The NBA’s return rarely arrives quietly, but this year, there’s a crackle in the October air that feels utterly electric. The Oklahoma City Thunder storm into the new campaign as defending champions, having vanquished the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game thriller in the finals, courtesy of brilliance from MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Now, online NBA odds providers make OKC the overwhelming favorites to successfully defend the Larry O’Brien.
The latest NBA lines at Bovada currently price the champs as a seven-point favorite to win their preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets, but it’s their Finals odds that will have the Paycom Center faithful truly excited. The aforementioned betting giant has the Thunder listed as a short-priced +215 favorite to defend their title in 2025/26, well clear of the chasing pack, headed by the +700 Denver Nuggets. But as the relentless chatter swirls around Oklahoma City’s chances of a dynasty, a far more combustible subplot is brewing.
Three franchises wounded by circumstance and inconsistency in 2024-25—three teams that, on paper, should be namechecked only as afterthoughts—now find themselves at the epicenter of playoff hope. They’ve loaded up, banked on health, and recaptured the gambling world’s attention. Why? Because they represent the one thing Thunder dominance can’t overshadow: the irresistible NBA tradition of the sudden, unpredictable bounce-back.
Phoenix Suns
How quickly the desert swallows its own. In 2024-25, the Suns became the cautionary tale of the superteam era; the “Big Three” collective of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal never truly materialized. They started 15-17, careened to an 11th-place finish in the West, and missed the postseason for the first time since 2020. Advanced metrics confirmed the eye test: Phoenix’s defensive rating plummeted to 118.7, and its vaunted offense lagged in clutch minutes.
But out of the wreckage emerged one of the league’s boldest offseasons. In July, KD—icon, franchise-changer, but never a Sun for the long haul—was dealt to the Houston Rockets. The return? Jalen Green (22.0 PPG, electric first step), Dillon Brooks (plus defender, emotional spark), top-10 rookie Khaman Maluach (already projecting as a plus rim protector), and enough draft capital for a mid-market fortune.
Still getting used to KD in Houston being real 🤯
— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) September 30, 2025
The mood is almost jubilant among Suns fans: finally, a roster built for the modern tempo, able to challenge with speed and defensive versatility. Budenholzer’s coaching leash is as long as he wants; Green and Brooks alone give Phoenix a counterpunch in both transition and half-court sets, while Maluach’s ability to alter shots could redeem last year’s defensive collapse. The futures markets haven’t yet responded, with odds plummeting to +50000. However, should the new boys hit the ground running, watch for this group to become the wildcard race’s surprise pace-setters by January.
New Orleans Pelicans
Last season in New Orleans wasn’t just a setback—it was something like a basketball Greek tragedy. The Pels finished an abysmal 21-61, a franchise worst, after Zion Williamson’s body betrayed him yet again (just 42 games played), and what remained on the court allowed 116 points a night. By the time April arrived, any remaining illusions of a play-in burst had evaporated, with analytics departments showing the defensive rotations as chaotic, bordering on hopeless.
The response? A tactical reset. Out went Kelly Olynyk and promising prospect Cam Whitmore; in came Saddiq Bey and Jordan Poole, bringing with them a combined 16.7 PPG and enough shooting to finally give Zion space to detonate in the paint. Kevon Looney’s acquisition quietly may be the most important: his rebounding metrics (12.3 rebounds per 36 minutes) fill a canyon-sized gap from last spring. Trey Alexander, their first-round draftee, slots in as a needed ballhandler off the pine.
But if New Orleans rises, it will be because Zion is Zion. He’s reportedly targeting 70+ games, and with Poole providing secondary scoring and Bey’s switchable defense, this is a team that can not only make noise but also terrify a higher seed should momentum swing their way.
Los Angeles Clippers
Read between the lines of the Clippers’ glossy 50-32 regular-season record, and what emerges is familiar heartbreak. The postseason door—seemingly propped open since the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George experiment began—slammed shut quickly, this time in a seven-game duel against Denver, where L.A. ran out of closing options and, bluntly, ran out of Kawhi due to persistent knee troubles.
But craft and cunning have been this front office’s hallmark. This summer, Bradley Beal landed for pennies on the dollar (two years, $11 million) after a buyout, instantly adding an extra shooter who hit 38% from deep last season. James Harden was re-upped for one more act of orchestration; Chris Paul signed on for a twilight cameo, but don’t discount his leadership, nor his 9.2 assists per 36 minutes.
Derrick Jones Jr. brings the athletic edge L.A. has sorely lacked at the wing. With Leonard healthy, preseason models see this as a top-four offense—the talent here is absolutely not in question. The variable is health and chemistry; should those break correctly, a few teams profile more explosively in the West. +1800 odds suggest the books have, at last, stopped underrating Ty Lue’s tactical toolbox.
