Lakers Open as Favorite to Repeat as 2021 Champs

Lakers Open as Favorite to Repeat as 2021 Champs

For the 17th time in history, the Lakers are NBA champions. To be exact that ties them with the Celtics for the most in history. LeBron James now has four NBA Finals MVP Awards and four championships. At age 35 he returns for his 17th NBA betting season. Overall, James has not shown much in the way of slowing down. And Los Angeles has opened as chalk to win the 2021 championship. As the NBA marquee franchise, the Lakers are perpetually overpriced. Casual money floods their way. Sharps will avoid the Lakers for that very reason.

2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers Futures Odds

Odds
NBA Championship+275
Western Conference+140

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2020-21 Los Angles Lakers SBG Odds Overview

On this occasion, there are two online betting ways to look at the Lakers. One is that they are overpriced and to be avoided. Counter to that is an interesting theory. Los Angeles is the best team and will only get more expensive as the season progresses.

2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers Team Overview

The 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers finished 52-19 straight up, 36-34-1 against the spread, and 34-37 under the total. Los Angeles beat Miami 4-2 in the NBA Finals. Overall, LA ranked 11th for scoring and 4th for points allowed. Anthony Davis led the Lakers in scoring with 26.5 points per game. While LeBron James led in rebounds with 9.9 per game.
General manager Rob Pelinka has been in his role since March 7, 2017. In turn, he was best known as Kobe Bryant’s agent.

Coach Frank Vogel began his NBA career in 2001 as an assistant with the Celtics. Finally, he became a head coach in the 2010-11 season with the Pacers. Vogel was an immediate success. In both 2013 and 2014, he led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals. However, his team was eliminated by LeBron James and Miami both times. Vogel’s career was stalled after two bad years as head coach of the Orlando Magic.

When the Lakers hired Vogel, it was met with a lukewarm response. But Vogel won converts. Cause by his getting the Lakers to play significantly better defense. Vogel proved his merits as a true professional head coach. Especially in comparison to the amateur hour debacle that was Luke Walton the season prior. Vogel has his ticket punched as an NBA champion.

In the 2020 NBA Draft LA chose forward Jaden McDaniels out of Washington with the 28th overall pick. Subsequently, he was traded to the Thunder, who traded him to Minnesota.
LeBron James is a 4-time NBA and NBA Finals MVP. He is a 16-time All-Star and 3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP. Last year in the playoffs he averaged 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game. He is the biggest name on the NBA lines board.

And then Anthony Davis has proven to be the perfect partner for LeBron James. Davis is a 7-time NBA All-Star. Last year in the playoffs Davis averaged 27.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Davis was the number one overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers SBG Prognosis

On the whole, the Lakers are considered the class of the NBA. Outside of Milwaukee nobody sees a viable alternative. And that is what worries sharps. Forgone conclusions are often the most dangerous bets on the board. Accordingly, when gamblers don’t see something coming they’re often blindsided.