The New York Knicks are one of the betting favorites to win the NBA championship this season — and their odds are the best they've had in decades.
After taking a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday (May 21), sportsbooks have moved New York’s title odds to +375 at Caesars, giving the franchise its strongest championship outlook in more than three decades.
The dramatic rise reflects how quickly expectations have shifted during New York’s playoff run. Before the postseason began, the Knicks entered with significantly longer odds and were viewed as a secondary contender in the Eastern Conference. But after stacking together multiple statement performances, oddsmakers have continued slashing their championship price round after round.
Historically, the number carries major significance for Knicks fans. The franchise has not entered this territory in the betting market since the team was led by Patrick Ewing, when New York pushed the Houston Rockets to seven games during the 1994 NBA Finals.
Even the memorable 1999 Knicks squad that reached the Finals as an eighth seed wasn’t given odds this strong before eventually losing to the San Antonio Spurs.
The current Knicks run has reignited belief throughout the city, especially after years of postseason heartbreak and near-misses. Last season, despite a deep playoff push, the team never climbed this high in the futures market before being eliminated by the Indiana Pacers.
Still, bookmakers remain cautious about whoever emerges from the Western Conference.
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to hold the strongest championship positioning overall at -190 after another playoff victory strengthened their standing as favorites to win the title.
Meanwhile, the Spurs also remain highly respected by sportsbooks at +450 despite adversity in their series, signaling that many analysts still expect the eventual NBA champion to come out of the West. The Cavs currently have +5500 odds of winning it all.
