The more some things change, the more they stay the same. Almost three months since the 2019-20 NBA season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a final plan is starting to take shape to resume the season.
The expectation is that said season will restart at Walt Disney World in Orlando late next month. It will consist of 22 games, each playing eight regular-season games, before the start of the playoffs. There’s going to be some play-in tournaments to decide the final seeds. But for now, it appears that a good dozen squads are locked in to the postseason.
According to William Hill, three teams stand above the rest as favorites to come away with the title once the season eventually concludes some time in the fall.
- Los Angeles Lakers: +240
- Milwaukee Bucks: +260
- Los Angeles Clippers: +320
This should not come as too much of a surprise. The Lakers, Bucks and Clippers were seen as the overwhelming top-three teams in the NBA before the 2019-20 season was suspended back on March 11. Nothing has changed in this regard.
After that, it really is a crap shoot.
- Houston Rockets: +1600
- Boston Celtics: +1600
- Toronto Raptors: +2000
- Philadelphia 76ers: +2000
- Denver Nuggets: +2500
Of these five teams, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics seem to be the best bet. They were playing at a high level when the season was suspended. For his part, Tatum has morphed into a true star in every sense of the word. He’s joined by fellow youngster Jaylen Brown and All-Star guard Kemba Walker to form a dangerous trio.
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey recently said that anything less than a title would be seen as a disappointment. Needless to say, potential NBA MVP James Harden will be facing a ton of pressure once the season resumes in Orlando.
Rounding out the odds, there’s some major long shots to come away with the title. If you’re feeling lucky, putting money on these squads could make some sense.
- Washington Wizards: +100000
- Sacramento Kings: +100000
- Orlando Magic: +100000
- Phoenix Suns: +100000
Okay, maybe not.
Though, Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans are coming in with +10000 odds. That’s certainly something to keep an eye on.