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Newsweek
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Best NBA Win Total Over/Under Bets For 2025-26: Western Conference
After bolstering their supporting cast with deals for Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., can the Nuggets win more than 53.5 regular-season games in 2025-26? After bolstering their supporting cast with deals for Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., can the Nuggets win more than 53.5 regular-season games in 2025-26? Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. With most of the top names on the move this summer having chosen where they'll spend the 2025-26 season, we're on the cusp of a quiet time of year for NBA fans. But with win totals for each NBA team now available at multiple sportsbooks, now is a great time to take a stab at A) which teams we expect to exceed their expectations for the 2025-26 regular season and B) which ones might be at risk of going under their totals. 2025-26 NBA Western Conference Win Total Odds Without further ado, below are the 2025-26 NBA regular season win totals at DraftKings and FanDuel for every team in the Western Conference. DK FD Thunder 62.5 (o-110; u-110) 62.5 (o-122; u-110) Rockets 55.5 (o-110; u-110) 54.5 (o-128; u-102) Nuggets 53.5 (o-115; u-105) 53.5 (o-110; u-122) Timberwolves 50.5 (o-115; u-105) 50.5 (o-102; u-130) Lakers 47.5 (o-115; u-105) 48.5 (o-118; u-112) Warriors 47.5 (o-105; u-115) 46.5 (o-114; u-114) Clippers 46.5 (o-120; u+100) 47.5 (o-120; u-110) Spurs 43.5 (o-110; u-110) 43.5 (o-114; u-118) Grizzlies 40.5 (o-120; u+100) 40.5 (o-110; u-120) Mavericks 39.5 (o+100; u-120) 40.5 (o-122; u-108) Kings 36.5 (o-105; u-115) 36.5 (o-106; u-125) Blazers 33.5 (o-120; u+100) 32.5 (o-114; u-114) Pelicans 31.5 (o-110; u-110) 30.5 (o-114; u-114) Suns 30.5 (o-110; u-110) 32.5 (o-114; u-114) Jazz 18.5 (o-120; u+100) 17.5 (o-125; u-106) Best 2025-26 Western Conference Win Total Bets Below are our three favorite 2025-26 NBA Western Conference over/under win total bets. Denver Nuggets Over 53.5 Wins (-110 at FD) The Nuggets' offseason has gotten off to a strong start, even if the deal if for much-needed backup big man Jonas Valanciunas ends up falling through. The situation with Valanciunas -- who has entertained playing for Greek club Panathinaikos instead of Denver, but is expected to confirm his Nuggets contract soon, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein -- deserves its own piece. Assuming that deal gets finalized, though, he would fill a huge need as a quality backup behind Nikola Jokic. What do we know is that Denver landed several quality complementary pieces in sharpshooting wing Cam Johnson (via a trade that sent away Michael Porter Jr.), veteran 2023 NBA champ Bruce Brown and proven shooter Tim Hardaway Jr. Following those moves, it's not hard to see a step forward from this Nuggets team, which won 50 games in 2024-25 despite A) a short bench, B) a lack of quality 3-point shooting -- the Nuggets were 28th in the league in made 3s in the regular season and C) Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray missing a combined 46 games to injuries. Remember, the Nuggets won at least 53 games in both 2022-23 (53-29) and 2023-24 (57-25), and the supporting cast around Jokic in 2025-26 could be the deepest, and best, it has ever been. San Antonio Spurs Over 43.5 Wins (-110 at DK) Is it just me, or do the Spurs have a great chance to blow past this number? Obviously, there's a huge (7-foot-3, to be exact) if in San Antonio, but a healthy Victor Wembanyama could easily keep the Spurs in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture. San Antonio won 34 games in 2024-25 despite Wembanyama playing just 46 games. While it was just 23-29 after a loss to the Celtics on February 12 marked the final game of Year 2 for Wembanyama, this squad's upside is undeniable. Keep in mind that Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox only shared the court for five games last year, with Fox playing in just 17 contests as a Spur after joining the team in February. If the Spurs have Fox and Wembanyama together, that duo could combine with 6-foot-8 wings Jeremy Sochan and Harrison Barnes, 6-5 guard Devin Vassell and 6-6 PG Stephon Castle to form one of the biggest, most athletic lineups in the NBA. With any health luck and steps forward from either 2024 Rookie of the Year Wemby and Castle, the 2025 ROY, the Spurs have a real chance to make the playoffs this season. Speaking of which, the Spurs' odds to make the playoffs* (-135 at DK as of July 11) aren't exactly juicy, but they're certainly tempting, even as the West seemingly gets better every year. *Note: these odds are "to make the playoffs after the play-in tournament" Memphis Grizzlies Under 40.5 Wins (+100 at DK) Though Memphis has won at least 48 regular-season games in three of the last four years, this team could suffer a significant step back in 2025-26. The Grizzlies started 2024-25 strong. In fact, they were 36-18 entering the All-Star break in mid-February. But the last few months of the season were rough. Actually, that might be an understatement following a 12-16 post-All Star break finish that resulted in the late-season firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins. With mercurial PG Ja Morant at a crossroads entering Year 7 on the heels of two up-and-down, largely disappointing seasons, the Grizzlies are as ripe for a letdown in 2025-26 as anyone in the Western Conference. There's also no denying that Memphis will sorely miss Desmond Bane, who was arguably its best two-player over the last few years before being traded to the Magic in June. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
New York Post
02-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Answering the burning Mike Brown questions that loom over his Knicks hiring
The Knicks completed their head coaching search on Wednesday, hiring Mike Brown. You probably have questions. The Post's Stefan Bondy has answers: Q: Doesn't this feel … meh? A: Yeah, that's what happens when the team takes aim at other candidates first — in this case, people under contract — and the end result is a coach who already has been fired four times. If you told us during the conference finals that the Knicks would can Tom Thibodeau and hire Mike Brown, we'd have shouted, 'Bullspit.' But it happened. And it's understandable if the initial response is 'meh.' Advertisement 3 Mike Brown encourages his players in the first half during an NBA Western Conference semifinal game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City in May 2017. EPA Q: Is Brown really a better fit for a championship team than Tom Thibodeau? If so, how?
New York Post
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Former ESPN host unleashes scathing Stephen A. Smith attack
Former ESPN host Jason Fitz didn't like Stephen A. Smith's comments about Memphis — and called him out for it. Fitz, who worked on ESPN's digital side and the radio, claimed that Smith is often unprepared during an appearance during an appearance on 92.9 ESPN in Memphis on Tuesday following the 'First Take' host's controversial comments on the Tennessee city. Smith said on the show that while Memphis is a great sports town some NBA starts don't feel safe there., 'But there's an element there where cats like Jimmy Butler and others don't feel it's the safest environment. I'm talking to the local authorities in Memphis,' Smith said. 'You've got to clean some of that stuff up because it's dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They've told me.' Fitz responded by calling out Smith's preparedness. 'Stephen A. is one of the least prepared people I've ever worked with in my entire career,' Fitz said. 3 Jason Fitz attends the Allstate Party at the Playoff, hosted by ESPN & CFP on January 7, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images for ESPN & CFP Fitz mentioned how he often worked 80-hour weeks during his final fall with the network before being laid off in 2023, questioning how Smith would have time to generate informed opinions on Memphis. 'Now, Stephen A. is busier than I ever was. We see him making content 24/7,' Fitz said. 'So, I guess my question to people in Memphis is: how much Memphis do you think he's actually absorbed? And I mean all of it. Memphis culture, Memphis basketball. 3 Stephen A. Smith reports from the sideline during Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Western Conference finals on May 26, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NBAE via Getty Images 'What the hell does Stephen A. know about the city of Memphis? And the answer to that is only what his friends or his people on his phone, tweet him, or text him. That's all he knows. He is so separated from actual reality. What does he know?' Fitz also claimed that Smith 'eats and breathes stereotypes,' while also saying that he likely has not watched a Grizzlies game in years. 'Stephen A. walks and talks and lives and eats and breathes stereotypes,' Fitz said. 'That's all he knows… Frankly, he has to talk about the city of Memphis because my guy hasn't watched a single Memphis basketball game in probably three years.' 3 Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) shoots the ball past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. AP 'Stephen A. has a staff and info group that feeds him information so that he can have somewhat informed opinions, and they're usually not because he works too hard to actually watch any games,' added Fitz. Memphis Mayor Paul Young extended Smith an invitation to the city, and the ESPN personality accepted. 'Deeply appreciate your words and the sentiments that came with them,' Smith wrote on X on Thursday. 'Progress is what life is all about and when it comes to Memphis -where some dear friends of mine reside − I wish for nothing less. The people deserve nothing less. 'So with that said, I accept your invitation to come to your city, as your guest. Let's make it happen. I'm looking forward to it.'
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Three ways the Timberwolves must evolve to get to NBA Finals
Three ways the Timberwolves must evolve to get to NBA Finals Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder storm past Timberwolves in WCF, punch ticket to NBA Finals The Oklahoma City Thunder looked as dominant as ever after closing out the Timberwolves 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals, trip to NBA Finals awaits. Sports Pulse The Timberwolves, for the second consecutive season, reached the NBA Western Conference finals. Yet Minnesota was dispatched, also for the second consecutive season, in five games, with relative ease. On one hand, it's a promising sign of consistency and achievement; it's not easy to get here, especially in the stacked West. This also marks the first time in franchise history that the Timberwolves have reached the conference finals in back-to-back seasons. But on the other hand, this could also be viewed as a marker of stasis, of plateauing, of struggling to break through to the championship stage. 'I don't think there's any larger perspective that we won't ever get back,' Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Wednesday after the Thunder eliminated Minnesota in a 124-94 blowout. 'I don't assume that we will, because you've got to put the work in. But we were beat by the better team. You fight, you fight and you fight, but they played better — they're better. 'I'm not one of these guys that takes losses into the summer with me. We'll learn and we'll regroup but the better team won this series. I'm proud of our guys and our organization for getting here.' OPINION: No one will stop the Thunder from winning NBA championship OPINION: NBA's cycle of superteams has been dismantled. Owners wanted parity and got it. But the Oklahoma City Thunder — the youngest team in NBA history to advance to an NBA Finals — appear poised to be a dominant force in the West for years to come. This all prompts one obvious conclusion: the Timberwolves must evolve. How do they do it? Get Anthony Edwards more help In many ways, teams like the Thunder are a terrible matchup for Minnesota. Oklahoma City's defensive versatility, having players who can switch seamlessly on pick-and-rolls, make it incredibly difficult for Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards. Every time he touched the ball, the Thunder were physical, used their hands to slow him, got him off-balance and made him labor to get shots in the paint. 'I think in the league, the more handlers you have — especially with all the switching, and (the Thunder) with their gaps and stuff like that — you have to have guys that can go somewhere, break the paint, make a play,' Finch said after the game when asked what deficiency Minnesota might have on its roster. Finch did add that he was excited about the team and cited young players who 'didn't necessarily get the run that maybe they should have this season.' Though he didn't mention them by name, Finch presumably was talking about rookie first-round guards Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., players who can operate with the ball in their hands. Coach Chris Finch needs to shake up the offense The first point feeds into this one. There were far too many times in the Western Conference finals when Minnesota's offense stagnated, when ball handlers tried to break through the first line of the defense while shooters merely stood in the corners, waiting for the ball to possibly come to them. It led to choppy, iso actions that often led to turnovers — the Timberwolves averaged 19.3 turnovers per game in losses in the series — and it prevented Edwards from settling into a rhythm. Finch must prioritize finding ways to get Edwards easier looks, developing undemanding offense that, in theory, should open up looks along the perimeter. Solidify future with Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker This will be the defining question for Minnesota. Randle, a player for whom they gave up a massive haul in the October Karl-Anthony Towns trade, has a $30.9 million player option this offseason. Randle will also turn 31 in late November. If he's looking for long-term security, Randle could opt out with the intention of signing a multi-year deal with Minnesota, or he could test the market. But, given their financial situation, the Timberwolves need to be careful about giving a player who's somewhat unreliable in the postseason a massive deal. But Minnesota absolutely needs a secondary scoring option behind Edwards. And the decision to trade Towns for Randle necessitates justifying the move with a contract. Complicating this question further: sixth man Naz Reid also has a player option this offseason, one worth $15 million. Defensive standout Nickeil Alexander-Walker is set to become a free agent. Not to mention, there's a new ownership group in town. What will that group led by Alex Rodriguez be willing to spend once the sale goes final? It's a tricky spot for the front office and the way it navigates this question will likely be the determining factor on whether Minnesota makes it back to another conference finals in the near future.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: How to watch Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Western Conference Finals tonight
The Minnesota Timberwolves are facing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The Thunder were 2-0 in the series heading into Game 3, but the Timberwolves managed to pull off a huge comeback in Game 3 winning 143-101. Game 4 saw the Thunder back on top though, bringing the Western Conference Finals series to 3-1. Game 5 tips off tonight at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the Timberwolves vs. Thunder series. Dates: May 28, 2025 Time: 8:30 p.m. ET (Game 5) TV channel: ESPN Streaming: DirecTV, Sling, Fubo and more All games in the NBA Western Conference finals between the Timberwolves and Thunder will air on ESPN, with the exception of Game 3, which aired on ABC. This year, the Minnesota Timberwolves will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals. All times Eastern. Winners in bold. Game 1: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Tuesday, May 20 (8:30 ET, ESPN) Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Thursday, May 22 (8:30 ET, ESPN) Game 3: Thunder vs. Timberwolves; Saturday, May 24 (8:30 ET, ABC) Game 4: Thunder vs. Timberwolves; Monday, May 26 (8:30 ET, ESPN) Game 5: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Wednesday, May 28 (8:30 ET, ESPN)* Game 6: Thunder vs. Timberwolves; Friday, May 30 (8:30 ET, ESPN)* Game 7: Timberwolves vs. Thunder; Sunday, June 1 (8 ET, ESPN)* *if necessary
