NBA Championship Odds & Prediction at Thanksgiving: Will Thunder Repeat in NBA Finals?

The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the latest NBA championship odds at Thanksgiving as they look to win their second straight title.

No other team is close on the odds leaderboard, though that doesn't mean there isn't value to be found. I'm offering my favorite NBA Finals long-shot prediction alongside breaking down why the Thunder are the NBA championship favorite.

📊 NBA championship odds: Who'll win 2026 Finals?

NBA championship odds update in real time via our best sports betting apps. 

🏆 Favorite to win 2026 NBA championship: Thunder (+180)

There's been no championship hangover for the Thunder, who look better than ever at 17-1 heading into Thanksgiving Weekend.

Even with All-Star Jalen Williams yet to make his 2025-26 season debut, Oklahoma City is smashing opponents with a league-best plus-16.7 net rating. That includes a 104 defensive rating that is seven points better than the No. 2-ranked Dallas Mavericks.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finds himself near the top of the NBA MVP odds leaderboard once again, even with him sitting out several fourth quarters amid Thunder blowouts.

Defending a championship is difficult, and Oklahoma City has a ways to go still to achieving that goal. But everything we've see from them so far this season shows a team bolstered by last year's deep run, not fatigued by it.

The longest odds on the Thunder to win the NBA championship among the best sports betting sites is +180 at DraftKings. That translates to an implied probability of 35.71%, with a $10 bet netting an $18 profit.

🎯 NBA championship long-shot pick: Pistons (+2800)

The Pistons have gone from pesky playoff also-ran to a bona fide contender in the Eastern Conference this season.

Coming off their first postseason appearance since 2019, Detroit's young core is growing up quickly. That's included a 13-game winning streak.

The last two times the Pistons won at least 13 games in a row in their franchise history, they won the NBA championship (1990 and 2004).

Cade Cunningham is a true superstar and one of the league's best scorers, while Jalen Duren could be in line for his first All-Star nod as he leads the NBA Most Improved Player odds.

With Jaden Ivey rejoining the lineup recently, perhaps Detroit can get even better and make these +2800 odds at bet365 look foolish.

You can bet $10 on the Pistons at that price for the chance to win a $280 profit with an implied probability of 3.45%.

❓ NBA championship FAQs

Who is the favorite to win the NBA championship?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are the NBA championship favorite at +180 odds, which imply a 35.71% probability.

When are the NBA Finals?

The 2026 NBA Finals will take place between June 4 and June 21.

How to watch the NBA Finals?

The 2026 NBA Finals will be broadcast by ABC and ESPN.

How to bet on the NBA championship?

Our basketball betting guide takes you through how to bet on the NBA. You can bet on who will win the NBA championship at our best NBA betting sites.