The 2026-27 NBA season will be a story of change, and it started in last year's NBA Finals when the New York Knicks won the title for the first time in 53 years. This campaign will have familiar faces in new places, including (nearly) ageless superstar LeBron James, who will be playing on the opposite coast after leaving the Lakers to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Place your wagers on 2026-27 NBA championship futures at DraftKings and get $200 in bonus bets when you spend $5+: Fans who are interested in NBA betting and futures betting can get bonus bets at the best sports betting apps.
The season starts Tuesday, and fans can also get picks for every game from the SportsLine Projection Model. The model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and our experts also offer insights on games from every sport each day. Former Celtics star Jaylen Brown will be joining James in Philly, while two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is in Miami.
Ja Morant (Portland), Kawhi Leonard (Toronto) and LaMelo Ball (Minnesota) are among the other notable names with new teams. There's also a strong incoming rookie class, headed by AJ Dybantsa (Washington), Darryn Peterson (Utah), Cameron Boozer (Memphis) and Caleb Wilson (Chicago). Despite the Knicks hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy as NBA champs, the road to the title could go through a tough Western Conference.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, 2025 champions, and 2026 runners-up San Antonio Spurs are the favorites to win the NBA title at DraftKings Sportsbook, with both teams priced at +270. The Knicks and Sixers are next, with both Eastern Conference teams listed at +900. The Knicks are the eighth consecutive different NBA champion, and they will have to fend off a real challenge from the 76ers in the East.
The West is top-heavy with the Thunder and Spurs, who battled all season as youthful San Antonio emerged as a potential future champion behind superstar big man Victor Wembanyama. The Thunder still have two-time reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way. The Thunder led the NBA with 64 victories last season, followed by the Spurs with 62.
The teams battled for seven games in the Western Conference Finals, with San Antonio taking a 111-103 victory in the clincher before going down in five to the Knicks. The Pistons (60-22) were the only team in the East to get to 60 wins. The Celtics, Knicks and Cavaliers all won more than 50 games in the East, while the Rockets, Lakers and Nuggets did so in the West.
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