Picks For 2020-21 NBA Title Futures

The NBA is back — yes, really! Only two months removed from finishing the last season, the league official returns on Dec. 21. That quick turnaround means the time is ticking to lock in the NBA championship futures bet for you. If you’re stuck, we have some betting advice right here that won’t cost you anything, but will make you plenty!

We'll go into our picks for 2020-21 NBA title futures momentarily, but first, let's take a glance at who online bookies are favoring as of December 11, 2020:

NBA Team
Los Angeles Lakers	+250	+260
Milwuakee Bucks	+600	+650
Brooklyn Nets	+600	+650
Los Angeles Clippers	+650	+650
Boston Celtics	+1600	+1800
Miami Heat	+1800	+1800
Dallas Mavericks	+1800	+2000

We included the date above because these betting lines will fluctuate up and down from here on out. All it takes is one injury or trade to completely blow these odds up so always keep your eyes peeled for changes.

Your best bet is to visit the bookmakers themselves. Not only will you find real-time odds there, but you'll also find can't-miss promotions. Take the sign-up bonus, for instance. This is available at almost every betting site and it can net you hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play upon creating an account at said site.

You can find a running list of the best deals currently available in this bonuses guide. Pair that with our NBA betting advice below and you could reap the rewards this new season.

Don't forget to check our list of the best NBA betting sites here.

Los Angeles Lakers (+250)

Let's be blunt: you have to bet the Lakers here. Maybe not empty your whole funds into them, but at least have some action on 'em.

After what we saw last year — LA steamrolling to a 16-5 playoff record— you have to. After how the team somehow improved its roster during the shortened offseason, you have to.

Let's focus on the latter. In today's modern era, most superstar teams such as these Lakers have to sign veterans to fill out their roster. Heck, that was LA's playbook last season with players like Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, and Dwight Howard.

These new Lakers, though? Welp, LA got younger and more talented in 2021. The franchise added Montrezl Harrell and Dennis Schroder — who finished one and two, respectively, in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season. Both are in the prime years of their career with age 30 still multiple seasons away.

And of course, there's still LeBron James and Anthony Davis, a pair of top-5 NBA players. Honestly, there's nothing to say about them that you don't already know so we'll move on here.

We know, betting the runaway favorite is never fun, but it's the smart thing to do here. Give us any LeBron-led team at +250 odds to win the NBA Finals and we'll take it every day of the week!

"Los Angeles Lakers Game" by ChrisGoldNY is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Milwaukee Bucks (+650)

We have a feeling bettors far and wide will flock to Milwaukee for this futures bet. They're not quite betting favorites like LA but have been in the championship mix each of the past two years. And the organization happened to go "all in" during the offseason, setting up for a title-or-bust situation.

Honestly, we condone this betting sentiment. Why? Because not only is an NBA championship on the line for the Bucks, but so is the fate of its entire franchise. Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo — the team and city's savior — is set to be a free agent at season's end. Simply put, the stakes couldn't be any higher for Milwaukee.

And we feel Milwaukee will rise to the occasion in 2021. Here's why: the Bucks should have not only the league's best defense but one of the best ever in the modern-day era. Antetokounmpo is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, brand-new addition Jrue Holiday is one of the best defending guards NBA-wide, and Brook Lopez is an absolute force down low.

We know, we know, the NBA is a shooter's league. But a defensive trio like that could be the exception to the regular rule. Along with your Lakers bet, also throw some money Milwaukee's way. The great thing is at +650 odds, even a small wager is worth a huge payout if the stars align for the Bucks. Moreover, having multiple bets acts as the perfect insurance in case disaster strikes one of them.

Brooklyn Nets (+650)

Ah, yes, the Nets, who are expected to have a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving — the first official year of the NBA's newest super team without one on the sideline. Expectations are huge, hence why they're tied for second in NBA futures odds in the preseason.

But we're not buying the Brooklyn hype. At all. Irving, for all his on-court wizardry, has been a locker room wrecking ball on multiple occasions with separate teams. Odds are high that continues with the Nets rather than it doesn't. Irving is a ball-dominant player, but so is Durant. There's no guarantee the two will co-exist.

Plus, can Irving even be trusted to stay healthy an entire season — especially a shortened, fast-paced 72-game one like this year? Since the 2015 season, here's how many games Irving has logged in the ensuring seasons: 53, 72, 60, 67, and 20. That's not a trend that evokes confidence in us.

"Deron Williams celebrates record 3-pointer" by LolitaLens is licensed under CC BY 2.0

So here's the deal: save your money with the Nets and don't wager on 'em at all. Your money is better off with proven commodities like the Lakers and Bucks.

So there you have it, our NBA championship predictions. Looking for more NBA gambling odds? You can find a running list of them at one of our partner sportsbooks below. From now and until the NBA Finals, any one of them will have you covered with bets and promotional deals.