On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up their 17th championship with a win over the Miami Heat in game six of the NBA Finals. Despite the longest season in league history finally coming to a close, it’s time to turn the page to 2021.
Before the draft and the free agency period are underway, title odds for the new league year are already available.
According to William Hill Sportsbook, LeBron James and the defending champion Lakers hold the top spot at +375. Behind their Los Angeles neighbor, the Clippers are second at +400.
After the pair of teams from Southern California, reigning Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are the first team from the Eastern Conference listed with +650 odds.
While the top-three teams made runs in the 2020 postseason, the next team on the sheet didn’t get an invite to the NBA’s Orlando Bubble. Despite their league-worst 15-50 mark in 2019-20, the Golden State Warriors have a +800 odds to win the 2021 title.
- Los Angeles Lakers — +375
- Los Angeles Clippers — +400
- Milwaukee Bucks — +650
- Golden State Warriors — +800
- Brooklyn Nets — +850
- Boston Celtics — +1200
- Miami Heat — +1500
- Toronto Raptors — +2000
- Houston Rockets — +2000
- Denver Nuggets — +2000
With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson expected to be back in the mix in 2021, Golden State should have the opportunity to crack open their title window for another ride.
Along with their championship core of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green, Golden State will need a player like Andrew Wiggins, Eric Paschall and Marquese Chriss to step up if they want to compete with the likes of James, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard in the Western Conference.
While Golden State’s group shows promise with the Splash Brothers healthy, several question marks surround the team.
What will Bob Myers and Steve Kerr do when they’re on the clock with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft? How do they use the Andre Iguodala $17.2 million trade exception? Can they recruit a valuable veteran to come to Golden State on the mid-level exception?
How Kerr and Myers answer those questions this offseason will have a significant impact on their chances of making a run back to the top of the Western Conference.
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