Los Angeles Lakers Analysis & Odds Before Restart

NBA Betting: Los Angeles Lakers Analysis & Odds Before Restart

Written by on July 22, 2020

As teams head to the Orlando Bubble, one squad stands above all others. The Lakers are massive +185 favorites to win the NBA Championship. Make no mistake, Showtime was a solid +250 choice before the NBA shut down their season on March 11. But since the league announced that they’d restart their season on July 30, the odds on the Lake Show have plummeted to below +200. Are the Lakers worth a look at those low odds? Or, should NBA bettors find a different team to back during the NBA Orlando Playoffs? Let’s see how the NBA odds will be for the Los Angeles Lakers heading to the Orlando Bubble.

Los Angeles Lakers Analysis & Odds Before Restart

State of Los Angeles Lakers heading to Orlando

Although the Lakers are the favorites, they won’t head to Orlando in the best shape. First, Avery Bradley will not play during the restart.

Bradley’s son has had issues with respiratory illnesses in the past. Avery doesn’t want to take the chance. Nobody can fault Bradley for sitting the rest of the season out given Florida’s rise in coronavirus positive cases.

Second, Rajon Rondo broke his thumb. He can’t play until September, which means the Lakers must rely on who, exactly, to play point-guard? The answer to that is obvious.

LeBron will play point-guard. Nobody else on the team has the handle that he’s got. The good news for Laker fans is that Kyle Kuzma could start at the 3, Anthony Davis plays the 4, JaVale McGee mans the middle at the 5, and sharp-shooter Danny Green hangs out with LeBron in the backcourt.

It’s not ideal, but a starting five with Kuzma, AD, LeBron, and one of the top three-point shooters in history still makes the Lakers a tough team to deal with.

How will the Lakers handle the NBA Orlando Bubble?

LeBron James, whom this writer puts ahead of Michael Jordan on the greatest of all-time list, has leadership skills for days. The King won’t allow his mates to not take the restart seriously.

Not only that, but he’ll ensure that his teammates play at the highest possible level. James and Davis will make sure the rest of the players don’t get sidetracked while living at Disney World.

Los Angeles Lakers NBA Title +185 Odds Betting Analysis

The Lakers should play well in the Orlando bubble. If LeBron and Davis weren’t enough, Green has championship experience. Kuzma is one of the top young players in the NBA.

It’s hard to knock the Lakers. There is something to consider, though. LAL will be without Rondo for a long time. Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and even Alex Caruso can spell LeBron at the point.

But none of those players are pure point-guards like Rondo. Not only that, but the Lakers, like the Bucks in the East, won’t have thousands of screaming fans backing them up on the court.

Yes, LeBron is the best. And, yes, Anthony Davis always plays well. But, at +185 Odds to Win the NBA Finals it’s hard to back the Lakers to win it all when their best point-guard, their only real point-guard, won’t join the team until September.

Be wary of backing the Lakers to cover massive spreads or to win the NBA Championship at the current odds.