Below is a table of the preseason favorite(s) to win the NBA Championship and how they have performed. Also listed are the preseason odds of the eventual champion.
Summary: since the 1984-1985 season the preseason favorite to win the NBA Championship has won the title 19 times; lost in the Finals 7 times; lost in the Conference Finals 5 times; lost in the Conference Semifinals 6 times and lost in round one 3 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
| Season | NBA Champion Preseason Favorite Team(s) |
NBA Champion Preseason Favorite Odds |
NBA Champion Preseason Favorite Result(s) |
NBA Champion |
NBA Champion Preseason Odds |
NBA Champion Preseason Odds Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 | Boston | +310 | ? | |||
| 2023-2024 | Boston Milwaukee |
+400 | Won Finals Lost R1 |
Boston | +400 | T-1st |
| 2022-2023 | Boston | +500 | Lost CF | Denver | +1800 | T-9th |
| 2021-2022 | Brooklyn | +240 | Lost R1 | Golden State | +900 | T-3rd |
| 2020-2021 | LA Lakers | +275 | Lost R1 | Milwaukee | +550 | 2nd |
| 2019-2020 | LA Clippers | +425 | Lost CS | LA Lakers | +450 | 2nd |
| 2018-2019 | Golden State | -168 | Lost Finals | Toronto | +1850 | 5th |
| 2017-2018 | Golden State | -187 | Won Finals | Golden State | -187 | 1st |
| 2016-2017 | Golden State | -128 | Won Finals | Golden State | -128 | 1st |
| 2015-2016 | Cleveland | +280 | Won Finals | Cleveland | +280 | 1st |
| 2014-2015 | Cleveland | +275 | Lost Finals | Golden State | +2800 | 8th |
| 2013-2014 | Miami | +200 | Lost Finals | San Antonio | +1200 | T-4th |
| 2012-2013 | Miami | +225 | Won Finals | Miami | +225 | 1st |
| 2011-2012 | Miami | +225 | Won Finals | Miami | +225 | 1st |
| 2010-2011 | Miami | +175 | Lost CS | Dallas | +2000 | 7th |
| 2009-2010 | LA Lakers | +225 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | +225 | 1st |
| 2008-2009 | LA Lakers Boston |
+350 | Won Finals Lost CS |
LA Lakers | +350 | T-1st |
| 2007-2008 | San Antonio Dallas |
+450 | Lost CF Lost R1 |
Boston | +1000 | T-5th |
| 2006-2007 | Dallas | +400 | Lost R1 | San Antonio | +450 | 2nd |
| 2005-2006 | San Antonio | +250 | Lost CS | Miami | +350 | 2nd |
| 2004-2005 | San Antonio | +400 | Won Finals | San Antonio | +400 | 1st |
| 2003-2004 | LA Lakers | +140 | Lost Finals | Detroit | +1500 | T-7th |
| 2002-2003 | LA Lakers | +180 | Lost CS | San Antonio | +1100 | T-4th |
| 2001-2002 | LA Lakers | +200 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | +200 | 1st |
| 2000-2001 | LA Lakers | +180 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | +180 | 1st |
| 1999-2000 | Portland | +350 | Lost CF | LA Lakers | +400 | 2nd |
| 1998-1999 | LA Lakers | +300 | Lost CS | San Antonio | +450 | T-3rd |
| 1997-1998 | Chicago | +140 | Won Finals | Chicago | +140 | 1st |
| 1996-1997 | Chicago | +100 | Won Finals | Chicago | +100 | 1st |
| 1995-1996 | Chicago | +350 | Won Finals | Chicago | +350 | 1st |
| 1994-1995 | Phoenix | +350 | Lost CS | Houston | +450 | T-2nd |
| 1993-1994 | New York | +200 | Lost Finals | Houston | +1200 | T-5th |
| 1992-1993 | Chicago | +120 | Won Finals | Chicago | +120 | 1st |
| 1991-1992 | Chicago | +250 | Won Finals | Chicago | +250 | 1st |
| 1990-1991 | Detroit | +350 | Lost CF | Chicago | +700 | 4th |
| 1989-1990 | Detroit | +300 | Won Finals | Detroit | +300 | 1st |
| 1988-1989 | LA Lakers | +350 | Lost Finals | Detroit | +400 | 2nd |
| 1987-1988 | LA Lakers | +120 | Won Finals | LA Lakers | +120 | 1st |
| 1986-1987 | Boston | +160 | Lost Finals | LA Lakers | +400 | 3rd |
| 1985-1986 | LA Lakers | +160 | Lost CF | Boston | +250 | 2nd |
| 1984-1985 | LA Lakers Boston |
+200 | Won Finals Lost Finals |
LA Lakers | +200 | T-1st |
Note: there were 23 teams in the NBA from 1980 to 1988; 25 teams in the 1988-1989 season; 27 teams from 1989 to 1995; 29 teams from 1995 to 2004; 30 teams from 2004 to the present.
