Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
With the Los Angeles Lakers set to tip off their preseason schedule in just over a week they’ll enter the campaign as the clear betting favorite on the odds to win the NBA championship for a second straight season at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Lakers are set as +240 chalk at online betting sites on the 2021 NBA title odds after they knocked out the Miami Heat in six games in the bubble NBA Finals back in October.
LeBron James took home the NBA Finals MVP award for the fourth time in his career, and he’ll be back to lead the Lakers on their quest for a repeat this time around. Also expected to return is Anthony Davis, who remains a free agent as he works out a new contract with the team.
Los Angeles added to its roster this offseason by bringing in point guard Dennis Schroder and center Marc Gasol, with Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, and Dwight Howard all departing.
The Lakers begin their preseason slate with two games against the rival L.A. Clippers on Friday, December 11, and also face them Sunday, December 13. The Clippers are listed at +650 on the odds to win the NBA championship in the season ahead. The Clippers fell in seven games to the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals last season, and have added forward Serge Ibaka.
The Brooklyn Nets, with Kevin Durant expected back on the court and Steve Nash taking over as head coach, are at +500 on the championship futures, with the Milwaukee Bucks tied with the Clippers on those NBA odds at +650. The Bucks stumbled in the playoffs once again last season, losing in just five games against the Heat in the conference semifinals.
Rounding out the top of the 2021 NBA title odds are the Heat and Boston Celtics at +1600, the Golden State Warriors at +1800, and each of the Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, and Philadelphia 76ers at +2200. The Toronto Raptors follow at +2800, with the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trail Blazers set at +3300 odds on the futures.
Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for analysis on this week’s top games. As well, the OddsShark Computer serves up daily NBA picks for bettors.