NBA offseason recap and early-season previews: Team-by-team primers

We're looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the regular season by rolling out one team profile each weekday through Sept. 18.

The top 3

  1. Teams with Best Betting Odds to Win Title: The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are consistently listed as co-favorites with odds around +250 to +280, indicating a high implied probability of winning the 2027 NBA Championship.
  2. Defending Champion Knicks Face Uphill Battle: Despite winning the 2026 NBA title, the New York Knicks have lower odds (around +650 to +900) to repeat due to roster depth concerns and the historical difficulty of winning back-to-back championships, which has only occurred 23 times in 80 seasons.
  3. Impact of Offseason Roster Upgrades: The Philadelphia 76ers saw a significant jump in their championship odds, rising from 1.1% to 13% after acquiring LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, making them a third favorite behind the Thunder and Spurs.

Sources

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