Lakers New Favorite to Win 2020 NBA Title After Klay Thompson Injury Announced

The Warriors were the favorites to win after falling to the Raptors on Thursday night, but news of Klay Thompson's ACL injury changed things.

After the Raptors celebrated their first championship in franchise history on Thursday night, oddsmakers listed Toronto as fifth in the 2020 Finals odds, not exactly predicting a repeat performance next season. The Warriors initially emerged as the favorites for the 2020 title, but news of Klay Thompson's torn ACL sent the Warriors to eighth in the odds as of Friday.

LeBron James's Lakers emerged as the new favorites to win, sitting atop the odds board at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook at 9-2. The Bucks, Clippers and Rockets followed. Los Angeles is the only non-playoff team near the top of the 2020 odds after missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season in 2018-19. The Lakers' anticipated improvements are tied to their emergence as the favorites to land Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis. Davis shares an agent, Klutch Sports' Rich Paul, with James. Both Paul and Davis have been vocal about a desire to be traded to Los Angeles. 

The Bucks, Clippers and Rockets all made 2019 playoff appearances, with the Bucks lasting until the Eastern Conference finals where they fell to the eventual champion Raptors.

Check out the list of odds for the 2020 Finals below:

Lakers: 9-2

Bucks: 6-1

Clippers: 6-1

Rockets: 8-1

Raptors: 10-1

Celtics: 12-1

Sixers: 12-1

Warriors: 14-1

Nuggets: 16-1

Thunder: 16-1

Knicks: 20-1

Nets: 25-1

Jazz: 25-1

Trail Blazers: 25-1

Mavericks: 40-1

Spurs: 50-1

Pacers: 60-1

Magic: 60-1

Pelicans: 60-1

Hawks: 80-1

Grizzlies: 80-1

Bulls: 100-1

Kings: 100-1

Suns: 100-1

Pistons: 200-1

Hornets: 200-1

Heat: 200-1

Wizards: 200-1

Cavaliers: 200-1

Timberwolves: 200-1