Lakers News: LA Emerges as Strong Contender to Win NBA Cup

The Los Angeles Lakers land in the top 10 for best odds to win their second straight NBA Cup.

Dec 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) hoists the NBA Cup and celebrates with teammates after winning the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship game against the Indiana Pacers at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images / Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to go back-to-back this season, and their quest for that starts on Friday. 

The NBA Cup, formerly known as the In-Season Tournament, is set to commence. Some teams will tip off on Tuesday, but others, like the Lakers, will start on Friday. 

The Lakers took home the trophy, banner, and $500,000 prize money for each player last season, and they'll look to do so again this season. 

According to FanDuel, the Lakers have solid odds to win their second NBA Cup. Los Angeles has the seventh-best odds to win the whole thing, with +1600 odds. 

The six teams in front of them are the Oklahoma City Thunder (+1200), Denver Nuggets (+1100), Cleveland Cavaliers (+1000), Minnesota Timberwolves (+1000), New York Knicks (+950), and the Boston Celtics (+400). 

The Lakers played some of their best basketball of the season during this tournament last year. They didn't lose a single game and ended up winning in dominant fashion over the Indiana Pacers in last year's championship game. 

Lakers superstar LeBron James was named the MVP of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. L.A.'s other superstar, Anthony Davis, was dominant in the championship game, finishing with 41 points, 20 rebounds, and four blocks. 

Although the Lakers won this tournament, they spiraled out of control immediately afterward and played from behind for the rest of the season. 

The hope is that the Lakers don't do the same and instead use this tournament to propel them into a strong regular season. Nonetheless, the Lakers will do their best to go back-to-back, and it all starts in the Group play. 

The Lakers are in the West B Group, which consists of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoneix Suns, Utah Jazz, and San Antonio Spurs. Los Angeles will tip off its NBA Cup journey on Friday against the Spurs. 

The Lakers will travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs. The Spurs have a 5-6 record, led by their leading scorer and friend, French phenom Victor Wembanyama.

Group play games will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays from Tuesday until Dec. 6. Quarterfinal games will be played at home venues on Dec. 10 and 11. The semifinals will be played in Las Vegas on Dec. 14. Finally, the championship will be played on Dec. 17 in Las Vegas.

The Lakers will look to take another trip to Las Vegas and hoist up their second NBA Cup in as many years. 

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