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The 2024-25 NBA regular season is in the books, meaning anyone making predictions on team win totals will see those wagers settling across sportsbooks. While the biggest news in the NBA often revolves around player movement, specifically with major trades such as the ones involving Luka Doncic and Jimmy Butler, the regular season is ultimately about which teams are in the best position to make a deep run in the postseason. Some squads, like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, made big statements with their exceptional performances over the 82-game stretch. Others, like the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns, have plenty of question marks in the offseason after a disappointing campaign.

We'll take a look at some of the top overachievers and underachievers in the league this year relative to their preseason win totals using Vegas Insider's lines.

NBA's biggest overachievers

Progress is rarely linear in the NBA, even if fans believe it should be. However, these squads had no problem exceeding even the loftiest expectations during the 2024-25 season.

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Preseason win total: 55.5

  • Wins: 68

The Thunder once again took the No. 1 seed in the West, destroying their preseason win total behind likely league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City improved by 11 wins from 2023-24, thanks to internal improvement from the likes of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and contributions from additions like Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. The Thunder are a talented, deep team ready to take the next step after being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs a year ago.

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Preseason win total: 47.5

  • Wins: 64

After finishing with 48 wins in 2023-24, this was going to be a deciding season for the Cavaliers regarding their roster. Despite some offseason questions surrounding Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell's pairing, Cleveland kept its group intact and is now the No. 1 seed in the East. The Cavaliers won 16 more games this season and smashed their preseason win total. Garland and Evan Mobley returned to their 2022-23 selves, while Mitchell continued to flex his star power. Acquiring De'Andre Hunter at the deadline gave this group the 3-and-D wing it was missing, and another showdown with the defending champions Celtics in the playoffs seems inevitable.

Detroit Pistons

  • Preseason win total: 22.5

  • Wins: 44

Eventually, the Pistons were going to see some returns on their high draft picks. Cade Cunningham had a career year, averaging 26.1 points and 9.1 assists per game. He's in line to win Most Improved Player. Jalen Duren remained a force in the middle, averaging a double-double, while veterans Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schroder have contributed beyond their experience. Detroit is a scrappy team playing with house money, making it a pesky playoff opponent for a contending team.

Houston Rockets

  • Preseason win total: 42.5

  • Wins: 52

Like the Pistons, the Rockets were another young team that took a big step in 2024-25. Houston won 41 games a season ago and barely missed the play-in tournament, but that run set the stage for this campaign. Behind Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and a host of veterans, the Rockets captured the No. 2 seed in the West and enter the playoffs with minimal expectations.

Los Angeles Clippers

  • Preseason win total: 42.5

  • Wins: 50

The Clippers won eight straight to close the regular season, including an overtime victory over the Warriors in the final game to secure the No. 5 seed in the West. Losing Paul George in free agency and Kawhi Leonard's complicated injury history had plenty down on this unit. But Tyronn Lue once again showed why he's one of the best coaches in the NBA, steering this group to the postseason. James Harden emerged as a leader, while Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac turned in career seasons. Leonard, a two-time Finals MVP, appears healthy as the Clippers go into the postseason, making this squad dangerous in a loaded West field.

NBA's biggest underachievers

There are a few teams noticeably absent from the 2025 NBA Playoffs, and they are featured among the league's biggest underachievers this season. These franchises have plenty to consider in the offseason after a disastrous year.

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Preseason win total: 52.5
  • Wins: 24

It felt like Philadelphia was ready to finally break through after it lured George away from the Clippers in free agency. However, the veteran forward played just 41 games in an injury-riddled campaign across the board. Of course, the major setback for the 76ers involved former league MVP Joel Embiid, who played just 19 games before being shut down. Embiid was not quite himself despite averaging 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, and the 76ers struggled even when he was on the floor. Eventually, the team decided to shut down Tyrese Maxey too. Will the 76ers bank on their injury luck eventually changing, or is this roster set to be blown up?

Phoenix Suns

  • Preseason win total: 46.5
  • Wins: 36

When you have the league's largest payroll by a substantial margin, you're expected to contend. The Suns not only failed on that front, but they wound up missing the play-in tournament as well. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker didn't miss substantial time due to injuries, but the entire operation seemed out of sorts. Bradley Beal never materialized as the third star Phoenix envisioned when it traded for him, and head coach Mike Budenholzer appeared to have lost the locker room halfway through the campaign. Budenholzer has been let go, and the Suns will surely explore trading Beal and Durant during the summer.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • Preseason win total: 46.5
  • Wins: 21

The Pelicans were basically like the 76ers of the West, losing Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray for most of the campaign. They traded Brandon Ingram, who was also dealing with injuries early in the season. New Orleans is changing course this offseason, removing David Griffin from his role as executive vice president of basketball operations. There are questions about whether Murray and CJ McCollum will remain on the roster, as well as Williamson's viability as a potential franchise cornerstone.

Dallas Mavericks

  • Preseason win total: 50.5
  • Wins: 39

When you trade a player who led you to the NBA Finals a year ago, it's hard to envision your team getting better. The Mavericks made one of the most stunning deals in league history this year, sending Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future first-round pick. Dallas lost Davis and Kyrie Irving shortly after the deal, with the latter being done for the season due to a torn ACL. The Mavericks are in the play-in tournament, and Davis appears to be healthy again, but there's so much chaos surrounding this organization that even a playoff appearance won't be enough to placate fans.