2025-2026 NBA Championship Betting
The names at the top of the NBA future market board have not changed, but some teams below the top tier are catching attention. Everybody agrees that the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and New York Knicks are the top threats to win the NBA championship. Right beneath those teams are the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
It is the third tier that has gamblers paying attention to potentially hidden value that could emerge as the season progresses. The Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Lakers are popular brands but are not considered elite. However, this trio of teams is showing more ability than gamblers initially expected.
NBA Betting Lines
Thunder at Warriors Odds and Preview
Chase Center in San Francisco, CA, is the venue for the matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors on Friday, January 2, 2026. Tipoff time is at 10 p.m. ET with television coverage on Amazon Prime Video.
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NBA Future Market Update and Teams to Watch
Boston Celtics
At the beginning of the week, the Boston Celtics were given credit for a remarkable turnaround that has continued since Thanksgiving. Boston has been one of the best values on the NBA board and is printing cash for gamblers.
The Celtics covered the spread in 11 of their last 14 games. Overall, Boston’s record is 19-11 straight up, 17-13 against the spread, and 14-16 under the total. The Celtics have climbed to third in the Eastern Conference standings, 4.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons.
The Celtics were written off for dead when it was announced that Jayson Tatum would miss the current season with an Achilles injury. It did not help that the Celtics stumbled out of the gate, covering the spread in only two of their first eight games.
The loss of Tatum has been an obvious drag on Boston’s offensive firepower. Thus, the Celtics have had to rely on defense to succeed. Boston ranks 15th for scoring offense but 2nd for points allowed.
Much of the credit for the Celtics' success goes to head coach Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla took the reins for the 2022-23 season under difficult circumstances when Boston was forced to fire a promising head coach, Ime Udoka, for sexual misconduct with a team employee.
Mazzulla was a Boston assistant but wasted no time making his mark with a 57-25 record in his rookie season that ended in the Eastern Conference finals. Mazzulla followed that campaign with an NBA championship and a record of 64-18. Last year, Boston was the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions, but they flopped with an embarrassing second-round loss to the New York Knicks.
This year, Mazzulla is turning in his best coaching performance, overcoming the loss of Tatum, and adapting with new tactics to keep Boston in the playoff hunt.
This week, the Celtics are on a western road trip, starting with a December 30 matchup against the Utah Jazz. Next is a game against the Sacramento Kings on January 1. The road trip ends on January 3 with a game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons would be Rodney Dangerfield’s favorite NBA team. That is because the Pistons are not getting much respect despite having the best record in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has a record of 24-7 straight up and 16-14-1 against the spread. Lately, the Pistons have suffered a drop in betting value with only three covers in their last six decisions. Additionally, Detroit went over the total in two of its last six games.
Head coach JB Bickerstaff is known as a turnaround artist for his previous work with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is now working his magic with the Pistons. Bickerstaff has engineered one of the most balanced teams in the Association. Detroit ranks 9th in the NBA for scoring offense and 6th for points allowed.
Cade Cunninham triggers the Detroit attack with 26.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 9.6 rebounds per game. Cunningham was the first overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma State and is coming off a breakout campaign in 2024-25. Now, fans and gamblers have confirmation that he has arrived.
On December 30, Detroit has a high-profile road game with the Los Angeles Lakers. Following that is a New Year’s Day home game versus the Miami Heat. Detroit hits the road to play the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 4.
Did You Know?
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Betting Rules & Policies
Free Play Rules
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ROLLOVER
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Wager Cash Out - How it works
With the Cash Out feature you can choose to eliminate a wager that's already been placed, and receive back either a portion, or your full stake amount.
Cash Out is selectively available on certain events, fixtures, and markets.
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