Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder went 68-14 en route to winning the NBA Finals.
There is some bad news for the rest of the NBA: This year it appears they’re even better.
In their title season last year, the Thunder set a record with a 12.9 per game point differential. So far this year, that number is 14.4.
They sit atop the West with a league-best 12-1 record, with their lone defeat coming in a game where they blew a 20-point lead against the Blazers.
Jalen Williams, who is either the second- or third-best player for the Thunder, has yet to play this season.
The Thunder are +205 favorites to repeat as NBA champions, but is there a bet to be made with more bang for your buck?
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The Thunder enter the weekend at +1800 odds (a $10 bet returns $190 total) to win 74 or more games and break the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors’ record for most regular-season wins in NBA history (73). Not only are the Thunder loaded with talent, and not only have they gone 80-15 in the regular season since the start of the 2024 season, they’re young and deep.
The counter most people have when discussing the Thunder’s ability to break this record is about whether they even care to do so, while also questioning if the team decides to rest guys later in the season.
That remains to be seen, but OKC is so talent-rich that even if it does rest a few key players here and there, it won’t crush its chance to win on any given night.
Also, the Denver Nuggets (9-2) are not quite as good as the Thunder but appear to be a worthy challenger in the West. The Nuggets might win enough games where the Thunder can’t take their foot off the gas in the race for No. 1 seed.
OKC was historically good last year and won a championship. Somehow, it looks even better. At 18-1 odds, breaking the all-time record is a bet you’ll be happy you made as the season unfolds.
PICK: Thunder +1800 to win 74+ games
Will Hill, a contributor on the Bear Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.
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