Before the start of the NBA All-Star break, oddsmakers at William Hill adjusted the 2020 NBA championship odds to make the Milwaukee Bucks the new favorite at 5/2 odds. Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were previously lumped with the LA Lakers and LA Clippers as three-way co-favorites at 3/1 odds to win the NBA championship.
In the latest update, the Lakers and Clippers didn’t see their odds shift, and both remain at 3/1 odds to win the title.
Heading into the All-Star Break, the Bucks (46-8) have the best record in the NBA and remain on pace to win 70 games. The scariest part of this story is that the Bucks added veteran Marvin Williams to the mix to bolster their bench.
The Lakers (41-12) have the second-best record in the league, and the top record in the Western Conference with 41 wins. The Clippers (37-18) recently slipped to the third-best record in the west after they stumbled into the break with a 1-3 mini-skid.
2020 NBA Title Odds – Top 3
Milwaukee Bucks 5/2
Los Angeles Lakers 3/1
Los Angeles Clippers 3/1
At the start of the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks were 5/1 odds to win the title — the third-best odds on the futures board according to William Hill.
After acquiring Kawhi Leonard in free agency and Paul George in a trade, the LA Clippers were the consensus favorites to win the title. At the end of the preseason, the Clippers were 3/1 odds to win the championship. The LA Lakers were right behind at 4/1 odds.
Freak Finally a Favorite
After a 2-2 start, the Greek Freak and the Bucks went on a heater. The Bucks won 18 games in a row, jumping out to a 24-3 start. They haven’t let up since then. The Freak is having another MVP season, averaging 30.1 points and 13.5 rebounds. He’s the NBA’s second-best scorer and fifth-best rebounder.
The Bucks also posted a nine-game winning streak at the start of 2020 to improve to 41-6. They were the first team to secure 20 wins, 30 wins, and 40 wins. Yet, bookies still had the Bucks grouped together with the Lakers and Clippers as co-favorites.
The Bucks are still on pace to win 70 games. Only two other teams achieved that rare feat in NBA history, but the Bucks will get to the elusive 70-win plateau if they continue to win 85 percent. With 28 remaining games, the Bucks have to go 24-4.
In another astonishing feat, the Bucks haven’t suffered through any losing streaks. They’ve followed up all of their losses with a victory.
Even though the Bucks are winning, the Greek Freak will not settle or get complacent.
“I’m happy that we are winning,” he said. “But, I can be a lot better. I can be smarter. Be sharper. I can make better passes on time. Make 3-point shots. I can be better. That’s the mindset. I’m happy that we are winning, but I think I can push my teammates and do better.”
Heading into the break, the Bucks hold the second-best home record in the NBA with a 25-3 clip. Only the Philadelphia 76ers (25-2) have a better home-court advantage. The Bucks are equally as good away from Milwaukee. They are 21-5 on the road for the second-best away record in the league. Only the Lakers (25-3 away) won more games on the road this season.