NBA’s 2024/5 season is like a Super Bowl of star power and jaw-dropping plays as the best battle for supremacy. Denver Nuggets, led by the basketball brilliance of Nikola Jokić, Boston Celtics of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and Phoenix Suns of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, are our other reigning champs. Watching for the bettors isn’t just exciting; it’s essential. Understanding how these top teams and players perform under pressure can give you a significant advantage in making smart betting decisions to beat the bookie boringly. The stakes are as high as a Tatum buzzer-beater, and this article will break down the most important storylines of the season to help you decode the best NBA betting odds and get your game face on for a wild ride to the crown.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
With a great job and a quick placement on the first columns, the Cleveland Cavaliers already showed one of the best teams of the 2024-2025 NBA season. Kenny Atkinson’s hiring, following the amicable split with JB Bickerstaff, has been worth spades after last season’s success. The Cavs have the highest scoring team average with 121.4 points per game, and Atkinson has brought fresh energy and a winning formula to a lackluster team. The defense is good, and their offensive firepower is equal to it, which makes their opponents shaky. Cleveland has become a serious threat thanks to a deep roster and a pair of dynamic duos, the dynamic duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, on the court. The combination of them playing their chemistry and being able to control both ends of the floor has made them a tough challenge for anybody they’re going against.
2. Boston Celtics
Reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics are imprinting themselves further into this 2024–2025 season with their streaking and finding a way to be consistently among the top teams in the league. They’ve built themselves into a powerhouse known for their explosive scorers and top-10 defense. Just last season, the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, chosen by fans to be dubbed the ‘Unicorn,’ only added to their lineup. While still honing his pace, Porzingis is beginning to strengthen their defensive prowess. But even more remarkable is that the Celtics aren’t at full strength yet, and their ceiling is frighteningly high. Boston is a nightmare matchup for any contender with its potent mix of seasoned talent and actual room to grow.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder will rise to come out strong despite losing two key players in the 2024-2025 NBA season. Their offense has some things to improve upon, but their anticipated return of Chet Holmgren will give their offense a big boost. For now, at least, their strength is their elite defense, which has allowed them to compete against the best teams in the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is at the heart of their success, one of the most dynamic players in the NBA, still leading the way and bringing them into the conversation to go down with the king.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies, though, have delivered on the high expectations of the 2024-2025 NBA season, and that’s with superstar Ja Morant back. Having him around is a game-changer, especially in the run leading to that impressive stretch where they won nine of ten, propelling them to the standings. The Grizzlies have been an offensive juggernaut, earning the league’s top offense with 122.1 points per game. Morant’s absence early in the season may have denied them a shot at the NBA’s best record, but their current form suggests they are a serious contender. Still, holding this trajectory, it’s not a question of time before they’ll make a convincing argument for the top spot in the rankings.
5. Houston Rockets
Head coach Ime Udoka’s first NBA season netted the Houston Rockets into one of the most exciting teams in the 2024-2025 NBA season, and the forward progress looks to continue into the season ahead. But with a strong 16-8 start, they’re capturing attention as a force to be reckoned with. The driving force behind the team’s success has been young stars Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, two of whom have shown up every night showing their talent and potential. The Rockets’ elite defense, which ranks in the top three in the league, has held opponents to only 106.6 points per game, which truly sets them apart. Crafted by a budding cornerstone of Jayson Tatum and an emerging All-Star in Jaylen Brown, all backed by the defensive excellence of Brad Stevens, this combination of youthful energy, disciplined coaching, and excellence has very rapidly made Houston the “it” team of a season to watch.
6. Dallas Mavericks
This 2024-2025 NBA season, the Dallas Mavericks are on a roll, winning 11 of their last 12 and making their way up the standings. They boast a top-five record and have given an early peek into what is coming with an offensive juggernaut whose early struggles have been turned into a first-half play. With an above-average defense backing a head coach who can build an equally balanced, high-performing team, the team has become a strong force on both ends. With this momentum, the Mavericks are on the verge of serious contenders as a team that could mount another push for the NBA Finals come spring.
7. New York Knicks
With the 2024-2025 season so focused on building chemistry in their retooled starting five (especially on the defensive end), the New York Knicks are slowly piecing things together. The team has struggled with surprise losses to the Jazz and Pistons, but there’s been clear improvement on every front. The Knicks rank in the top 10 offensively, averaging 118.0 points per game, and their defense is starting to become a formidable part of what the Knicks are, and they both crack the top 10 defensively. Coming together, the Knicks are striking continuity, and as the season goes on, they can put themselves amongst the best in the league should they continue to advance on both ends.
8. Golden State Warriors
No wonder the Golden State Warriors exploded out of the gate during the 2024-2025 NBA campaign — and with a fiery start and one of the best early records in the league — they’ve arrived as contenders for the top team in the NBA. But more than that, the team hasn’t been able to keep that edge without De’Anthony Melton. The Warriors have started to lose six of their last eight games and are searching for answers now. With the holiday season arriving, they desperately need to regain their rhythm and cohesion and return to being a top-tier contender in a highly competitive league.
9. Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have demonstrated extraordinary resiliency this NBA season by quickly rallying after losing all-star Paolo Banchero to a torn oblique. The team rallied around the league’s top-ranked defense during head coach Jamahl Mosley’s watch. They have remained competitive and continue to play as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference despite the loss of Banchero. Their defensive tenacity and balanced effort have been the key to surviving the storm. But with Franz Wagner out with an injury and two of their top players, the Magic must tread water without two of their best, and the risk of sliding down the standings is very real.
10. Los Angeles Clippers
A stellar season for head coach Ty Lue and the Los Angeles Clippers during their 2024-2025 NBA season has proven it was worth more than just exceeding expectations. Even without Kawhi Leonard, who is still suffering an injury blemish here, the team is in solid form, above .500, making do with an elite top-five basketball defense that has seen them hold opponents to 107.4 points per game. The sky is the limit for the Clippers if Leonard stays healthy and presumably returns to Los Angeles. However, the explosive carpeting of a James Harden groin injury has shadowed their energy and left them fearful that they cannot stay competitive in the standings as the year progresses.
