The Northwest Division has the potential to be one of the most competitive in the NBA for the 2024-25 season. It includes the three best teams from last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves, along with two rebuilding teams in the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers. The top of this division promises to be a bloodbath. This 2024-25 NBA season preview will break down the Northwest division odds and outlook for each team to see if they could win the division.
NBA Odds: Breaking Down the Favorites in the Northwest Division
*All Northwest Division odds are courtesy of FanDuel.com*
Current Odds to Win the Northwest Division:
Oklahoma City Thunder -120
Denver Nuggets +310
Utah Jazz +50000
Portland Trail Blazers +50000
Oklahoma City Thunder: The Favorites (-120)
ESPN Sources: Free agent C Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed on a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Hartenstein leave the Knicks for the top West seed eager to add his size, skill and physicality. pic.twitter.com/gbOpAw1Gsx
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2024
The Thunder enter the season as slight favorites to win the Northwest Division, coming off their first division title since 2015-16. Oklahoma City has a young, talented roster led by last year’s second-in MVP voting, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder finished with 57 wins and made significant offseason improvements, acquiring Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. With rising stars like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, they are well prepared to improve on last year’s success. OKC’s blend of youth, depth, and strong coaching under Mark Daigneault makes them a threat in the division and for championship contention.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Swinging for the Fences (+240)
Anthony Edwards on the Karl-Anthony Towns Trade pic.twitter.com/m8SS4cJ7W8
— SneakerReporter (@SneakerReporter) September 30, 2024
Minnesota made a deep run to the Western Conference Finals last season, led by their league-best defense and rising star Anthony Edwards. The team enters this season with even more hype after the Karl Anthony-Towns trade to the Knicks. Swapping Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo could prove worthwhile, but the Wolves’ chances of winning the division rely on their Rudy Gobert-led defense. That, combined with Edwards’ rise, could land them a division title.
Denver Nuggets: The Value Pick (+310)
I caught up with Nikola Jokić at Nuggets media day & gems were DROPPED
6 new horses added to his collection
— Nadia Houneini (@nadiahouneini) September 30, 2024
The Denver Nuggets, led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, won the NBA title in 2023. Last season, they tied OKC with the second-best record in the NBA but lost the division due to tiebreakers. Denver still possesses one of the league’s best cores, with Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. spearheading their attack. However, the loss of key role players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope may hurt their depth. The Nuggets will likely be more focused on winning another championship than a division title, but with the best player in the division on their side, +310 to win, it seems like solid value.
Utah Jazz & Portland Trail Blazers: Rebuilding
The Jazz (+50000) and Trail Blazers (+50000) are both in full rebuild mode. Utah has committed to developing young talent around Lauri Markkanen, while Portland is focused on a youth movement featuring Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Neither team is expected to contend this season, with both projected to finish well below 30 wins. Utah proved last season that even while rebuilding, they can put together a solid team, but they still won’t compete with the top three teams in the division. Portland will likely be one of the bottom three teams in the league next season.
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