Below is a table of the favorite(s) to win the NBA Championship heading into the playoffs and how they have performed. Also listed are the pre-playoffs odds of the eventual champion.
Summary: since 1976 the favorite to win the NBA Championship heading into the playoffs has won the title 25 times; lost in the Finals 9 times; lost in the Conference Finals 6 times; lost in the Conference Semifinals 6 times and lost in round 1 three times. Note that if there were multiple favorites in a single season then we counted the team that went further in the playoffs.
Round abbreviations: R1 = Round 1, CS = Conference Semifinals, CF = Conference Finals
| Year | NBA Champion Favorite Team(s) |
NBA Champion Favorite Seed(s) |
NBA Champion Favorite Odds |
NBA Champion Favorite Result(s) |
NBA Champion |
NBA Champion Seed |
NBA Champion Odds |
NBA Champion Odds Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Boston | 1 | +160 | Won Finals | Boston | 1 | +160 | 1st |
| 2023 | Milwaukee | 1 | +275 | Lost R1 | Denver | 1 | +1000 | 5th |
| 2022 | Phoenix | 1 | +260 | Lost CS | Golden State | 3 | +1000 | 4th |
| 2021 | Brooklyn | 2 | +200 | Lost CS | Milwaukee | 3 | +850 | 6th |
| 2020 | LA Clippers | 2 | +238 | Lost CS | LA Lakers | 1 | +280 | 2nd |
| 2019 | Golden State | 1 | -178 | Lost Finals | Toronto | 2 | +975 | 4th |
| 2018 | Golden State | 2 | +137 | Won Finals | Golden State | 2 | +137 | 1st |
| 2017 | Golden State | 1 | -173 | Won Finals | Golden State | 1 | -173 | 1st |
| 2016 | Golden State | 1 | -135 | Lost Finals | Cleveland | 1 | +475 | 3rd |
| 2015 | Golden State | 1 | +175 | Won Finals | Golden State | 1 | +175 | 1st |
| 2014 | Miami | 2 | +200 | Lost Finals | San Antonio | 1 | +330 | 2nd |
| 2013 | Miami | 1 | -125 | Won Finals | Miami | 1 | -125 | 1st |
| 2012 | Miami | 2 | +200 | Won Finals | Miami | 2 | +200 | 1st |
| 2011 | LA Lakers | 2 | +275 | Lost CS | Dallas | 3 | +1800 | 7th |
| 2010 | Cleveland | 1 | +160 | Lost CS | LA Lakers | 1 | +225 | 2nd |
| 2009 | LA Lakers Cleveland |
1 1 |
+160 | Won Finals Lost CF |
LA Lakers | 1 | +160 | 1st |
| 2008 | Boston | 1 | +180 | Won Finals | Boston | 1 | +180 | 1st |
| 2007 | Dallas | 1 | +200 | Lost R1 | San Antonio | 3 | +400 | 3rd |
| 2006 | Detroit | 1 | +100 | Lost CF | Miami | 2 | +500 | 3rd |
| 2005 | San Antonio Miami |
2 1 |
+250 | Won Finals Lost CF |
San Antonio | 2 | +250 | 1st |
| 2004 | LA Lakers | 2 | +140 | Lost Finals | Detroit | 3 | +700 | 5th |
| 2003 | San Antonio | 1 | +250 | Won Finals | San Antonio | 1 | +250 | 1st |
| 2002 | LA Lakers | 3 | +140 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | 3 | +140 | 1st |
| 2001 | San Antonio | 1 | +200 | Lost CF | LA Lakers | 2 | +300 | 2nd |
| 2000 | LA Lakers | 1 | -125 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | 1 | -125 | 1st |
| 1999 | San Antonio | 1 | +350 | Won Finals | San Antonio | 1 | +350 | 1st |
| 1998 | Chicago | 1 | +140 | Won Finals | Chicago | 1 | +140 | 1st |
| 1997 | Chicago | 1 | -200 | Won Finals | Chicago | 1 | -200 | 1st |
| 1996 | Chicago | 1 | -400 | Won Finals | Chicago | 1 | -400 | 1st |
| 1995 | San Antonio | 1 | +400 | Lost CF | Houston | 6 | +1800 | 9th |
| 1994 | Seattle | 1 | +180 | Lost R1 | Houston | 2 | +600 | 3rd |
| 1993 | Phoenix | 1 | +200 | Lost Finals | Chicago | 2 | +300 | 2nd |
| 1992 | Chicago | 1 | -200 | Won Finals | Chicago | 1 | -200 | 1st |
| 1991 | Chicago Portland |
1 1 |
+250 | Won Finals Lost CS |
Chicago | 1 | +250 | 1st |
| 1990 | LA Lakers | 1 | +120 | Lost CS | Detroit | 1 | +200 | 2nd |
| 1989 | Detroit | 1 | +160 | Won Finals | Detroit | 1 | +160 | 1st |
| 1988 | LA Lakers | 1 | -167 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | 1 | -167 | 1st |
| 1987 | LA Lakers | 1 | -250 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | 1 | -250 | 1st |
| 1986 | Boston | 1 | -167 | Won Finals | Boston | 1 | -167 | 1st |
| 1985 | Boston | 1 | +100 | Lost Finals | LA Lakers | 1 | +120 | 2nd |
| 1984 | LA Lakers | 1 | +180 | Lost Finals | Boston | 1 | +200 | 2nd |
| 1983 | Philadelphia | 1 | +140 | Won Finals | Philadelphia | 1 | +140 | 1st |
| 1982 | Boston | 1 | +140 | Lost CF | LA Lakers | 1 | +250 | 2nd |
| 1981 | Boston | 1 | +300 | Won Finals | Boston | 1 | +300 | 1st |
| 1980 | LA Lakers Boston |
1 1 |
+200 | Won Finals Lost CF |
LA Lakers | 1 | +200 | 1st |
| 1979 | Washington | 1 | +240 | Lost Finals | Seattle | 1 | +300 | 2nd |
| 1978 | Philadelphia | 1 | +200 | Lost CF | Washington | 3 | +800 | 5th |
| 1977 | Philadelphia | 1 | +300 | Lost Finals | Portland | 3 | +500 | 3rd |
| 1976 | Golden State | 1 | +150 | Lost CF | Boston | 1 | +200 | 2nd |
