Lakers now have best odds to win 2020 NBA Championship

It took more than two months and one of the best starts in franchise history, but the Lakers have finally passed the Clippers on the NBA Championship odds board.

Odds to win the 2020 NBA Championship

Frank Vogel’s squad is sporting +300 odds to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy this June, after it sat at +350 for much of November and early December. The Lakers have strung together three winning streaks of seven games or more and haven't dropped a game on the road in their last 14 outings.

The last time the Lakers were anywhere near this dominant was during the 1985-86 season, when the team was led by future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy. That version of the Lake Show stormed out of the gates with an identical 24-3 record and advanced to the Western Conference Finals but fell to the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers’ phenomenal record is especially impressive, considering how many red flags the team had coming into training camp. Pundits expressed grave concern over the team’s point guard play, center depth and the dynamic between new head coach Frank Vogel and assistant coach Jason Kidd. Now that a quarter of the season is done, let’s examine how the Lakers have addressed each of these issues so far.

Point guard play

Vogel caused a stir this summer, when he boldly announced LeBron James would be his starting point guard. It was an unconventional decision, considering James has won all four of his MVP trophies as a small forward and spent the previous year manning the four, where he was able to use his speed and athleticism to outmaneuver opposing power forwards.

Turns out Vogel knew what he was doing. James is leading the league in assists and is posting his best offensive rating in three seasons. The 15-time All-Star has done a phenomenal job of dictating pace and has consistently put his teammates in the best possible positions to succeed. It helps that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has surrounded James with a bevy of dead-eye shooters. It's far easier to look like you know what you're doing when you're firing dimes to Danny Green and Jared Dudley, rather than habitual bricklayers like Lance Stephenson and Lonzo Ball.

Center depth

The Lakers were left with just five players and very little roster flexibility after they acquired Anthony Davis on July 6. Some wondered whether L.A. would have to fill out its team with scrubs from the local YMCA, but Pelinka rebounded nicely by signing JaVale McGee to a reasonable two-year, $8.2 million deal. The two-time NBA champ has started all 27 games and is averaging 7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 16.4 minutes per game. Even at age 32, McGee is still one of the league's premier rim runners and has done a commendable job of protecting the paint during his short bursts on the court.

Pelinka found the ideal backup for McGee by rescuing Dwight Howard from the scrap heap. The slimmed-down center is no longer a walking double-double, but he is a defensive menace who takes great delight in setting screens and swatting shots. Howard deserves credit for working his tail off to make the most of his second chance with the Lakers.

McGee and Howard are averaging 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. That's $6.5 million well spent.

The Frank Vogel/Jason Kidd dynamic

NBA head coaches generally have the freedom to choose their own staff, but that wasn’t the case in Los Angeles, where Jason Kidd was foisted upon Frank Vogel this summer. Many suspected that Kidd would try to undermine Vogel's authority and would lead a swift and brutal coup d'état if the Lakers stumbled out of the gate.

Fortunately for Vogel that wasn't the case. L.A. won 17 of its first 19 games and presently has the best record in the NBA. Part of that can be attributed to talent and veteran leadership, but the Lakers genuinely seem to enjoy playing for their new coach. James, in particular, has embraced Vogel. “

I love coach, and what the coaching staff are doing," he recently professed. "I think he’s doing what’s best for the team, and obviously I respect that.”

Vogel has also managed to build a solid relationship with Kidd, whom he has lauded for his work ethic and selflessness.

"I think we’re off to a great start with our chemistry with one another," Vogel said. "His intent to come in here and play any role that is needed should be commended."

Kidd won't always be happy playing second fiddle, but so long as the Lakers keep winning, Vogel's authority won't be questioned.

---

Get in the game with BetAmerica's NBA odds and futures.