Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishThe NBA Playoffs will begin with a mix of new blood and old among the favorites to win the title. The Oklahoma City Thunder had the best record in the regular season with a whopping 68 wins and are the favorite on BetMGM to claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy at +175. They are ahead of the defending champion Boston Celtics (+220) and the upstart Cleveland Cavaliers (+600).The Thunder had the top seed in the Western Conference last year as well but went out to the Luka Dončić-led Dallas Mavericks in the second round. Oklahoma City has been even more dominant this year, going from 57 wins to 68.The Thunder tied for the fifth-most wins ever in an NBA regular season. Of the six previous teams to win at least 68 games, four ended up winning the NBA title, and five made the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors infamously won an NBA-record 73 games in 2015-16 but were ousted in the Finals. The only team to lose before the Finals among that group was the 1972-73 Celtics.With history and the odds saying the Thunder are in a good position to win it all, will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s team be able to handle the pressure? Last year was this group’s first playoff run, and, as it often does for new contenders, it ended early. Was that experience enough for OKC to learn from and take the leap this postseason?NBA champion oddsThe defending champion Celtics “only” won 61 games after winning 64 last season but will enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston is the clear favorite in the East at -145 to make the NBA Finals despite being behind Cleveland in the standings.The Cavs’ climb has been more gradual than Oklahoma City’s. Cleveland lost in the Play-In Tournament three years ago, went out in the first round two years ago and made it to the second round last year before going down in five games to the Celtics. That Boston-Cleveland series was marred by injuries, though. Kristaps Porziņġis missed the entire season for Boston, while Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland’s leading scorer, missed the last two games.Cleveland has been one of the revelations of this NBA season. The Cavs’ 16-win improvement from 48 to 64 is the third-biggest jump in the league and maybe the most impressive given Detroit (14 wins to 44) and Memphis (27 wins to 48) both had bad records last year and had more room to improve.Even with that improvement, the odds are still backing Boston. The Cavs are +175 to win the Eastern Conference. The odds drop dramatically after Cleveland. The New York Knicks are +1200, and every team after that is a considerable longshot.Eastern Conference winner oddsIn the Western Conference, Oklahoma City is -140 to advance to the Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers (+550) and the Golden State Warriors (+750) are the next contenders. Houston owns the No. 2 seed but is only seventh in the odds in the Western Conference (+2500). Golden State is third in the conference despite having to go through the Play-In Tournament. If Golden State beats Memphis at home on Tuesday to advance to a series against Houston, the Warriors’ odds will almost certainly shorten.It’s no secret why the Lakers and Warriors are higher in the odds than in the seeds. Both teams have played better since adding marquee players before the trade deadline. The No. 3 seed Lakers are 18-10 with Dončić in the lineup but are just 10-8 in those games after a hot 8-2 start. Still, the star power of Luka and LeBron James in the postseason is not easy to bet against.Golden State’s turnaround is sharper since Jimmy Butler arrived. The Warriors were 25-26 before Butler’s debut on Feb. 8. Golden State is 23-8 since, but that wasn’t enough to keep the Warriors out of a Play-In spot. A Lakers-Warriors first-round series was possible but didn’t quite line up. They could meet in the second round, and the odds say they are expected to.Western Conference winner oddsBetting/odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.(Photo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić: Joshua Gateley / Getty Images)
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