Warriors & Rockets’ 2020 NBA Championship Odds Take a Big Hit After Clippers Make Big Splash

• Clippers become favorites to win 2020 NBA championship
• Houston, Golden State given +1400 odds after Kawhi deal
• Potential addition of Cousins makes Lakers enticing choice

The landscape of the NBA’s Western Conference drastically changed on Saturday morning following the news of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George joining forces with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The offseason splash moved the Clippers to +300 and they’ve vaulted to the top of the 2020 NBA Championship odds.

2020 NBA Championship Odds

Odds taken 07/06/2019.

With the Clippers and Lakers now considered to be frontrunners to come out of the West, that knocked the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets down the list.

The Warriors, who lost Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins in free agency and will likely start the season without Splash Brother No. 2 Klay Thompson, were +1000 prior to the Leonard signing. Golden State’s odds fell to +1400 after the NBA Finals MVP made the decision to ink a contract with the Clippers.

The Battle for Los Angeles is on. Which Staples Center duo you taking??

RT – Lakers
Like – Clippers pic.twitter.com/RjluAvZVty

— FastBreak Entertainment (@FastBreak__ENT) July 6, 2019

Rockets Chances Drop Significantly

The Rockets, who were considered to be in on Jimmy Butler when the NBA’s free agency period began, also saw their odds to win the title drop to +1400.

Houston, in particular, is still a piece or two away from being legitimate contenders but with James Harden and Chris Paul leading the way offensively, there is still some value in taking the Rockets. Let’s not forget Harden led the league in scoring at 36.1 points per game — eight more than second place Paul George.

If the Rockets can ever find a way to translate their regular-season success to the playoffs, Houston is still very much a viable option to win the title outright.

The Rockets are up against the cap and it will take creativity to open up enough space to add perhaps another power forward to a small Houston lineup.

End of an Era in Golden State

The Warriors are in a different situation. Golden State losing to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals may have been the final curtain call to what’s been a dynasty in the making.

Golden State losing to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Final may have been the final curtain call to what’s been a dynasty in the making

Durant is gone, so is Cousins, who has reportedly signed a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Andre Iguodola has been linked in multiple trade reports and Thompson will be sidelined as he recovers from knee surgery.

That essentially leaves Steph Curry and Draymond Green from a starting lineup that used to be feared in the NBA.

At this point in the off-season, the Lakers are truly the real team to beat in 2019-20. With a dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis — add Cousins and Danny Green to the mix — the Lakers are putting together a solid starting foundation.

The Western Conference will be deeper than ever, especially with the addition of Kawhi to the Clippers.

Other teams to keep an eye on include the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz — both listed at +1600 to win the championship in 2020.

Nikola Jokic is emerging into a complete player for the Nuggets, averaging a career-best 20.1 PPG and 10.8 RPG. The big man also led the Nuggets in assists (7.2) and steals (1.4) last season.

Both clubs — considered to be longshots for an NBA title at this point — have made tremendous strides in a competitive Western Conference.