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NBA 2020 Playoff Odds Released for Every Team; Clippers Lead Rockets, Lakers
July 30, 2019
The NBA season never stops.
Odds are already out for the 2020 NBA playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks (-5000, bet $5000 to win $100) leading the way in the Eastern Conference and Los Angeles Clippers (-2500) headlining the Western Conference, per Caesars:
The Bucks' position atop the East isn't a surprise given the team is coming off of an NBA-best 60-22 2018-19 campaign centered around league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. It will be compelling to see how the Philadelphia 76ers (-4000) are able to challenge the Bucks with Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris returning and Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick departing.
The intrigue really rests out West.
The Clippers (-2500) surged to the top of the conference after signing Kawhi Leonard and trading for Paul George. Pairing those two All-Stars propelled them over the crosstown Los Angeles Lakers (-1200), who teamed Anthony Davis with LeBron James earlier in the offseason, as well as the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets.
Perhaps what sticks out the most is the Golden State Warriors' relatively meek -400 odds to make the playoffs with Klay Thompson's recovery from an ACL injury expected to last well into the season and Kevin Durant opting to sign with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency.
The Nets' odds (-340) are still lukewarm despite adding Durant and Kyrie Irving, as Durant is expected to miss all of next season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles.
The Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns face the longest odds at +1500. The Suns have not made the postseason since the 2009-10 season, while Memphis has entered full-on rebuild mode—headlined by trading Mike Conley to Utah and drafting Ja Morant at No. 2 overall.
Overall, though, the NBA seems as open as it has been in a while heading into the new season.