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Lakers vs Bucks Favored to Be NBA Finals Matchup; Clippers vs Bucks Given +300 Odds

Sam Cox

by Sam Cox in NBA Basketball

Updated Mar 29, 2021 · 2:00 PM PDT

LeBron James dribbling top of key
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers welcome the red hot Atlanta Hawks to the Staples Center for a Saturday Matinee. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)
  • Odds are available for potential NBA Finals matchups once the season returns
  • The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks own the two best records in the league and are favored to meet in the Finals
  • Are the Bucks a lock to face one of the LA teams? 

The resumption of the NBA season is a great uncertainty. News appears every day or two about potential plans. Without knowledge of when, if, or how the season will return, picking an NBA Finals matchup is especially challenging. The odds are interesting, though, and there’s certainly value to be found beyond the favored duo of the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks.

NBA Championship odds have been dominated by the Bucks, Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers this season. The struggles of the Philadelphia 76ers made it a three-horse race, and the regular season records of the Lakers and Bucks have pushed the two into the status of favorites.

2020 NBA Finals Exact Matchup Odds

NBA Finals Matchup Odds
Los Angeles Lakers vs Milwaukee Bucks +190
Los Angeles Clippers vs Milwaukee Bucks +300
Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics +1000
Houston Rockets vs Milwaukee Bucks +1100
Denver Nuggets vs Milwaukee Bucks +1200
Los Angeles Lakers vs Toronto Raptors +1200
Los Angeles Clippers vs Boston Celtics +1600
Utah Jazz vs Milwaukee Bucks +1600
Los Angeles Lakers vs Philadelphia 76ers +1600
Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat +1800
Los Angeles Clippers vs Toronto Raptors +2000
Dallas Mavericks vs Milwaukee Bucks +2200

Odds taken Mar. 30th

Bucks and Lakers Regular Season Supremacy

A Finals between the Bucks and Lakers has been the most likely scenario for a few weeks. No one knows how the hiatus will impact teams and individual players’ performances, of course, but the Bucks and Lakers seem like two teams who could benefit from jumping straight to the playoffs or a shortened post-season.

Obviously, ignoring the first few rounds and playing a Finals immediately upon the NBA’s restart would see the two play. Even if there’s a full playoffs, the time for Giannis Antetokounmpo to recover from his recent injury and LeBron James to rest is surely beneficial to those two.

On top of that, plenty of other teams had things to figure out down the stretch, rotations to tweak and team chemistry to develop. The Lakers and Bucks had no such concerns.

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Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer have crafted two well-oiled machines. James and Antetokounmpo have complimentary pieces, and fellow All-Stars in Anthony Davis and Khris Middleton. It’s no surprise to see these two favored, but the Lakers’ fellow Staples Center tenants shouldn’t be forgotten about.

Clips Lurking

The Clippers beat the Lakers twice earlier this season. The Lakers’ win a few weeks ago is fresh in the minds, but the Clips’ performances in the first two games remains significant in a potential playoff series between the two.

Doc Rivers’ team are 17-11 against teams over .500, a record only bettered by the Lakers’ 17-10. For all the load management and lack of time together for their strongest line-ups, these Clippers are serious title challengers and could easily be argued to be the championship favorites. Kawhi Leonard’s two-way prowess in the fourth quarter might prove unstoppable, even for LeBron James.

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Attention has been on Los Angeles since Davis, Leonard and Paul George arrived last summer. The Rockets and Nuggets are the two best positioned to cause an upset,  but the Rockets’ lack of size and Denver not having a second star makes it very hard to see either toppling the Lakers or Clippers. A Staples Center Western Conference matchup looks almost certain.

Bucks Far From a Lock

The Eastern Conference should be clearer. Despite a stutter before the league was suspended, Milwaukee has a 6.5-game lead and a ridiculous 107.6 net rating. The Toronto Raptors, their nearest challengers in the regular season, are well-coached and deep, but they are short of an elite superstar talent to take over games. Pascal Siakam has taken a big step this year – he’s still not quite there.

Boston is an interesting team. Injuries have meant only a handful of games with all their core players available. Jayson Tatum looked to have ascended to superstardom, but whether that translates to the playoffs is an unknown. Kemba Walker’s health is a concern. How they guard Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid is a still a question mark.

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The depth of top-level talent at Brad Stevens’ disposal aids their cause, and leads to their position in the odds. Stopping Antetokounmpo, for all of Marcus Smart’s prowess and Daniel Theis’ improvement, remains an obstacle too great to overlook.

One of the preseason favorites, the Philadelphia 76ers lose important time if the NBA goes straight to the playoffs. There’s a benefit, however, with months for Ben Simmons to recover from his back injury and Embiid being given time to rest, having looked lethargic at times this season.

The talent on the Sixers makes them an option in this market – they’re best equipped to slow Antetokounmpo, but a deep playoff run will require a transformation of their offense against three challenging Eastern Conference opponents.

Pick: Los Angeles Lakers vs Milwaukee Bucks (+190)

Longshot: Los Angeles Lakers vs Philadelphia 76ers (+1600)

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