potential dynasty. Instead, Boston flopped in the second round of the playoffs against the New York Knicks.

Of great concern are the departures of Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis. Boston is expected to see a significant drop in its win total. In fact, they are being touted for having a “gap year” of transition. It has been a steep and rapid decline following the glory of a championship.

Dallas Mavericks 

The Dallas Mavericks lost the 2024 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics and seemed to have a bright future. Instead, they waved the white flag of surrender by trading Doncic to the Lakers.

As a result of the trade, Mavericks fans revolted, and many canceled their ticket plans. Despite the arrival of rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, many experts are projecting Dallas to have a losing season.

Milwaukee Bucks

Since winning the 2021 NBA championship, the Milwaukee Bucks have also experienced a decline in performance. Milwaukee has been eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the past three seasons.

A strong argument can be made that the Bucks destroyed themselves on January 23, 2024, when they fired Adrian Griffin as head coach. The rookie Griffin had a record of 30-13 at the time of his firing. In his place came Doc Rivers, a name-brand but fading coach. Subsequently, Rivers went 17-19 after taking over for Griffin and was 48-34 last year.

Equally important is the fact that the Bucks fired Mike Budenholzer, who led the Team to its first NBA championship in 50 years. Coach Bud was whacked after going 58-24 in that final 2022-23 season. Since his departure, the Bucks have only continued to decline.

Marquee Man Giannis Antetokounmpo is speculated to be on the trading block, which would be the dagger to a franchise that has found relevance after decades in the shadows.

NBA Teams

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