NBA Finals 2020: Predictions, Championship Odds for Remaining Teams

Only four teams remain in the 2020 NBA playoffs: the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers.

In the Eastern Conference, Miami has a 2-1 lead over Boston, while L.A. has a 2-1 lead over Denver in the Western Conference.

The Heat and Lakers both reeled off two straight wins to start their respective series, but the Celtics and Nuggets have since stolen one each to show their resilience and make things interesting.

Every squad left in the chase for the championship is worthy of making it to the Finals and ultimately winning it all, but only one can actually leave the bubble with the Larry O'Brien trophy.

Here's a quick look at each club's title odds from FanDuel, and a few predictions on how things will shake out.

2019-20 NBA Championship Odds

Los Angeles Lakers: -300

Miami Heat: +550

Boston Celtics: +700

Denver Nuggets: +1400

Odds Breakdown and Predictions

The Favorite: Los Angeles Lakers (-300)

Once the Nuggets eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers by overcoming a 3-1 deficit, the Lakers instantly become the overwhelming favorites to win its first title since 2010.

The Purple and Gold have their shortcomings, of course, but the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is proving to be one for the ages.

Combined, they are averaging an impressive 54.3 points, 20.7 rebounds and 12.6 assists per game in this postseason.

But they are still not taking anyone lightly.

"Teams are great at this level [which have] made it this far," Davis told reporters after Game 2. "Players are a lot better than teams you might see in the first round. This guy to my left (LeBron James) is a constant reminder of how we should play, the details, and what it takes to win championships. He constantly preaches that in the timeouts and the film room because he's been there. We want to be there, too. So, details matter. It's definitely a possessions game when you get this late in the playoffs."

L.A. let Denver steal Game 3, and there's a good chance it drops another game before the series is over. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are too good and too hungry to bow down to a gentlemen's sweep.

But the Lakers are still in the driver's seat to advance to the Finals, where they should handily beat whatever team comes from the East.

The Next Bet Thing: Miami Heat (+550)

On paper, Miami shouldn't be here. It shouldn't be up 2-1 over Boston and it shouldn't be this close to winning a championship.

But thanks to Jimmy Butler and the way he's made this team tougher and closer, they are serious contenders to take home the title. And the biggest reason for that is his willingness to hold himself and his teammates accountable at all times.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

That's especially true after losing 117-106 to the Celtics in Game 3 on Saturday.

"We didn't play hard enough," Butler told reporters. "I think we didn't do anything that we said that we were going to do. We knew how they were going to attack us. We weren't helping each other. We weren't making an extra pass a lot of the times. We have to play basketball the way we have been playing the games that we have been winning. We understand that. There's nothing that Coach can say. There's nothing that OG [Udonis Haslem] can say. We get it. We have to be the ones to fix that."

Outside of Butler's toughness and gritty leadership, the Heat have another emerging superstar in Bam Adebayo. They are also well coached by Erik Spoelstra and have players who understand how to excel in their roles.

Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro and Jae Crowder are the shooters; Goran Dragic is the engine; Adebayo is the enforcer and Butler is the closer.

All of those pieces together create a winning formula.

"To tell you the truth, to fit in here, you just got to care about winning. That's the No. 1 thing," Butler said after Game 2. "Try to win that championship, and we got a group of guys that want that night in and night out, every single day. There's only one goal on our mind, and that's to win it."

Follow Maurice Bobb on Twitter, @ReeseReport.

Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.