Welcome back to our weekly discussion regarding the top NBA teams who have the best chance of winning the NBA title this season. In case you’ve missed it, the list of teams who were the frontrunners to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in June 2020 included the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Clippers. Did the most recent outings for these contenders do anything to shake up the list a bit? Let’s take an updated look at which teams now have the best odds to win it all this season based on how they performed over the past week (12/2 – 12/8).
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3. Milwaukee Bucks (+450). Last week’s odds (+550)
To be honest, I’m surprised the Milwaukee Bucks’ odds have improved only slightly from where they were a week ago. For starters, they have won 14 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the league. The last time this squad suffered a loss was over a month ago when they fell to the Utah Jazz 103-100 on Nov. 8. As impressive as the other contenders have, the Bucks are currently the top defensive team in the league, the top-scoring team in the league (121 points per outing) and they are ranked second in offensive efficiency as well. And in the three games they played over the last week, they won those games by an average of 35.3 points per outing. While it’s hard to determine how much a team’s odds will change on a weekly basis, I think it’s time to start showing the Bucks a little bit of love from a betting perspective.
2. Los Angeles Lakers (+325). Last week’s odds (+350).
The Angeles Lakers continue their remarkable start to the 2019-20 NBA season. Following a 113-104 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 10, the Lakers have won 13 of their previous 14 games overall, including four of their previous five during the past week. Leading the attack is none other than Anthony Davis, who is averaging 33.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per outing during that stretch. Despite being in his 17th NBA season, LeBron James is doing his part as well, posting averages of 26.6 points, 10 assists and six rebounds per contest. From a defensive standpoint, the Lakers are ranked sixth in points allowed per game (104.6) and like the Milwaukee Bucks, they are a top-five team in both offense and defensive efficiency, and they have the best record in the league at 21-3. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. While the LA Clippers continue to be the talk of the Tinseltown, the Lakers are showing early signs that they will be a factor in the conference playoff race.
Best Sportbook 2019
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1. LA Clippers (+300). Last week’s odds (+300)
The LA Clippers’ odds didn’t improve from where they were a week ago, but they are still considered the favorites to win it all. Over the past week, the Clippers posted three wins in the four games they played. After defeating the Washington Wizards and Portland Trail Blazers by 25 and 20 points, respectively, the Clippers were soundly defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks 119-91. However, the Clippers did manage to finish out their week with yet another win against the Washington Wizards. As of right now, the Clippers have the second-best record in the western conference at 17-7, with the Dallas Mavericks trailing them by just half of a game in the standings. As long as they remain healthy, the Clippers will continue t be the frontrunners on this list. At the same time, it wouldn’t be a total shock if they Lakers overtook them at some point during the season.
