2026 NBA playoffs second-round odds: Thunder are now minus-odds title favorites

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been favored to win the NBA title all season, but as contenders struggle or get eliminated, it’s starting to look less and less likely that someone will take them down.

The Thunder have had no trouble this postseason and are now favored against the field. OKC has minus odds (-165) to win the NBA title.

The San Antonio Spurs looked like legitimate challengers to the Thunder on Wednesday, but the Thunder are still the clear favorites.

On Thursday, the Thunder will go for a sixth straight win in this postseason. The other No. 1 seed, the Detroit Pistons, aim for a 2-0 lead against Cleveland.

This story will be updated throughout the second round as the odds change with the results for every game.

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers

Pistons lead series 1-0

Game 2: 7 p.m. ET, Thursday

Series odds: Pistons -210, Cavaliers +175

The Pistons labored in the first round and realistically should be eliminated. They trailed by 24 in the second half on the road while facing elimination. Yet, here they are, and they are taking advantage of this second life.

Detroit raced out to a 16-point lead after a quarter and withstood a late Cleveland charge to take Game 1 111-101. Suddenly, the Pistons look like a No. 1 seed.

James Harden was 1-for-7 from the 3-point line, and Donovan Mitchell is complaining about only drawing two free throws, but at least his sneakers look very cool.

Cade Cunningham didn’t have to do everything for Detroit, scoring 23 points on an off shooting night (6-for-19). A more balanced Pistons performance resulted in a win.

Detroit was favored by barely better than a coin flip at the start of the series. Now, there’s some breathing room in the odds, but it’s still tight.

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers

Knicks lead series 2-0

Game 3: 7 p.m. ET, Friday

Series odds: Knicks -1000, 76ers +650

Well, at least Philadelphia kept it close this time. After four straight blowout wins in the playoffs, the Knicks finally were tested. New York still prevailed though and now is in full command of the series with a 2-0 lead.

Game 2 went down to the final minute and neither team held a lead greater than seven points, but even then the 76ers weren’t within three points in the final three minutes.

The big storyline from Wednesday’s game is the absence of Joel Embiid. Injuries once again kept the Philly star out of action. In a game decided by just six points, he could’ve been a difference maker. The 76ers had four players play at least 40 minutes in his absence.

The series shifts to Philadelphia for a pair of games, but now the 76ers have to win four out of five and Embiid’s injuries are again a problem.

Western Conference

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers

Thunder lead series 1-0

Game 2: 9:30 p.m. ET, Thursday

Series odds: Thunder -3000, Lakers +1200

The Thunder are almost boring at this point. The Lakers raced out to a 7-0 lead in Game 1 on Tuesday, but then Oklahoma City closed the first quarter on a 9-2 run to take a five-point lead and never trailed again. By the end, OKC won by 18.

While every other team in the playoffs has trailed in a series, Oklahoma City hasn’t lost a game yet.

LeBron James was LeBron James (27 points on 12-for-17 shooting), but he didn’t get much help. Austin Reaves was 3-for-16 from the field, and Marcus Smart was 4-for-15. The Lakers need Luka Dončić back, and fast.

The Thunder comfortably won, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an off night (18 points and seven turnovers). Scary.

With the Celtics and Nuggets out and the Spurs down a game, the Thunder are minus odds favorites to repeat (-170) after Tuesday’s games.

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Series tied 1-1

Game 3: 9:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday

Series odds: Spurs -300, Timberwolves +245

If Game 1 was a warning for the Spurs, Game 2 should be causing all kinds of alarm bells for the Timberwolves. The Spurs won by a ridiculous 38 points to even the series.

San Antonio looked like a 60-win team against a No. 6 seed still not quite at full strength. Anthony Edwards played only 24 minutes in his second game back from injury, although that number would have been higher had Minnesota not already lost the game by early in the second half. Ayo Dosunmu came back from a calf injury that kept him out of the last two games, although he was 0-for-4 from the field in 10 minutes.

Victor Wembanyama didn’t have 12 blocks in this game (he had two), but he did have a double-double (19 points, 15 rebounds) and most every Spurs role player had one hot streak in the game.

The best encapsulation of how lopsided this game was is that no player on either team even played 30 minutes. Anyone important enough to rest, got rested early in this one.

The Spurs were favored to win the series even after dropping Game 1 at home. After evening the series with a demolition of Minnesota, the Spurs are strong favorites at -300.