Los Angeles Lakers Are Championship Favorites In Las Vegas, Almost Guaranteed To Be West's Top Seed

The Los Angeles Lakers (49-14) are all but certain to be the West’s No.1 seed in the 2020 NBA playoffs. L.A. has the best record in the conference as 22 teams get ready to head to Orlando, Florida to finish a shortened regular season before the postseason.

When the NBA season was suspended indefinitely on March 11, the Lakers had a 5.5-game lead atop the West standings. The league plans for each team in Orlando to play eight more regular-season games, making it nearly impossible for anyone to catch LeBron James and Co.

The Los Angeles Clippers (44-20) are the only team that could be viewed as any kind of a threat to catch the Lakers. The No.3 seed Denver Nuggets (43-22) are seven games behind the Lakers.

The No.4 seed Utah Jazz (41-23) are mathematically unable to catch the Lakers in the standings.

The Lakers are currently on track to face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. That could change with the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns all vying for the No.8 seed.

Even with the four and a half month break and no home-court advantage, the Lakers are the betting favorites to win the 2020 NBA Finals in Las Vegas. The Westgate SuperBook gives the team 5/2 championship odds.

The Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks are tied for second with 3/1 title odds. Milwaukee is running away with the top seed in the East.

The Lakers defeated the Bucks and Clippers in consecutive games shortly before the season was suspended. James outplayed both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard in those victories.

Antetokounmpo is favored to finish just ahead of James in the MVP race. Anthony Davis and Antetokounmpo might be the top two contenders for the Defensive Player of the Year award.