The Oklahoma City Thunder are still the team to beat. They’re sitting pretty as favorites to win the NBA championship this season. Their odds are a strong +100 right now, showing a lot of confidence in the young team. But things in the Western Conference are never quiet, and the San Antonio Spurs, wow, they’ve made a big jump.
Thunder’s Hot Streak and Championship Hopes
The Thunder are really proving why they’re the top pick. They just had a commanding 124-95 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he was just amazing in that game. He scored 30 points, and he only needed three quarters to do it. That victory made it three wins in a row for Oklahoma City, a really good run.
The team’s record is looking sharp at 29-5, an .853 winning percentage. That’s pretty dominant, you know. According to ESPN stats, this Thunder squad has been on a historic pace. They’re among the youngest teams in the league too, with an average roster age of just 24.8. Adrian Horton, an ESPN BET senior director, said the Thunder had their “breakthrough to win a championship at the start of their window.” So, they’re built to last, it seems.
People are already talking about a potential dynasty. If the Thunder win this year, it might just start a new era. They’ve got so many young building blocks like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. It’s really something to see.
Spurs’ Surprising Leap and Western Conference Chaos
But you can’t just talk about the Thunder without mentioning the Spurs. San Antonio has made a significant leap in the championship race. They had a really impressive December. And get this: they actually beat the Thunder three times in a 13-day span back then. That’s a serious statement from a team that was probably overlooked.
The Spurs are now at 12-1 odds, which is a big climb. The Western Conference is just super competitive, too. The Denver Nuggets are still up there, with the second-best odds at +750. Other teams like the Los Angeles Lakers at 22-1 and the Houston Rockets at 15-1 are also in the mix.
It’s gonna be a brawl to get to the Finals from the West. As Caesars Sportsbook’s David Lieberman put it, “it’s tougher to make it to the Finals in the West.” He feels the team that comes out of the West will “be a pretty sizable favorite” over the East champion.
It’s just a really deep conference. There’s so much talent. That makes every game feel important.
SGA’s MVP Crown and Durability Advantage
Now, let’s talk about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s not just leading the Thunder to wins. He’s also the front-runner for MVP. His odds are a massive -450, quite a favorite. This happened after Nikola Jokic apparently picked up a month-long injury. That really changed the MVP race.
Luka Doncic is trailing him at +370. But Doncic has missed games already this season. Players need to play at least 65 games to be MVP eligible, you know. Luka’s past few seasons also show he’s missed a fair bit of time. So, SGA’s durability really stands out. He’s only missed one game so far this season.
Early MVP favorites like Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo also had injuries that hurt their chances. Cade Cunningham is next on the MVP odds list at 50-1, a real longshot but you never know. It really seems like the award is SGA’s to lose right now, as ESPN Betting reported. He’s just been that consistent and healthy.
What’s Next for the Thunder
The Thunder are clearly focused on the big prize. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has made it clear that championships are his priority over individual records. He wants to win, in any form. He said, “If we didn’t get better tonight, then we wasted an opportunity.” That’s the mindset of a champion, for sure.
Oklahoma City has built a team that’s young, deep, and really talented. They’ve done it through smart drafting and developing players. They’re in a great spot, not just for this season, but for years to come. They’ve got the best probability to win it all, at 43% according to one forecast model from ESPN. The future looks really bright for this Thunder squad. It does.
Annsly Raena 
Soureesh Datta