Updated 2020 NBA Championship Odds - October 17th Edition

Updated 2020 NBA Championship Odds – October 17th Edition

Written by on October 17, 2019

With the start of the 2019 NBA regular season less than a week away, now is a perfect time to take a look at the value-packed NBA odds to win the 2019-2020 NBA Championship. Needless to say, following arguably the most exciting offseason in NBA history, along with the dismantling of the perennially-powerful Golden State Warriors, the upcoming campaign looks like it will be one of the most competitive in recent memory.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the top odds favorites and a handful of other teams I have listed as title contenders and pretenders.

Updated 2020 NBA Championship Odds – October 17th Edition

The Favorites

Los Angeles Lakers

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +375

The Lakers added Anthony Davis to pair with LeBron James and both look primed to have all-star campaigns. However, I’m going on record to say that L.A.’s championship hopes will depend more on the contributions of other players like the oft-injured Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green and Dwight Howard than James or Davis.

Los Angeles Clippers

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +380

The Clippers made a couple of blockbuster moves by signing Kawhi Leonard and adding Paul George in the most stunning trade there was this offseason. In addition to that, L.A. boasts a roster that features a handful of outstanding veterans in ‘pit-bull’ point guard Patrick Beverly, forwards Maurice Harkless, Montrezl Harrell and Patrick Peterson as well as three-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner Lou Williams and heady young point guard Landry Shamet.

Milwaukee Bucks

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +565

The Bucks lost excellent two-way shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon, but they did add veteran three-point shooter Kyle Korver and veteran big man Robin Lopez while re-signing starting two guard Khris Middleton. I love Milwaukee’s well, put together roster that centers around the unique talents of league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks’ chances of repeating as Eastern Conference finalists at the very least.

The Contenders

Philadelphia 76ers

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +710

The 76ers lost an important player with big shot making and two-way shooting guard Jimmy Butler bolting for Miami, as well as losing veteran three-point shooter J.J. Redick. Still, Philly looks primed to challenge for the Eastern Conference title this coming season for several reasons.

The Sixers stunned everyone by adding veteran big man Al Horford, plus they re-signed all-star forward Tobias Harris to a long-term deal while adding shooting guard Josh Richardson in the Butler deal with Miami.

Superstar center Joel Embiid looks primed for his best season ever, but I believe that a lot of Philadelphia’s success this coming season will depend on what wee see out of talented, but often perplexing point guard Ben Simmons and Philadelphia’s mostly unheralded reserves.

Houston Rockets

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +600

The Rockets made a big splash this offseason by trading point guard Chris Paul for former league MVP Russell Westbrook and they’ve still got another former MVP in guard James Harden. Houston also has some very nice complimentary players in center Clint Capela, backup guard Eric Gordon, backup centers Nene and Tyson Chandler along with backup guard Austin Rivers and forward Ryan Anderson. While Houston looks equipped to compete with any team in the league as far as overall roster talent, I remain skeptical until I see just how much the ball moves in Houston with the ball-dominant Harden and Westbrook on the floor at the same time.

Golden State Warriors

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +750

By now, everyone knows the Warriors lost superstar Kevin Durant while parting ways with former Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and watching heady veteran point guard Shawn Livingston retire.

The Dubs will also be without all-star shooting guard Klay Thompson until around the start of the new year, but I’m thinking a lot of people are forgetting that this is still a team with a former two-time MVP winner in Steph Curry and a do-it-all forward in all-star Draymond Green, not to mention the Dubs added first-time all-star point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Golden State has some very solid big men in the frontcourt in centers Kevon Looney and new addition Willie Cauley-Stein. If Golden State can get some good play from deeper reserves like  Alfonzo McKinnie, Alec Burks and former Villanova stars Omari Spellman and Eric Paschall, I believe the Dubs could surprise in a big way.

Utah Jazz

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +1300

The Utah Jazz are hoping to contend with the best teams in the loaded Western Conference after adding veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr., sweet-shooting veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic and versatile veteran forward Jeff Green in the offseason. Utah also has a still-blossoming superstar in shooting guard Donovan Mitchell and arguably the best defensive player on the planet in center Rudy Gobert. If the Jazz can get good contributions from role players like Emmanuel Mudiay, Jo Ingles, Ed Davis and Georges Niang, who knows how far this contender could climb out west.

Denver Nuggets

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +1500

The Nuggets had a fantastic season a year ago and are looking to improve behind all-star center Nikola Jokic, veteran forward Paul Millsap. sweet-shooting guard Jamal Murray, veteran forward Jerami Grant and now, 2018 first round draft pick Michael Porter. The Nuggets will need to get some good production from reserves like Will Barton, Gary Harris and Mason Plumlee, Denver could also surprise for the second consecutive season.

Boston Celtics

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +2400

A year ago, the Celtics entered the regular season as the prohibitive favorite to win the Eastern Conference, but after floundering all season long en route to a disappointing playoff outing, the C’s now look like an different team in many ways. Boston lost Kyrie Irving and center Al Horford in free agency and although the loss of Irving was basically canceled out by the signing of free agent point guard Kemba Walker, the loss of Horford was absolutely huge even though the C’s signed veteran big man Enes Kanter in free agency.

Still, this is a team that has a ton of young talent starting with sweet-shooting forward Jayson Tatum, shooting guard Jaylen Brown and extending to veteran forward Gordon Hayward among others. Boston will need to get some positive play from frontcourt reserves like Daniel Theis and Robert Williams, but Boston possesses almost as much talent on the perimeter as any team in the league.

The Pretenders

Portland Trail Blazers

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +2700

I hate putting the Portland Trail Blazers in my ‘pretenders’ category, but I can’t help but thinking that Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum still need more help than the improving Zach Collins and a roster full of modest players like Mario Hezonja, Kent Bazemore and Pau Gasol can provide.

Indiana Pacers

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +3800

I’m also of the belief that Indiana could challenge for something of consequence in the Eastern Conference if Victor Oladipo returns to his previous all-star form following last season’s horrific knee injury.

Brooklyn Nets

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +5000

The Brooklyn Nets will not contend without Kevin Durant and the same goes for Toronto without Kawhi Leonard. Miami’s addition of Jimmy Butler was a smart move, but the Heat are surrounding their new best player with the likes of guys like James Johnson, Derrick Jones Jr., and Meyers Leonard and that’s just not going to cut it.

Toronto Raptors

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +6000

The current NBA Champions have suffered some changes within their roster, thus affecting their possibilities in winning the title again. Kawhi Leonard left the team to now play in the Clippers. And Danny Green left for the Lakers. Still, they have most of the roster from the previous season, but it won’t be as strong as expected.

San Antonio Spurs

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +9000

The San Antonio Spurs might not be title contenders as they continue to alter their roster in their post Tim Duncan days, but they also won’t be able to challenge the vast majority of their aforementioned western conference rivals with LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan being surrounded by a bunch of good, but not great veteran role players like Patty Mills, DeMarre Carroll and Rudy Gay.

Dallas Mavericks

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +8500

I love Dallas pairing of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, but the Mavs need a lot more than Dwight Powell, Tim Hardaway Jr. and an improving Jalen Brunson in order to challenge in the west.

Miami Heat

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +8000

The Heat didn’t have the greatest season and are still struggling to get back as a top team. Now with Dwyane Wade has retired, Miami is looking to rebuild a solid lineup, but it will take its time to do so.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • 2020 NBA Championship Odds: +8500

In New Orleans, things are looking up in a big way with transcendent talent and No. 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson set to kick off a new ear in the Big Easy. In addition to Williamson, the Pelicans have a roster brimming with young talent, starting with a trio of players they acquired form the Lakers in the Anthony Davis deal. Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and josh Hart all still have huge upsides and all three will have chips on their collective shoulders coming into the new season. New Orleans also has some excellent veteran talent in point guard Jrue Holiday, shooting guard E’Twaun Moore and forward Derrick Favors. Still, this is a team that is at least another year or two away from really challenging for anything of consequence in the western conference.

 

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