Dec 22, 2020
The Lakers remain the championship favorite after restocking their roster in the offseason, but we still have a healthy crop of legitimate title contenders entering 2020–21. The Clippers represent the most direct challenge to LeBron & Co. out west, though playoff stalwarts in Denver, Portland and Utah could seize the conference crown with a couple of breaks.
As for the East, there’s little telling who will represent the conference in the Finals. Miami is anything but a true favorite despite an impressive run in the NBA bubble, and the remaining contenders each sport a potential fatal flaw. Can Brooklyn avoid a bottom-10 defense? Does Boston have enough firepower? Will Philadelphia and Milwaukee avoid their consistent late-game woes. After a half-decade of Warriors dominance, the title chase is relatively wide open.