NBA Finals 2020: Examining Odds, Likelihood of Lakers vs. Heat Rematch in 2021

After nearly three months of action from the NBA bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World, the 2019-20 season is now over. It was a season like none before it, as it featured a four-month hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic and a postseason in which fans could only virtually "attend."

Still, the NBA provided entertainment to its fans with no issues, as there were no positive COVID-19 tests in the bubble and the season reached a conclusion. And that was with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their 17th NBA title in franchise history, taking down the Miami Heat in six games in the NBA Finals.

It was the first time the Lakers had won a championship since 2010. Now, they'll look to repeat next year. And if they can, they'll break a tie with the Boston Celtics for the most titles in NBA history, as they're both currently at 17.

So, how likely is Los Angeles to win it all again in 2021? It's not even clear when the next season will begin, but one thing is certain: The Lakers are likely to be contenders when it does.

Here's a look at the early odds for all 30 teams to win the NBA title in 2021.

Early NBA Title Odds for 2020-21 season

Los Angeles Lakers +370 (bet $100 to win $370)

Los Angeles Clippers +450

Milwaukee Bucks +600

Brooklyn Nets +1100

Golden State Warriors +1100

Boston Celtics +1200

Miami Heat +1500

Toronto Raptors +1600

Denver Nuggets +2100

Houston Rockets +2100

Dallas Mavericks +2700

Philadelphia 76ers +3200

Utah Jazz +4200

New Orleans Pelicans +5500

Phoenix Suns +5500

Portland Trail Blazers +5500

Indiana Pacers +10000

Memphis Grizzlies +10000

Oklahoma City Thunder +10000

Atlanta Hawks +13000

Chicago Bulls +13000

Minnesota Timberwolves +13000

Orlando Magic +13000

Sacramento Kings +16000

San Antonio Spurs +16000

Washington Wizards +16000

Detroit Pistons +19000

Charlotte Hornets +25000

Cleveland Cavaliers +25000

New York Knicks +25000

Odds obtained via FanDuel.

Although the Lakers are the early betting favorite to repeat, whether or not they actually do could be affected by what Anthony Davis decides to do this offseason. While NBA Finals MVP LeBron James is under contract and set to return next season, Davis has the option to opt out of his contract and hit free agency.

And the 27-year-old forward gave no indication what he might do after Los Angeles' championship-clinching victory on Sunday night.

"I have no idea," Davis said, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "I don't know."

The Lakers are clearly a better team with Davis in their lineup, though. In his first season in Los Angeles, he averaged 26.1 points and 9.3 rebounds in 62 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he averaged 27.7 points and 9.7 rebounds in 21 games while winning his first career NBA title.

"I had a great time in L.A. this first year," Davis said, per Youngmisuk. "This has been nothing but joy, nothing but amazement. Over the next couple of months, we'll figure it out. I mean, I'm not 100 percent sure, but that's why my agent [Rich Paul] is who he is, and we'll discuss it and figure it out."

Perhaps oddsmakers believe Davis will return to Los Angeles, though, with the Lakers being the early betting favorites to repeat.

Although the Heat had an impressive playoff run as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, cruising to the NBA Finals and giving the Lakers a competitive series, their odds of winning the 2021 NBA title aren't as strong as the Lakers'. In fact, there are six teams with better odds to win it per FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Clippers and Bucks are among the favorites for obvious reasons. They were among the NBA's top teams all year, but they both had disappointing playoff exits. Los Angeles lost to Denver in seven games in the second round of the playoffs, while Milwaukee also lost in the second round, falling to Miami in five games.

The Nets and Warriors are also among the early favorites, and that's because of who those teams should be adding. Brooklyn should be strong when it has both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving healthy, while Golden State could return to contention with both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson healthy.

Of course, there's still an entire offseason ahead of us. Key players could switch teams during free agency, and the 2020 NBA draft still needs to be held, so talented former college and international players will soon be entering the league. Also, games are played for a reason, and surprises frequently happen.

The Lakers and Heat both have plenty of talented players, though, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them play well again next season.