NBA Picks & Predictions
2025 NBA Finals Picks & Predictions - Basketball Betting Odds
The NBA playoffs have been anything but a disappointment. Star players have entertained fans with plenty of exciting basketball and memorable moments. The only downside is that time is running out to bet on basketball in the 2024-25 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Indiana Pacers with the NBA championship on the line.
Throughout the NBA Finals, you can join Stake Sportsbook if you plan on betting on the NBA. Since this is the most important series of the season, it’s a good idea to read our sports betting guide before placing any bets on the 2025 NBA Finals.
NBA News & Season Overview
The NBA Playoffs haven’t quite gone according to plan. In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors survived the play-in tournament and then pulled off a huge upset over the Houston Rockets in the first round. However, an injury to Steph Curry slowed them up in the following round. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder survived a seven-game series with the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals and then made quick work of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals.
In the Eastern Conference, the teams with the best records during the regular season failed to reach the championship series. Injuries were an issue for the Cleveland Cavaliers in most of their playoff games, as they lost to the Indiana Pacers. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks pulled off multiple comebacks behind Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges to knock out the Boston Celtics. However, the Knicks lost the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden, allowing the Pacers to win the series.
NBA History & Previous Winners
The NBA dates back to 1946. In the decades since the league was founded, over 20 different franchises have won an NBA title. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Boston Celtics are the reigning champions. Last season’s title was Boston’s 18th in franchise history, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers, who now rank second with 17 NBA championships. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are a distant third with 7 NBA championships. The Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs are also noteworthy with 6 and 5 NBA titles, respectively.
2025 NBA Finals Predictions & Picks to Win
The NBA Finals get underway on Thursday, June 5. If the series goes seven games, the last game will be played on June 22. As the team with the better record during the regular season, the Thunder will host games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the Pacers will host games 3, 4, and 6.
Heading into the series, the championship odds are heavily in Oklahoma City’s favor. The Thunder is led by this season’s league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging close to 30 points per game during the playoffs. Oklahoma City also has an excellent supporting cast that features forwards Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
To be fair, the Pacers have their own star point guard in Tyrese Haliburton. He’s become an all-star-level point guard and the driving force for Indiana’s success. However, it’s actually been Pascal Siakam leading the Pacers in scoring during the playoffs. He’s been outstanding throughout the playoffs, while the likes of Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner, and Andrew Nembhard give the Pacers a balanced, high-powered scoring attack.
Who Will Win the NBA Season 2025
The Pacers deserve a lot of credit for reaching the NBA Finals. They are 12-4 in the postseason, eliminating three immensely talented teams. However, Oklahoma City’s talent is on another level, as the Thunder proved with a 68-win regular season. Specifically, Oklahoma City’s defense looks like it could be the difference in the NBA Finals. The Thunder can win games at both ends better than the Pacers, as the Indiana defense can be lacking at times. While the Pacers should make things interesting, the Thunder is likely to win the 2025 NBA championship.
NBA Betting Tips, Odds & Preview
Betting on the NBA or any other sport doesn’t have to require relying on expert picks. However, it’s important to have a clear betting strategy that you stick to at all times. It doesn’t matter if it’s the regular season, the in-season basketball tournament, or the playoffs; always have a strategy and follow it.
With 30 NBA teams, there is a lot to track. It’s important to know any betting trends for each team. For instance, is one team great at home but struggles on the road? Is one team in the midst of a hot streak? The amount of rest a team has before a game can also play a big role in NBA games. Look for betting trends that involve how a team performs when they play on back-to-back nights or have less rest than their opponent.
Understanding each team’s personnel also matters. Star power goes a long way in determining NBA games. But it’s also important to look at how each team’s strengths and weaknesses match up against one another. It’s also crucial to track injuries because if a key player is going to miss a game, it can change the outlook for that game.
Finally, the best advice for betting on the NBA is to use your head and not your heart. Don’t get on something just because you hope it happens. Look closely at a game and bet on what you think will happen. Above all else, betting requires objectivity. It’s equally important to bet what you know, so don’t bet on games if you’re not familiar with the 2 teams playing. Instead, stick with teams you follow closely.
Types of Basketball Bets & How to Bet on NBA
From handicap betting to outrights, Stake Sportsbook offers a basketball getting guide if you’re not familiar with NBA betting. It will teach you how to understand basketball odds, and explain the most common types of bets:
Point Spread (Spread) - Betting against the spread is among the most popular bet types for NBA fans. With spread bets, the favored team must win by a certain margin in order to win the bet. If that team doesn’t win by a margin that’s greater than the spread for the game, the losing team wins the bet just by keeping it close.
Moneyline (Outright) - Making moneyline picks is a little simpler than betting against the spread. This bet only requires betting on the outright winner of the game. The catch is that the odds and payout won’t be the same for each team. The payout is smaller if you take the moneyline of the favored team and larger for the underdog.
Total (Over/Under) - Rather than betting on winners and losers, a total bet is concerned with the combined points of both teams. There is an over/under for every game with bettors placing a wager on whether the total points in that game will be higher or lower than that total.
Parlays & Multibets - A parlay is a great way to increase the payout of a bet. It ties multiple bets into a larger bet, increasing the payout more than a series of single bets. However, if just 1 bet loses, the entire parlay loses, so it’s the ultimate example of a high-risk, high-reward bet.
Proposition Bets (Player Props) - Player props are hugely popular among NBA fans. These prop bets are typically based on the number of points, rebounds, or assists a player has in a game. There are also prop bets that are based on certain events in a game, including whether a team will lead at halftime and win the game.
Live Betting (In Play) - Even after a game begins, there are betting lines available, allowing fans to make live bets in the middle of a game. This allows fans to watch the start of an NBA game and then make a bet on how the game will end. Just keep in mind that live betting is a little different from pre-game betting. The spread, over/under, and moneyline odds all change throughout the game, so you can’t get on the pre-game odds once the game begins.
Check out our comprehensive sports betting guide for more tips and tricks when forming your basketball betting slip!
Live Stream NBA Online & Live Betting Markets
At Stake, you can watch a live stream of any NBA game after placing a bet on it. There is no extra cost or subscription for this. Just look at a list of upcoming games, and if you place a bet on any of those games, you’ll be able to watch a live stream of that game on the Stake platform once the game begins. This is because we want you to be able to track your bets. Plus, by live streaming NBA games, it’ll be much easier to see how games unfold and place live bets on that game.
Bet on NBA & Basketball Games with Best Odds on Stake Sportsbook
There are several reasons why Stake is an elite online sportsbook when it comes to betting on the NBA and other forms of sports betting. It begins with a wide array of bonus opportunities and promotions. Whether it’s a welcome bonus for new users, a reload bonus for returning customers, or a rakeback bonus, a weekly raffle, as well as various casino challenges open to everyone.
The bottom line is that Stake always wants customers to get the most out of their winning bets. Plus, with Stake news, we make sure that our customers have access to the latest news and information they need to place well-informed bets.
For some of our most loyal and active users, Stake also has a VIP club . We want all of our users to ask questions about what makes our VIP club so special and the various levels of the VIP club . There is also a customer support guide that can tell you everything you need to know about using the platform and what VIP benefits Stake offers . We also offer a wide range of sports and betting markets, so there is something for everyone.
Whether you’re a VIP member or not, Stake wants everyone using the platform to get a first-class experience. This includes giving everyone a wide array of options for depositing and withdrawing funds. Deposit methods include everything from traditional banking methods to today’s most popular cryptocurrencies. We also want our customers to have safe and secure withdrawals when it’s time to collect their winnings. This is why we utilize the Stake Vault to protect your funds when you use Stake Sportsbook.
Last but not least, we always urge our customers to bet responsibly on our platform. So we offer everyone resources like Stake responsible gambling guide & tips. These types of resources give our customers the tools to make good choices so that while they have fun while betting, they are also practicing safe gambling habits at all times.
