NBA Playoff Odds: Battle Of LA - How Odds Have Shifted Through Playoffs
We’re deep into the NBA playoffs and following the surprise elimination of Milwaukee Bucks by Miami Heat, the two Los Angeles teams have been left as the two favorites to win the championship.
Currently, the Clippers are the oddsmakers’ favorites with odds of +200 with the Lakers close behind on +260. However, as the graphic below demonstrates, sportsbooks have had a tough time of deciding which Los Angeles team they favor with both teams spending time at the top.
The Lakers dipped as low as +500 following their game one loss to the Blazers on 19th August, with oddsmakers at that point rating their chances of winning the whole thing at just 16.70%.
For the Clippers, their nadir in the betting market came after the Mavericks tied the series at 2-2 on 26th August. It was at this point that their rivals had better odds than them to win the championship, albeit briefly.
Interestingly, today marks the best odds that both teams have had of winning the title at any point of the playoffs due to the elimination of some of their other competition, particularly the aforementioned Bucks.
Oddschecker spokesperson Pete Watt: “Although Miami Heat continue to defy expectations, the consensus remains that the winner of the NBA title this year will hail from Los Angeles, but it’s very much undecided which team will take the trophy back to the Staples Center.”
“Not only are they the leading contenders with oddsmakers, but they are also proving to be the most popular choice for sports bettors. The Clippers account for 22.92% of all bets placed on the market in the past month, with the Lakers next on 18.43%.”