- The Los Angeles Lakers had -2000 odds heading into the 2001 NBA Finals.
- The Golden State Warriors boasted -1075 odds going into the 2018 NBA Finals.
- The Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals despite having -700 odds of winning the series.
Every NBA Finals series has a favourite and an underdog, but the discrepancy in NBA Finals odds could sometimes be too big to ignore.
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2025 NBA Finals as one of the biggest favourites in league history, joining other elite teams that boasted short championship basketball odds.
With that in mind, who are the 11 biggest favourites in NBA Finals history? Let’s find out.
11 Biggest Favourites in NBA Finals History, Ranked
| Rank | Favourite | Underdog | Series Odds | Year |
| 1 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | Lakers: (-2000), 76ers: (+1600) | 2001 |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | Warriors: (-1075), Cavaliers: (+688) | 2018 |
| 3 | Chicago Bulls | Seattle SuperSonics | Bulls: (-950), SuperSonics: (+650) | 1996 |
| 4 | San Antonio Spurs | New York Knicks | Spurs: (-900), Knicks: (+600) | 1999 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | Lakers: (-800), Pacers: (+550) | 2000 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | Lakers: (-750), Nets: (+550) | 2002 |
| 7 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | Celtics: (-700), Rockets: (+500) | 1986 |
| 8 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | Lakers: (-700), Pistons: (+500) | 2004 |
| 9 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Indiana Pacers | Thunder: (-700), Pacers: (+500) | 2025 |
| 10 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | Bulls: (-600), Jazz: (+400) | 1997 |
| 11 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | Lakers: (-600), Celtics: (+400) | 1987 |
Who Were the Biggest Favourites in NBA Finals History?
1. 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (-2000)
The Los Angeles Lakers took down the Philadelphia 76ers in five games, going 15-1 that postseason.
The Lakers swept the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs on their way to the Finals.
Shaquille O’Neal was named Finals MVP.
2. 2018 Golden State Warriors (-1075)
The Golden State Warriors were in year two of their superteam of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, as they swept a Cleveland Cavaliers team LeBron James single-handedly carried to the Finals.
Durant was named Finals MVP.
3. 1996 Chicago Bulls (-950)
This was Michael Jordan’s first full season after coming out of his first retirement, as he helped the Chicago Bulls take down the Seattle SuperSonics in six games.
The Bulls went a then-NBA record 72-10 during the regular season.
Jordan was named Finals MVP.
4. 1999 San Antonio Spurs (-900)
The San Antonio Spurs dispatched the New York Knicks in five games.
The Spurs went 15-2 that postseason, losing one game to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round before sweeping the Lakers and Trail Blazers.
Tim Duncan was named Finals MVP.
5. 2000 Los Angeles Lakers (-800)
Led by O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers won their first of three straight championships, taking down the Indiana Pacers in six games.
O’Neal was named Finals MVP after averaging 38 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game.
6. 2002 Los Angeles Lakers (-750)
The Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets after a hard-fought, seven-game Western Conference finals against the Sacramento Kings.
Aside from a Lakers 106-83 blowout Game 2 win, the Nets actually kept each game close, losing by no more than two possessions in every other game.
O’Neal was named Finals MVP
7. 1986 Boston Celtics (-700)
The Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets in six games, going 11-1 before reaching the NBA Finals.
Boston took down the Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks before winning their third trophy in the ‘80s.
Larry Bird was named Finals MVP.
8. 2004 Los Angeles Lakers (-700)
Los Angeles entered this series as heavy favourites, but the Detroit Pistons flipped the script and defeated the Lakers in five games on the back of their historic defence.
O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in the offseason.
9. 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder (-700)
The Oklahoma City Thunder finished the 2024-25 season with the second-best net rating (12.8) of all time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named regular-season MVP, providing elite scoring reminiscent of MJ and Kobe and lockdown defence.
10. 1997 Chicago Bulls (-600)
The Bulls handled the Utah Jazz in six games, winning their second of three straight championships.
Jordan was named Finals MVP after averaging 32.3 points, seven rebounds, and six assists per game.
11. 1987 Los Angeles Lakers (-600)
The Lakers took down the defending champion Celtics in six games, going 11-1 on their road to the Finals.
Magic Johnson was named Finals MVP after averaging 26.2 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game.
