The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2020-21 season as the favorites to win the NBA Championship after winning the franchise’s 17th championship in the Orlando bubble. Even now, according to the Action Network, the Lakers still have the second-best championship odds in the league, only behind the Brooklyn Nets.
That feels like the NBA Finals matchup that we are heading towards. Star power often wins championships and the two teams have the most star power in the league. The Lakers have two of the five best players in the league, the Nets have three top-15 players.
Naturally, the Lakers are still the favorites to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. The consensus odds are a staggering +125 (that is extremely low) while the next-best team is the Los Angeles Clippers at +220.
The Los Angeles Lakers may not make the NBA Finals at all, though.
I hate to be a Debbie downer and Lakers fans don’t like reading negative things about the team, but I have to be objective. While a full-strength Lakers team is still the best team in the league, this is not a full-strength Lakers team.
Sure, the team is looking dreadful right now but things are going to get better, right? They might get better, but there is a chance that they won’t get good enough to even reach the NBA Finals.
Reaching the NBA Finals is a very hard thing to do. It is far from a guarantee. And in the case of the Lakers, there are three worrisome things that could keep the team from even getting a chance to defend the Larry O’Brien Trophy.