If You’re Looking for Any Change to the NBA Title Odds… Keep Looking
Alright NBA fans. Welcome back to our weekly discussion about which teams are considered the frontrunners for winning it all in 2020. With neither the Golden State Warriors or the defending champion Toronto Raptors expected to make a serious playoff run this season, the field is wide open as to which team could emerge as the league’s next champion.
Coming into the season, the teams who were on everyone’s radar to make some noise included the Milwaukee Bucks, who had the league’s top record in 2018-19. And on the heels of successful offseasons for both teams who occupy the Staples Center, they were pretty much shoe-ins as well. Here’s a look at the updated odds for each team based on how they performed over the past week. (Dec. 23 through Dec. 30).
NBA Futures 2019-2020—> Read More
Third-Best NBA Title Odds: Milwaukee Bucks (+300). Last Week’s Odds +400
The Milwaukee Bucks were the top team in the East last season, and they have picked up where they left off. Over the past week, they posted a 2-1 record. Following a flat outing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day, they rebounded with a pair of wins over the Atlanta Hawks (112-86) and Orlando Magic (111-100). The Bucks have won eight of their previous 10 outings and are the highest–scoring team in the association, averaging 119.7 points per contest.
Not only that, but the Bucks have the third-best offensive rating (114.0 points per 100 possessions) and the best defensive rating in the league, allowing 101.6 points per 100 possessions. Simply put, barring any unforeseen injuries, this team will be representing the eastern conference in next year’s Finals.
NBA Futures – Championship 2019/20
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Second-Best NBA Title Odds: Los Angeles Lakers (+300 – No Change from Last Week)
The Lakers got off to a fantastic start, posting 24 wins through their first 27 games. Then, thanks to injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the team proceeded to lose four consecutive games. Now that their two franchise players have returned to the lineup, things are looking a bit brighter. After falling to the LA Clippers on Christmas Day, the Lakers bounced back with impressive wins over the Portland Trail Blazers (128-120) and the Dallas Mavericks (108-95).
With their recent pair of victories, the Lakers have won six of their last 10 games overall and they currently own the top spot in the Western Conference with a record of 26-7. Based on what we’ve seen so far, the Lakers should finish with one of the best records in the league. The only question continues to be can they play well when injuries become a factor?
Top NBA Title Odds: LA Clippers (+300 – No Change from Last Week)
Despite yet another up-and-down week, the LA Clippers continue to remain the favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy next season. Following an impressive win over the rival Lakers on Christmas Day, the Clippers were defeated by the Utah Jazz to the tune of 120-107. Although the Clippers have split their last eight games, they have managed to produce six wins in their last 10 outings, and they have the third-best record in the Western Conference behind the Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.
While I would be hesitant to put too much stock into their ability to string together solid outings, the Clippers are still a top-10 team at both ends of the floor and they are holding their opponents to 43.5 percent shooting, the fourth-lowest conversion rate in the league. It will be interesting to see if their odds will start fluctuating a bit if inconsistency becomes the new norm.
