There is some interest in betting on which team will be 2020 NBA champion. The Milwaukee Bucks remain favorites with the Clippers and Lakers behind them. Currently, those are the only three teams with odds less than +1000. The Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are the most attractive teams between +1000 and +2000.
It is certainly possible to talk yourself into betting on any of those squads to be 2020 NBA champions at those odds. They are all flawed, but very good sides certainly capable of making the NBA Finals at the very least. But there are two big things you should know before throwing any money at this group.
1) Go back to 2011
In 2011, a Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas Mavericks team overcame the Heatles v1.0. There have been eight NBA Finals since then and the winning team has featured LeBron James, Steph Curry or Kawhi Leonard. Sure, the Warriors are out, but James and Leonard still loom large over the upcoming playoffs.
It is easy to see Giannis Antetokounmpo smashing this glass ceiling with a decent supporting cast and innovative coach behind him. Betting on Jayson Tatum, Pascal Siakam or even James Harden to break up this monopoly is something much difficult to bet on.
2) Top seeds dominate
Super trios no longer dominate the NBA landscape, but let’s not pretend the league still isn’t top heavy. A number one or two conference seed has won the title in all but four of the past 24 seasons. The last team to do so was the 2011 Mavericks who were a three seed. The Lakers and Clippers are likely to be the top two seeds out West while Milwaukee has the first seed in the East seemingly locked up.
Could the 2020 NBA champion be the second or third seed from the Eastern Conference? Sure, but it would take injuries which you can’t really predict. Long story short, your best bet is not putting money on any team not named the Lakers, Bucks or Clippers to be the 2020 NBA champion.
