It’s all about LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo when it comes to NBA Championship odds.
At least for the gambling public. With the return of the NBA set for July in a 22-team format, the NBA futures odds to win the title have gone up at sportsbooks. Not surprisingly, LeBron and the Lakers, and Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, are the betting favorites. Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers are close behind, with a considerable drop off after that.
Here are the current odds (with money won on a $100 bet):
| TEAM | CAESARS | FAN DUAL |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +200 | +270 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +275 | +240 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +325 | +340 |
| Houston Rockets | +1500 | +1200 |
| Boston Celtics | +1500 | +2000 |
| Toronto Raptors | +1700 | +2400 |
| Denver Nuggets | +2200 | +2500 |
| Miami Heat | +4000 | +2700 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +2500 | +2700 |
| Utah Jazz | +6000 | +2900 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +3500 | +3600 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +6000 | +6000 |
| Indiana Pacers | +12500 | +10000 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +6000 | +10000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | N/A | +12000 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +50000 | +21000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +7500 | +21000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +100000 | +21000 |
| Orlando Magic | +75000 | +25000 |
| Phoenix Suns | +50000 | +25000 |
| Sacramento Kings | +200000 | +25000 |
| Washington Wizards | +100000 | +25000 |
A few quick thoughts on these NBA Championship odds:
• Brooklyn is only at 60/1 odds because of Kevin Durant’s possible return to the court — except that’s not happening. Even if he could, Kyrie Irving is not recovered from his March surgery yet, and no way KD is coming back without Irving.
• Along those same lines, John Wall is not returning for the Wizards this season.
• The best bet on the board? I would say the Clippers.
• If I had to bet who will end up with the eighth seed in the West, I would take Portland. New Orleans and Memphis both have a legitimate shot, but Portland gets Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins both back, and that was a 50+ win team with those two the season before.
• I’m basing my thoughts on what happened before March 11, and all of that feels somewhat irrelevant heading into this unprecedented situation.