Clippers Now -150 Favorites in Pacific Division After Beating Lakers
- The Clippers beat the Lakers on opening night (112-102), improving their Pacific Division title odds in the process
- The Lakers stayed at +250 to win the division after the loss
- The Warriors slid to +400 despite not playing a game yet
After the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Los Angeles Lakers on the opening night of the season, there have been some early changes in the NBA Divisional odds. Having been pre-season favorites, Tuesday’s win at Staples Center has seen the Clippers’ odds drop further to -150 from -125. The Lakers remain at +250 while the Golden State Warriors have moved from +300 to +400.
Despite Paul George’s absence, the Clippers saw off the Lakers, 112-102, led by a big night from 2019 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. Doc Rivers’ bench outscored the Lakers’ reserves by a whopping 60 to 19 margin.
Pacific Division Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Clippers | -150 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +250 |
| Golden State Warriors | +400 |
| Sacramento Kings | +5000 |
| Phoenix Suns | +50000 |
*Odds taken Oct. 23.
Since the acquisitions of George and Leonard were announced, the Clippers have been widely considered as the favorites for the NBA title. With just two division titles in their history (2013 and 2014), it’s not often the Clippers have been under this weight of expectation.
In the shadow of the rival Lakers – or more recently the Warriors – the Clippers have rarely been considered genuine NBA title contenders. It’s different this year.
Clippers Focused On Title
The feisty Clippers overachieved last season, which contributes to their short price to win the division this year. Adding a pair of elite, two-way wings to a roster that forced the Warriors to six games just a few months ago should be a magic formula. The -150 price feels a bit too short at this stage of the season, however.
The Clippers are off to a strong start this season winning the first Battle of LA for the year. ?
Kawhi Leonard: 30PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST pic.twitter.com/J0CivflM8n
— Clippers Nation (@ClipperNationCP) October 23, 2019
The Clippers have depth, starpower and defense. They deserve their status as 2020 NBA title favorites, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into regular-season supremacy. Doc Rivers doesn’t want a team that’s going to excel through the winter and fade in the spring. The Clippers are setting themselves up for a title run, not just the number one seed.
“Load management” will play a part for all of the contenders. It will be particularly strict for Leonard, as always, and George is returning from a troublesome injury himself. Although the Clippers impressed in the season opener, it will take time to figure out how the team fits together – there will be nights when Rivers has to experiment with matchups, especially when his stars are getting rest.
Lakers Good Value
The Lakers’ on-court chemistry was more obviously lacking on Tuesday, and LeBron James wasn’t at his best. But even with their own “load management” concerns, a lack of shot creators, and uncertainty at center, this Lakers team is good value at +250. Anthony Davis and James are going to destroy teams in the regular season.
"The Lakers obviously have some things they need to work on. This is different for LeBron. LeBron has basically turned into a full-time facilitator. He made a concerted effort to try to get the ball to AD, and I think it threw him out of rhythm." — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/Wu0o71BSXt
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) October 23, 2019
With some challenging games coming up, it’s a question of how quickly the Lakers figure it out and how long it takes James to get into rhythm after a long period without meaningful basketball. Of the two teams, though, their price is more appealing at the moment.
Golden State’s Issues
It still feels weird seeing the Golden State Warriors at long odds to win the title, let alone +400 to win the division. It wasn’t just the Clippers’ performance that impacted their odds; Steve Kerr also announced it is “unlikely” that Klay Thompson will play this season.
Thompson’s availability changes the situation drastically. It could be mind games from Kerr, of course, but if we assume that Thompson is missing all season, it’s hard to see the Warriors pushing the Lakers and Clippers. Depth is a major concern, and they could really struggle on the defensive end.
While a Thompson return remains possible, that impacts the Warriors title chances considerably more than their division-title prospects. Their roster beyond Steph Curry, D’Angelo Russell, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney is severely lacking. Winning more games than the Clippers and Lakers is almost impossible to imagine without Thompson, and all reports are that he won’t be participating in the regular season.
Pick: Lakers (+250)
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
