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Every season, each team in the NBA goes into the new year with a certain expectation level. For some, it’s improving on the year previous, while others will consider anything less than a championship to be a disappointment. In the latter category, there are a handful of teams who have a legitimate shot. That said, their perceived chances of winning can change as the season progresses, with bookies constantly moving the odds in line with how well a team is doing at any given time. We are now well into the second half of the season, and while the teams favored to win it all are basically the same as there were in the early going, the NBA Championship odds are different, so let’s take a look.

NBA Betting | Updated Odds to Win the 2021 Championship

LA Lakers (+250)

The defending champions are still in as the favorites, but they may not be there for too much longer. They went through a tough spell in the weeks leading up to the All-Star Game, mostly because of the injury to Anthony Davis. No sooner is he back than LeBron goes down with an ankle injury that is expected to keep him on the sidelines for a few weeks. The question now is how far off the pace the Lakers will fall without LeBron in the lineup. For each spot they drop, the task of getting out of the Western Conference gets a little more difficult.

Brooklyn Nets (+290)

There are some bookies who have already gone ahead and made the Nets the favorites after hearing about the injury to LeBron, but for now, we have them still in as the second favorite. The Nets are sitting just off the pace in the Eastern Conference, as they continue to a try and run down a Philadelphia 76ers teams that is proving to be better and more durable than expected. The Nets have won 8 of their last 10 games and are just a single game out of the top spot. They now also have 1 more win on the season than the LA Lakers, not that it really means that much given that they are in different conferences.

LA Clippers (+500)

Prior to the start of the season, the expectation was that the LA Clippers would be the team most likely to challenge the Lakers for the Western Conference. Here we are in the second half of the season and both of the LA teams are looking up at the leaders. The Clippers have had a tough time gelling and staying healthy and now find themselves down in the #4 spot, 4 games off the pace being set by the Utah Jazz on top. While they look like an iffy bet to win it all right now, this is still a very good team.

Milwaukee Bucks (+700)

One of the more frustrating teams to watch this season has been the Milwaukee Bucks. Given what they have done over the past couple of seasons, the expectation was that they would dominate again this year. Things have not gone totally as expected, though, as the Bucks have proven to be a bit of a streaky team. Right now, they are hot again, winning 9 of their last 10 games to get within reach of the top of the East. If they can stay consistent, look out.

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