The Knicks’ acquisition of Mikal Bridges from the Nets sent shock waves throughout the New York sports world.
Thanks to Bridges, the Knicks have overtaken the 76ers as the favorite to win the 2025 NBA Finals, with their odds on ESPN BET increasing from 18/1 to 10/1.
The Knicks are tied with the Mavericks and Bucks for the fifth-best odds to win the championship, behind the Timberwolves at +900, Thunder (+850), Nuggets (+650) and Celtics (+280).
The Knicks’ big rise has also boosted their odds to win the Eastern Conference from +750 to +500.
In the East, only the Milwaukee Bucks (+400) and Celtics (+125) have better odds, with Boston, of course, the favorite to repeat as NBA champion by a wide margin.
Even without Bridges, the Knicks were on the brink of greatness in 2024, dropping their odds to +325 to win the Eastern Conference when they boasted a 2-0 lead over the Indiana Pacers in the second round.
A string of injuries eventually cost them momentum in the series, losing to the Pacers in seven games.
But the addition of Bridges, who has played in 474 consecutive games, should help ease concerns about the team’s durability.
2025 NBA Championship Odds
| team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +280 |
| Denver Nuggets | +650 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +850 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +900 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 10/1 |
| New York Knicks | 10/1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 10/1 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 13/1 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 20/1 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 25/1 |
| Miami Heat | 25/1 |
| Phoenix Suns | 25/1 |
| Golden State Warriors | 30/1 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 30/1 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 40/1 |
| Indiana Pacers | 50/1 |
| Sacramento Kings | 50/1 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 60/1 |
| Orlando Magic | 80/1 |
With Paul George and LeBron James both set to become free agents and potentially suiting up in new uniforms this season, there are still plenty of dominoes to fall before these odds are set in stone.
However, given salary cap restrictions across the league, the general consensus is that both players will return to their current teams.
Additionally, Jimmy Butler appears to be having a very public spat with the Miami Heat, which is also worth noting.
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The Philadelphia 76ers appear poised to make a big move as they are one of the few teams with enough cap space to sign players in free agency.
However, a cryptic report from The Athletic suggests the 76ers’ interest in George is “fading.”
