The 79^th NBA season is finally here, with the defending champions the Boston Celtics ranking as favorites for the highly coveted Larry O’Brien title. This promises to be one of the best seasons for the Association as the league features superstars at every age, strong parity, and power in major markets. As such, the title defenders can expect to face more challenges in their campaign this year, with the Thunder, Knicks, 76ers, and Timberwolves ranking among the favorites.

But can the Celtics secure a spot in the 2025 NBA playoff game or will they fall short against their biggest contenders this season? Here is a preview of the 2025 NBA playoff odds and who is the most likely winner for the Larry O’Brien title.

Boston Celtics

According to Sportytrader’s NBA experts, the Boston Celtics are clear favorites to book a spot in the 2025 playoff game and win the Larry O’Brien title once again. The Celtics ended their 2023-2024 campaign with a 64-18 record, but that barely describes how good they were. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Co. managed to clinch the top seed last season with almost a month to go in the regular season and they could have won more games if needed.

The Celtics returned everyone in their rotation for the 2024-2025 NBA campaign, something that’s virtually unheard of in the league. And while some might think that Boston will be less motivated this season, they are still trophy-hungry and feel disrespected after Jayson Tatum wasn’t named as the MVP in both the Eastern Conference and NBA finals.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City Thunder ranks as the best team all round in the Western Conference and they have a great chance of winning it all in the 2024-2025 NBA season. Like the Celtics, the Thunder has star power, insane depth, elite defense, strong coaching, and three-point shooting.

Their star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished last season as the MVP runner-up next to Nikola Jokic and they have more talent in their roster. Moreover, the addition of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso was perfect for this team, which was already ranking as a stud defense. However, Hartensteins injury might affect the team's performance if he remains out for longer than expected.

New York Knicks

While there hasn’t been such universal optimism around the Knicks since the 90s, they have the third shortest odds of winning the title this season. The Knicks recorded an impressive offseason, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota and Mikal Bridges from the Nets in their bid to end their 51-year title drought.

The New York Knicks have developed an imposing “Big 3” along with Jalen Brunson, expected to push for an MVP consideration. However, Coach Tom Thibodeau’s side has decimated its bench and it could get into a lot of trouble if they suffer injuries like they have done before. Nonetheless, the Knicks have the best starting five this season and they have a strong defense to challenge any NBA team this season.