One week after being crowned champions, the Los Angeles Lakers have opened as favourites to go back to back in 2020/21 and repeat as NBA champions.
With growing speculation that Anthony Davis is prepared to extend his contract in LA, sportsbooks have named the Lakers as the +375 favourites for next year’s NBA title.
Following their highly scrutinised 2020 playoff departure, the Los Angeles Clippers sit behind their cross-town rivals at +425, after signing Ty Lue as their head coach for 2021, with the Milwaukee Bucks currently rounding out the top three favourites at +650.
However, this is certain to change once we see where two time league MVP and free agent Giannis Antetokounmpo signs this offseason.
With the return of their All-Star backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Golden State Warriors (+750) have opened as the fourth favourite for the 2020/21 NBA championship, despite only recording 15 wins in the 2019/20 season, the fewest in the league.
Curry and Thompson will re-join Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr, with the addition of the second pick in the upcoming draft. Giving Golden State the option of either adding or trading for another talented piece on their roster.
Unlike Thompson and Curry, the basketball world does not know what things are going to look like when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving return for the upcoming season as teammates on the Brooklyn Nets. Irving, a notoriously difficult teammate, played intermittently in 2019/20, while Durant is set to return from a ruptured achilles.
The great unknown is whether the two All Stars will complement each other both on the court and in the locker room, and remain healthy enough to lead the Nets to championship success.
Despite having been knocked out in the first round of the past two postseasons, the return of their two All Stars has given Brooklyn (+1000) the second best title odds in the Eastern conference and the fifth best amongst the entire league.
2021 NBA Title Odds
- Los Angeles Lakers: +375
- Los Angeles Clippers: +425
- Milwaukee Bucks: +650
- Golden State Warriors: +750
- Brooklyn Nets: +1000
- Boston Celtics: +1200
- Miami Heat: +1300
- Toronto Raptors: +1700
- Denver Nuggets: +2000
- Houston Rockets: +2200
- Dallas Mavericks: +2500
- Philadelphia 76ers: +3000
- Portland Trail Blazers: +3500
- Utah Jazz: +4000
- New Orleans Pelicans: +5000
All other teams have +6600 odds or worse
*Odds correct at time of publication.
With free agency and the trade period not too far away, make sure you keep an eye on our NBA hub page for all the information you need.
