When the NBA’s postseason began just over a month ago, the Lakers were coming off a shaky 3-5 showing in the summer seeding games, and had roughly the same odds as the Clippers and Bucks to win the 2020 NBA championship, according to most sportsbooks.
Five weeks later, the Clippers and Bucks have been eliminated from title contention, as have many of the teams viewed as second-tier title threats, such as Toronto, Philadelphia, and Houston. The Lakers hold a commanding 2-0 lead over the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, while neither the Heat nor the Celtics have looked especially dominant in the Eastern Finals.
In other words, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the rest of the Lakers find themselves in a great position to finish off an impressive playoff run and bring home the franchise’s first championship since 2010. The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag currently list the Lakers as -350 favorites, meaning you’d have to risk $350 in order to win just $100 for an L.A. title.
While the Lakers may be the overwhelming favorites for now, it’s a little early to pencil them in as the NBA’s 2020 champions. After all, the Nuggets were just a Davis buzzer-beater away from pulling even at one game apiece in the Western Finals — and even down 2-0, Denver is hardly about to roll over, having already overcome a pair of 3-1 deficits in these playoffs.
If the Lakers can put away the Nuggets, they’ll enter the NBA Finals as heavy favorites, but the Celtics and Heat shouldn’t be overlooked either. Boston dominated Joel Embiid and the Sixers before eliminating the defending-champion Raptors – who had the league’s second-best record this season – in perhaps the most hard-fought series of the postseason.
As for the Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s ankle injury helped them finish off Milwaukee, but they’d played better than the 56-17 Bucks even before Antetokounmpo got hurt. Knocking off the Pacers, Bucks, and Celtics would represent an impressive path to the Finals for Miami.
Either Eastern team will also benefit from playing in the Disney World bubble, where home-court advantage is essentially nonexistent and the Lakers’ regular-season edge wouldn’t give them an extra Finals game at Staples Center. Still, L.A. has shown so far that it doesn’t need the help that home-court advantage provides.
What do you think? Are you confident the Lakers will win the Finals and get LeBron his fourth ring, or will one of the other three teams still alive play spoiler and take this year’s crown?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!
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The only team I thought had a realistic shot at beating the Lakers was the Clippers and we all know how that went…
Miami Heat, 2020 NBA champions.
yeah right… nobody can stop the lakers when AD and lebron and company are on their game
Right now, if there’s anyone playing like they could, it’s the Heat. They’ve impressed.
I go with the Heat as well. They have players to guard both AD (Adebayo) and LeBron (Butler, Crowder) and they are on a roll.
Not a Lakers fan, but let’s stop pretending AD and LeBron are guardable.
Everyone is guardable. And actually LA struggled offensively during the seeding games in the bubble.
My point is they’re both gonna get 20-30 points regardless of who is guarding them. The Lakers will win so long as the supporting cast plays half decently.
In my opinion it is not that much about the supporting cast, but rather about how much LeBron and AD have to work to score those 20-30 points.
@otogar you must not have watched the playoffs then. Only lost 2 game in playoffs lol, keep the hate coming though I’m sure lebron is feeding on the hate.
I don’t hate anyone. The Lakers are clear favorites, but they are certainly beatable. I tend to go always with the small fish, it’s nothing personal against the Lakers.
Haven’t you heard that defense wins the championship? Lakers are playing the best playoff defense in the bubble. They destroyed the best scorers so far. They have the two best top 5 players as well. but their defense will win the ring this year.
I voted yes but I don’t think it will be easy.
Love your username. O4 baby. I remember that Thanksgiving that Theo and somebody else went to his house in Arizona. Signed him up and the rest was history.
Thanks, 04 changed my life as far as baseball.
Oh my goodness changed baseball for all Sox fans. The 80s and 90s were so rough.. the Red Sox were always looking up at the Yankees. Such a horrible 20 years. I became a fan in 78 and that was good timing as the Red Sox were good then. But then 20 years of miserableness and burning my hat every September. Thankfully the last fifteen have been decent success to make up for 25 years of crap.
If the Nuggets can force a game 5, Lakers may be in trouble.
The Celtics and the Heat look good right now – depending on the night.
I give LAL a less than 50% chance so voted no, but right now they got better odds than the other 3 individual teams still alive.
The East is playing the East right now. Quite frankly they look better for it because the East is weaker than the West, so the competition isn’t quite as tough as the West overall regarding the playoffs.
I am a long time Celtics fan. They have four very good skill players, but I didn’t think they would get as far as they did this year, and while I like Miami, I can’t see them beating the Lakers. They not only have the two best players in any series, they have seasoned vets like Rondo, Green, and yes, even Howard. Can’t see them losing. Bron is a beast and Davis is ridiculously skilled. I mean, It could happen, but I wouldn’t be betting on it.
I think the Celtics could beat the Lakers and Im a Lakers fan
Lakers were heavily favored that Kg/Allen/Pierce series as well and we know how (1) of those went-
I put 500$ on Celts at 5;1 when down 2-0 and advised all my friends do the same- Simply put I think they are a better team than the Heat and dont think they would be scared/intimidated whatsoever by the Lakers
If Bynum wasn’t injured the Lakers likely don’t lose that series versus the Celtics. Bynum had been dominant that season and the Lakers simply did not have anyone to replace him. The Lakers and Celtics from that season are not at all comparable to the Lakers and Celtics now, anyway.
The drop-off in talent between Lebron and AD is huge. Next one is who? Kuzma? Rondo? Celtics have 4 all-star caliber players. Let’s not pretend it’s not about the star players. Lakers can’t let the series go into the late stages or the Celtics win it. If the Lakers are to win it they need to win it in 4 or 5 games. Lebron is not getting any younger. Celtics just needs to play fast and move the ball. Their transition defense and defense of the 3 are excellent. Heat has no chance, they won’t get any friendly calls given how physical they play. Heat will run into foul troubles, AD and Lebron will shoot free throws like crazy. And let’s not pretend Crowder can guard Lebron and punish him on offense. If you’re a Celtics fan you know how that story goes. While we’re at it, the eastern finals should have been 3-0 or 2-1 for the Celtics. They played passive and over confident those 1st 2 games instead of playing the whole 48 minutes. Celtics have the lead all throughout the series against Miami they’re just overly confident. As long as Hayward is healthy, Celtics are going to the Finals.
I don’t think you can expect Hayward to have a major impact outside of his perceived threat and as a passer. He’s been out too long to be able to bounce back to Premier form right away.
Makes sense what you are saying. But even Gordon at 75% allows Brad to play 6 guys extensive minutes instead of 5 guys and then fill in the blank with average bench players and inexperienced young men
Bron is aging so they have to win quickly or else lol.
Teams play about every other day regardless, and he’s doing fine so far.
If it is about star players, the Lakers have them. A five-man team only needs two, plus Dwight.
Give the Heat some credit for Boston’s play. I think they have looked too tentative, moreso than Boston has! They shortened their rotation, the size of which was their biggest strength.
If the Refs call a tight game lakers will not win. A good example is the first game the foul calls were one sided. game 2 the foul calls were even. lakers do a lot of pushing off so if the E=refs call those push off Nuggets can win.
arc89 has a bad case of Lebron derangement syndrome. Its a new excuse every game, today it was the refs. Maybe its time to realize that a team with two top 5 players in the sport is going yo win. And no the Lakers are not magically going to last place next year while the Warriors turn back into a dynasty.
No secret the refs call the game differently for lebron. Players have been talking about it for years. Can’t let the face of the nba get shown up.
You are kidding yourself, arc. In game 2 the refs clearly favored the Nuggets, and the stats support it. The Lakers still won. To say it was evenly called is blind, wishful thinking, nothing more.
Celtics in 7
Unfortunately, they most likely will
Frank Vogel is the best
The hate is real on these boards, if you said no your thinking with your heart over your head. I don’t like lebron but I don’t see much competition now kawhi is gone
Yes but you’re a Clippers fan. I like the way the heat are playing. I think their coach is outstanding and I think they have killers on their roster. That’s enough for me. Sure LeBron is amazing one of the most amazing ever to play the game and Anthony Davis is incredible. But I think Bam can guard AD and I think Jimmy Butler can guard whoever he wants. They both give up a few inches but I’ll take grit over flash. I’ll take heart over talent. Miami Heat baby.
1 word: Referees
agreed Mindless, I have messed with you a bit and vice versa, but no doubt Lakers are the prohibitive favorites.
Better question. Who cares ?
I care. I’m watching every minute of this playoff here in the NBA. It’s exciting after 4 months no Sports. I love it. LeBron is looking good Anthony Davis is fantastic. Clippers choked but they provided a lot of entertainment. The East final is pretty exciting. The rebuilt Heat versus the young Celtics. I love it.. I care.
Uhh NBA fans? Why are you even here if you don’t care at all about one of the biggest games of the year thus far?
The Celtics will show how to beat the Heat even if they do not do it themselves.
Celtics aren’t beating the heat…
I’m referring to the tactics the Heat use. Also I like irony and saying Beat the Heat, maybe too much.
Most of us understood what you meant. And your point is valid. But wow the Heat look good. The only image with cause for alarm is Bam holding his left arm after an apparent injury. I hope it’s nothing serious.
Heat look like they could be a team of destiny. Butlers a dawg, bam is a good defender. They’ve got great chemistry, are much deeper and have better shooting than lakers.
I don’t think LeBron has looked as good since the restart either
As a Laker fan I think the Heat or the Celts could beat us-
Both coached very well
Celtics are very underated imo, they have problems with going dry at points but that can dissapear at any time- I got them moving on in 7 vs the Heat and giving us a hell of a fight
Pretty clear cut at this point. Nuggets are one player away & they have no answer for AD…
Haven’t you heard that defense wins the championship. Lakers are playing the best playoff defense in the bubble. They destroyed the best scorers so far. They have the two best top 5 players as well. but their defense will win the ring this year.