By Scott Phillips | The Athletic, 2026-05-04 17:00:33
《The Athletic》正在直播2026年NBA季后赛*西部半决赛*中湖人对阵雷霆的比赛。
波士顿凯尔特人 (Boston Celtics) 和丹佛掘金 (Denver Nuggets) 在季后赛首轮爆冷出局，显著改变了争冠格局。过去三年的两位NBA冠军在首轮系列赛中意外折戟，使得两大夺冠热门——俄克拉荷马城雷霆 (Oklahoma City Thunder) 和圣安东尼奥马刺 (San Antonio Spurs) 与联盟其他球队之间的差距进一步拉大。
费城76人 (Philadelphia 76ers) 爆冷击败波士顿，凸显了东部联盟的混乱局面，东部的四场首轮系列赛中有三场打满了七场。波士顿的被淘汰为纽约尼克斯 (New York Knicks) 敞开了大门，使其成为东部的新热门（也是夺冠概率第三高的球队）。
最新的NBA总冠军赔率显示，夺冠之路仍需经过西部联盟。但随着第二轮比赛的继续，动荡不安的东部联盟依然值得关注。
雷霆、马刺拉开差距
俄克拉荷马城雷霆 (Oklahoma City Thunder)（DraftKings赔率为-145，BetMGM赔率为-140）和圣安东尼奥马刺 (San Antonio Spurs)（BetMGM赔率为+350，DraftKings赔率为+370）轻松晋级第二轮，在西部遥遥领先于其他球队。进入季后赛时，雷霆的赔率为+135，马刺为+450。
随着波士顿和丹佛的出局，纽约尼克斯 (New York Knicks)（DraftKings赔率为+850，BetMGM赔率为+900）成为了除前两名外，唯一一支夺冠赔率低于17比1的竞争者。
在寻求卫冕的过程中，俄克拉荷马城横扫了凤凰城太阳 (Phoenix Suns)，并在此过程中获得了超过一周的休息时间。额外的休整让雷霆前锋杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams) 在对阵凤凰城的第二场比赛中遭遇1级左腿筋拉伤后，有了更多的恢复时间。
随着威廉姆斯接近健康复出，常规赛MVP领跑者谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 和俄克拉荷马城在第二轮对阵洛杉矶湖人 (Los Angeles Lakers) 的系列赛中依然被高度看好。雷霆在常规赛中彻底击溃了洛杉矶，以4-0横扫对手，场均净胜29.3分。不过，那次常规赛横扫需要打个问号，因为卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Dončić) 在那四场比赛中仅完整出战了一场。话又说回来，东契奇现在的健康状况也不容乐观。
湖人在首轮淘汰了更被看好的休斯顿火箭 (Houston Rockets)，表现令人钦佩。勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 及其队友在缺少东契奇，且奥斯汀·里夫斯 (Austin Reaves) 仅出战系列赛最后两场的情况下，最终熬过了与休斯顿的较量。
东契奇的健康状况和潜在的复出仍是一个悬而未决的疑问。此外，久疏战阵的里夫斯仍在找回状态。洛杉矶若想延缓卫冕冠军前进的脚步，可能需要詹姆斯打出一场重回巅峰的系列赛表现。
圣安东尼奥用了五场比赛击败了波特兰开拓者 (Portland Trail Blazers)。现在，马刺将面对明尼苏达森林狼 (Minnesota Timberwolves)——后者刚刚在首轮令人印象深刻地爆冷淘汰了丹佛。
尽管圣安东尼奥在该系列赛中被高度看好，但季后赛经验和身体对抗方面的优势则偏向森林狼。森林狼在过去两个赛季都闯入了西部决赛，面对维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 和马刺，他们不会畏缩。由鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert)、朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle) 和杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯 (Jaden McDaniels) 组成的这支久经沙场的森林狼前线，将是文班亚马面临的一个有趣的对位。
健康也是该系列赛的一个主要因素。森林狼正在等待得分后卫安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 从膝伤中归来。明尼苏达已经失去了将在整个季后赛报销的丹特·迪温琴佐 (Donte DiVincenzo)，这使得爱德华兹是否以及何时回归变得更加引人注目。
纽约成为东部新宠
波士顿意外的提早出局为东部其他球队打开了机会之窗，纽约尼克斯或许是其中受益最大的球队。
自2月初以来首次成为夺冠热门的纽约，在首轮六场比赛中淘汰亚特兰大老鹰 (Atlanta Hawks) 后，重新回到了主导地位。
纽约在收官战中多次大胜亚特兰大，是东部唯一一支在系列赛进入第七场之前就晋级的球队。在第二轮开始前获得的一个超长周末恢复时间，让尼克斯相比东部其他球队拥有微弱的优势。
纽约通过提升防守强度解决了亚特兰大。在此过程中，尼克斯看起来像是东部最完整的球队。杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 继续着他卓越的季后赛表现。OG·阿奴诺比 (OG Anunoby) 的火热手感以及卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 提升的防守积极性，使纽约成为了东部的领跑者。
尽管许多球迷渴望看到凯尔特人与尼克斯在杰森·塔图姆 (Jayson Tatum) 健康的情况下再次进行季后赛对决，但7号种子费城76人却有不同的想法。费城随着超级巨星中锋乔尔·恩比德 (Joel Embiid) 的回归终于站稳了季后赛脚跟，看起来将是纽约在下一轮中一个强劲的对手。
如果76人能保持健康，恩比德和后卫泰瑞斯·马克西 (Tyrese Maxey) 将组成危险的双人组，而老将保罗·乔治 (Paul George) 和新秀VJ·艾奇库姆 (VJ Edgecombe) 则能提供足以与纽约抗衡的外线稳定性。
在经历了一场七场大战的洗礼后，底特律活塞 (Detroit Pistons) 奋起反击，避免了在首轮负于8号种子奥兰多魔术 (Orlando Magic)。这支东部头号种子克服了系列赛1-3落后的局面，并在第六场客场落后24分的情况下完成逆转，成就了一场令人难忘的系列赛大翻盘。
凯德·康宁汉姆 (Cade Cunningham) 在对阵奥兰多的系列赛中打出了史诗级的表现，回应了季后赛前关于他伤愈复出的质疑。康宁汉姆和活塞在系列赛落后时展现出了惊人的强度，最终逆转了魔术。
克利夫兰骑士 (Cleveland Cavaliers) 同样经历了七场大战才淘汰多伦多猛龙 (Toronto Raptors)。进入季后赛时赔率为+1400的克利夫兰，尽管晋级了，但夺冠赔率却有所下降，在对阵底特律的系列赛中处于微弱的劣势。
虽然骑士挺进次轮值得称赞，但猛龙展现出的身体对抗强度给骑士制造了不小的麻烦，这或许能为球风硬朗的活塞在第二轮对决前提供一份作战蓝图。
由生成式 AI 翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：2026 NBA title odds: Thunder, Spurs well ahead of the rest of the field
2026 NBA title odds: Thunder, Spurs well ahead of the rest of the field
The Athletic has live coverage of Lakers vs. Thunder in the 2026 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals.
Major upsets for the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets significantly altered the championship picture after the first round of the NBA playoffs. Two of the last three NBA champions unexpectedly falling in the opening series created an even larger gap from the top two favorites, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, to the rest of the league.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ upset of Boston highlighted the chaotic Eastern Conference, where three of the four first-round series went the full seven games. Boston’s elimination opened the door for the New York Knicks as the conference’s new favorite (and third most likely to win the title).
The latest odds for the NBA Finals winner see the NBA championship still going through the Western Conference. But a volatile Eastern Conference is still worth watching as the second round continues.
Thunder, Spurs create separation
Advancing with ease to the second round, the Oklahoma City Thunder (-145 on DraftKings, -140 on BetMGM) and San Antonio Spurs (+350 on BetMGM, +370 on DraftKings) are well ahead of the rest of the West. Entering the playoffs, the Thunder were +135, and the Spurs were +450.
With Boston and Denver out, New York (+850 on DraftKings, +900 on BetMGM) is the only other contender shorter than 17-to-1 to win the title.
In its quest to repeat, Oklahoma City swept the Phoenix Suns while getting over a week of rest in the process. The additional time off allows Thunder forward Jalen Williams even more recovery time after suffering a Grade 1 left hamstring strain during Game 2 against Phoenix.
With Williams close to a healthy return, MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City remain heavy favorites over the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. The Thunder dismantled Los Angeles in the regular season, sweeping 4-0 and winning by an average of 29.3 points. That regular-season sweep comes with an asterisk as Luka Dončić only played one full game out of those four. Then again, Dončić isn’t healthy now.
The Lakers did an admirable job eliminating the favored Houston Rockets in the first round. LeBron James and company outlasted Houston without Dončić and with Austin Reaves only playing the final two games of the series.
Dončić’s health and potential return are still a lingering question mark. Plus, a rusty Reaves is still returning to form. It might take a throwback series from James for Los Angeles to slow down the defending champions.
It took five games for San Antonio to knock off the Portland Trail Blazers. Now, the Spurs face the Minnesota Timberwolves — fresh off an impressive first-round upset of Denver.
Although San Antonio is a heavy favorite in that series, the advantage in playoff experience and physicality sides with the Timberwolves. Advancing to the Western Conference finals in each of the last two seasons, Minnesota won’t be fazed against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. The battle-tested Timberwolves frontcourt of Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels is an intriguing matchup against Wembanyama.
Health is also a major factor in this series. The T’Wolves await the return of shooting guard Anthony Edwards from a knee injury. Minnesota is already without Donte DiVincenzo for the duration of the postseason — putting even more of a spotlight on if and when Edwards returns.
New York the new favorite in the East
Boston’s unexpected early departure opened the door for the rest of the Eastern Conference, with the New York Knicks perhaps benefiting the most.
The favorite to win the East for the first time since early February, New York finds itself back in the driver’s seat after closing out the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the first round.
Hitting the gas and closing out Atlanta with multiple blowouts, New York was the only team in the East to advance before the series went seven games. An extra-long weekend of recovery time before the second round gives the Knicks a small advantage over the rest of the conference.
New York elevated its defense to put away Atlanta. In the process, the Knicks looked like the most complete team in the East. Jalen Brunson continues his stellar postseason play. Hot shooting from OG Anunoby and improved defensive effort from Karl-Anthony Towns make New York the Eastern Conference frontrunner.
Although many fans were clamoring for a Celtics and Knicks playoff rematch with a healthy Jayson Tatum, the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers had other ideas. Philadelphia finally found its playoff footing with the return of superstar center Joel Embiid and looks like a formidable opponent for New York in the next series.
If the 76ers can stay healthy, Embiid and guard Tyrese Maxey form a dangerous one-two punch while veteran Paul George and rookie VJ Edgecombe provide perimeter stability to match New York’s.
Surviving a seven-game battle, the Detroit Pistons furiously rallied to avoid losing to the No. 8 seed Orlando Magic in the first round. The East’s top seed overcame a 3-1 series deficit and a 24-point road deficit during Game 6 in a memorable series comeback.
Cade Cunningham answered pre-playoff concerns about returning from injury with a monster series against Orlando. Cunningham and the Pistons played with impressive intensity while down in the series to rally against the Magic.
It also took the Cleveland Cavaliers seven games to advance past the Toronto Raptors. Entering the playoffs at +1400 odds, Cleveland dropped in title odds despite advancing and is a small underdog in the series against Detroit.
While Cleveland deserves credit for advancing past Toronto, physicality from the Raptors gave the Cavaliers problems and could serve as a blueprint for the rugged Pistons ahead of the second-round matchup.
By Scott Phillips, via The Athletic