The Oklahoma City Thunder were underdogs in only three games last season en route to winning the franchise's first NBA championship.

Oddsmakers are expecting a similar campaign this season.

The Thunder, who tip off their title defense Tuesday against the Houston Rockets , are commanding favorites to win another championship, listed at 2-1 at ESPN BET. Those are the shortest title odds entering a season since the powerhouse Golden State Warriors in 2017-18.

"They're head and shoulders above [everyone], and they'll be favored in just about every game, unless there's something unforeseen," Jeff Sherman, a veteran NBA oddsmaker for the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, said of the Thunder.

The Cleveland Cavaliers , at +650, have the second-shortest odds behind the Thunder. The Denv

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