Thunder overwhelming favorites against Suns as defense of crown begins

The Oklahoma City Thunder are back as defending champs and oddsmakers couldn't be clearer about what they expect: a dominant first-round demolition of the Phoenix Suns.

OKC is a staggering -3000 favorite to win the series on DraftKings, with the Suns sitting at +1300. But the real kicker? A Thunder sweep is set at +130 odds. Vegas is essentially calling for a 4-1 or 5-0 series outcome.

And honestly, the numbers back it up. The Thunder finished the regular season with a league-leading 64-18 record, nearly 20 games ahead of Phoenix's 45-37 mark. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, despite dealing with an oblique injury, is the reigning MVP and the centerpiece of a championship defense. When the biggest favorites in the first round are this dominant, it usually means the oddsmakers have seen something that separates a good team from a great one. The Suns will need to play the basketball of their lives to even hope to keep this series competitive.

Game 1 tips off April 19 in Oklahoma City.