NBA 2026/27: Title Favorites, Odds & Predictions

The previous NBA season delivered a storyline few could have predicted. The New York Knicks won their first championship since 1973, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the NBA Finals. Now, the defending champions face the challenge of retaining their title, although the odds do not even place them among the two leading favorites.

Oklahoma City Thunder are back in the spotlight, San Antonio can no longer be considered merely a promising young team, and Philadelphia enters the season with LeBron James joining Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

So, who will win the NBA championship in 2026/27? MrBit takes a closer look at the main title contenders, the season schedule and the key factors to consider ahead of the new campaign.

When Does the NBA 2026/27 Season Start?

The 2026/27 NBA regular season begins on October 21, 2026, and concludes on April 12, 2027.

Each of the league's 30 teams will play 82 games during the regular season. Once those games are completed, the play-in tournament will determine the remaining playoff spots before the postseason begins.

NBA playoff series follow a best-of-seven format, with the first team to win four games advancing to the next round.

The key dates for the 2026/27 NBA season are:

Regular season begins – October 21, 2026
NBA All-Star Game – February 22, 2027
Regular season ends – April 12, 2027
NBA playoffs begin – April 2027
NBA Finals – June 2027

The season will also feature the fourth edition of the NBA Cup.

NBA Teams for the 2026/27 Season

The NBA consists of 30 teams divided between the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference.

Western Conference: Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz.

Eastern Conference: Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards.

NBA Championship Favorites for 2026/27

Despite entering the season as defending champions, the New York Knicks are not the leading favorites according to the championship odds.

Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are considered the strongest contenders, with a considerable gap separating them from the rest of the field.

Here are the ten leading candidates for the 2026/27 NBA championship.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Best achievement – NBA champions in 1979 and 2025
Previous season – Conference Finals in 2026
Key players – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams
2025/26 regular season – 1st in the Western Conference
Championship odds – 3.50

Oklahoma City remain the leading favorites despite no longer holding the championship. Thunder finished first in the Western Conference last season with a commanding advantage, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was once again their standout performer and claimed the MVP award.

The problems emerged during the playoffs. Oklahoma City lost to San Antonio in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, ending their hopes of defending the title.

Nevertheless, the squad remains strong enough to enter the new campaign as the number one championship contender.

2. San Antonio Spurs

Best achievement – 5 NBA championships
Previous season – NBA Finals in 2026
Key players – Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle
2025/26 regular season – 2nd in the Western Conference
Championship odds – 3.75

San Antonio made enormous progress last season. Victor Wembanyama was named Defensive Player of the Year, while the Spurs eliminated Oklahoma City to reach the NBA Finals.

New York ultimately proved too strong, but San Antonio's young core remains together. After such a successful campaign, expectations are considerably higher.

The difference between Oklahoma City's and San Antonio's championship odds is minimal, at 3.60 and 3.70 respectively. That reflects just how closely matched the two teams appear heading into the season.

3. Philadelphia 76ers

Best achievement – NBA champions in 1955, 1967 and 1983
Previous season – Conference Semifinals in 2026
Key players – Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James
2025/26 regular season – 7th in the Eastern Conference
Championship odds – 10.00

Philadelphia made one of the most spectacular moves of the summer. LeBron James joined a roster already featuring Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The objective is clear: compete for the NBA championship. The biggest question is whether a squad filled with star players and experienced veterans can remain competitive throughout the regular season and survive demanding playoff series.

At 9.50, Philadelphia's championship odds place the team some distance behind the two leading favorites. However, the potential of this roster is difficult to ignore.

4. New York Knicks

Best achievement – NBA champions in 1970, 1973 and 2026
Previous season – NBA champions
Key players – Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby
2025/26 regular season – 3rd in the Eastern Conference
Championship odds – 10.00

New York are no longer chasing their long-awaited championship. Their challenge now is to defend it.

The Knicks enjoyed a remarkable season, winning both the NBA Cup and the NBA championship. Jalen Brunson was named Finals MVP, bringing an end to a title drought dating back to 1973.

The challenge ahead is very different. Expectations in New York have risen significantly, and every opponent will now view the Knicks as the defending champions to beat.

5. Boston Celtics

Best achievement – 18 NBA championships
Previous season – First round of the playoffs in 2026
Key players – Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White
2025/26 regular season – 2nd in the Eastern Conference
Championship odds – 16.00

Boston enter the new campaign following a busy summer and several changes to their roster. The biggest question concerns Jayson Tatum's return from an Achilles tendon injury.

The most successful franchise in NBA history remains among the championship contenders, but odds of 15.00 suggest more cautious expectations compared with the four teams above them.

6. Toronto Raptors

Best achievement – NBA champions in 2019
Previous season – First round of the playoffs in 2026
Key players – Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett
2025/26 regular season – 5th in the Eastern Conference
Championship odds – 23.00

Toronto returned to the playoffs after several rebuilding seasons, although their postseason campaign ended in the opening round.

Even so, reaching the playoffs represented meaningful progress. The next challenge is proving that the Raptors can do more than simply qualify for the postseason and become a team capable of making a deeper run.

7. Denver Nuggets

Best achievement – NBA champions in 2023
Previous season – First round of the playoffs in 2026
Key players – Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon
2025/26 regular season – 3rd in the Western Conference
Championship odds – 25.00

While a new generation of teams continues to gain ground in the Western Conference, Denver still relies heavily on Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets were eliminated earlier than expected last season and failed to achieve their objective of reaching at least the Conference Finals.

For a team with such an established core, another early playoff exit would be difficult to consider a satisfactory result.

8. Detroit Pistons

Best achievement – NBA champions in 1989, 1990 and 2004
Previous season – Conference Semifinals in 2026
Key players – Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Duncan Robinson
2025/26 regular season – 1st in the Eastern Conference
Championship odds – 25.00

Detroit were the biggest surprise of the regular season. The Pistons finished first in the Eastern Conference and naturally entered the playoffs with enormous expectations.

However, their postseason run ended in the second round. The question now is whether Detroit can repeat its regular-season performance and take the next step in the playoffs.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers

Best achievement – NBA champions in 2016
Previous season – Conference Finals in 2026
Key players – Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley
2025/26 regular season – 4th in the Eastern Conference
Championship odds – 25.00

Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference Finals, where New York proved too strong for the Cavaliers.

Donovan Mitchell remains the team's main offensive force, while James Harden is already in the later stages of his career.

If this roster is going to reach the NBA Finals, the time to make that push is now.

10. Minnesota Timberwolves

Best achievement – NBA Finals in 2024
Previous season – Conference Semifinals in 2026
Key players – Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels
2025/26 regular season – 6th in the Western Conference
Championship odds – 26.00

Minnesota once again reached the Western Conference Semifinals, but San Antonio proved too difficult an obstacle to overcome.

Anthony Edwards remains the Timberwolves' biggest asset. As long as he stays healthy, Minnesota has the potential to challenge almost any opponent in the league.

NBA Championship Odds 2026/27

Based on the pre-season odds, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are the two clear favorites to win the championship. Philadelphia and New York follow, while the remaining contenders face considerably longer odds.

The championship odds for the ten leading candidates are:

Oklahoma City Thunder – 3.50
San Antonio Spurs – 3.75
Philadelphia 76ers – 10.00
New York Knicks – 10.00
Boston Celtics – 16.00
Toronto Raptors – 23.00
Denver Nuggets – 25.00
Detroit Pistons – 25.00
Cleveland Cavaliers – 25.00
Minnesota Timberwolves – 30.00

Who Will Win the NBA in 2026/27? MrBit Prediction

The championship odds suggest there is very little separating Oklahoma City and San Antonio, but several factors give Thunder a slight advantage.

Oklahoma City finished first in the Western Conference during the previous regular season, have reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on their roster and already know what it takes to win an NBA championship.

The Game 7 defeat to San Antonio in the Conference Finals demonstrated how narrow the gap between these teams has become. At the same time, that elimination gives Thunder a clear objective heading into the new campaign.

San Antonio appear to be their strongest challengers. New York have already demonstrated their ability to win the title, while Philadelphia remain the biggest unknown thanks to a star-studded roster.

Nevertheless, Oklahoma City's impressive regular-season record, the continuity of their core players and Gilgeous-Alexander's presence make Thunder the preferred choice.

MrBit prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA 2026/27 championship – odds 3.60.

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