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The Magic could be NBA Finals contenders.
NBAE via Getty Images
It’s never too early to look forward to the 2026 NBA Finals, but Sunday had massive implications for next year.
Coming off their title-clinching Game 7 win, the Thunder are a heavy early favorite to go back-to-back, sitting at +220 at ESPN BET, but they are hardly the story.
The Orlando Magic saw their hopes to win the NBA Finals boosted when they traded for guard Desmond Bane but, guard Tyrese Haliburton’s expected torn Achilles is another contender in the eastern conference down a star.
The Magic were as high as 40/1 to win the NBA Finals prior to the Bane trade, dropping to 22/1, and now down to 15/1 after the Haliburton injury.
The Pacers were second favorites to win the title coming into Sunday, only to see their odds plummet from +850 to 40/1 by Monday morning.
Those two weren’t the only movers on Sunday as the Rockets acquired Kevin Durant and shot up from 18/1 to +800 to win the Finals.
2026 NBA Finals odds
| Thunder +220 | Rockets +800 |
| Cavaliers +800 | Knicks +850 |
| Timberwolves 10/1 | Magic 22/1 |
| Celtics 13/1 | Lakers 14/1 |
| Nuggets 16/1 | Clippers 22/1 |
| Warriors 22/1 | Spurs 25/1 |
| Mavericks 33/1 | 76ers 33/1 |
| Pacers 40/1 | Pistons 40/1 |
| Heat 50/1 | Bucks 66/1 |
| Hawks 100/1 | Grizzlies 100/1 |
| Suns 100/1 | Kings 100/1 |
| Raptors 100/1 | Bulls 200/1 |
| Pelicans 300/1 | Nets 500/1 |
| Hornets 500/1 | Trail Blazers 500/1 |
| Wizards 500/1 | Jazz 500/1 |
The Knicks and Cavaliers also saw a slight boost moving from 10/1 to +850 and +800 respectively as the East is weakened a bit with the injury.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were downgraded a bit with the Durant trade becoming official, moving from 10/1 to 14/1 after the trade.
San Antonio, long expected to be in the market for Durant, was 18/1 to win the finals but dropped dramatically to 25/1.
Dallas, also expected to be in the market for Durant, dropped from 22/1 to 33/1 after failing to acquire the star scorer.
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But no matter what happens this summer, Oklahoma City is all but assured to be the 2026 title favorite.
If their odds hold, the Thunder will be the biggest preseason favorite since the 2017-18 Warriors were -187, according to Sports Odds History.
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