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The Portland Trail Blazers enter the offseason after another first-round exit, this time at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers after earning an NBA Playoffs spot during seeding game play in Orlando. Damian Lillard turned in another MVP-worthy season, but the possibility of Portland never winning a championship during the Lillard era looms over the franchise. The Blazers have important upcoming decisions regarding the NBA Draft and NBA Free Agency that will shape how next season plays out (whenever next season starts, that is).
With the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Heat winding down, oddsmakers are already looking ahead to 2021. They give the Blazers a 33/1 chance at winning next year’s championship, tied with the Philadelphia 76ers, who suffered their own disappointing first-round exit and just signed Doc Rivers to be their new head coach:
Odds to win 2021 NBA Championship:
— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) October 7, 2020
Lakers — 4/1
Clippers — 5/1
Warriors — 9/1
Bucks — 9/1
Celtics — 12/1
Nets — 12/1
Heat — 14/1
Raptors — 16/1
Nuggets — 20/1
Rockets — 22/1
Mavericks — 25/1
76ers — 33/1
Blazers — 33/1
It’s no surprise that the Lakers, who have a 3-1 series lead over the Heat thanks to the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, are clear favorites heading into next season.