2020 NBA Finals Game 1: Preview, Odds, And Predictions

The NBA’s bubble format in Orlando, Florida was a success, and the 2020 season is about to conclude with another NBA Champion together with the hottest Bitcoin sportsbook odds. The grand final now approaches with the most-anticipated battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, the dominating teams of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals. On top of that, Bitcoin Odds Checker adds more thrill to the NBA Finals with the Predict and Win Challenge.

Let’s take a look at the odds, preview, and predictions for the first game of the 2020 NBA Finals:

Preview

The Lakers and Heat take the arena on Wednesday evening to kick off the 2020 NBA Finals. The Lakers defeated Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals last Saturday, giving them a comfortable three-day rest day before advancing to the final stage of the playoffs. The Heat, meanwhile, had to secure the Eastern Conference slot against the Boston Celtics in a span of six games. It left Heat with only two days’ worth of rest between the regional finals and the NBA Finals.

Los Angeles Lakers

After 10 years of absence in the finals, the Lakers are here for the battle of the decade. The team, according to analysts, is led by two of the best players in the Western Conference, and perhaps the entire NBA. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis on their active roster, the Lakers are hungrier than ever for their 17th championship title.

James had averaged of 26.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game in the playoffs. The future Hall of Famer means serious business. Davis, on the other hand, serves as the defensive anchor of the team. He had an average of 28.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in the playoffs.

The team, as a whole, carries the best net rating in the playoffs and the fifth spot on both offense and defense. The Lakers had an average of 7.7 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs. They are expected to show their best perimeter defense and interior offense this final.

Miami Heat

Ignoring the Lakers and their strong roster, Miami Heat is expected to save their best game for the finals and surprise the opposing team. The two teams are currently tied for the best win-loss record (12-3) in the playoffs. Additionally, Heat is a strong contender on the offense side. The team scored 113.4 points per 100 possessions in the postseason.

Analysts also took note of Heat’s balanced roster, the opposite of the Laker’s concentrated roster led by Davis and James. Goran Dragic leads his team with an average of 20.9 points per game in the playoffs. Behind Dragic is Jimmy Butler with an average of 20.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Bam Adebayo also contributes to the offense side with 18.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.

The team, as a whole, generated an impressive 65.9 assist rate and a massive 1.86-to-1 ratio in the assists-to-turnovers department. Heat is also the second-best team in the NBA in terms of free-throw creation and accuracy, courtesy of their 58.9 true shooting percentage. The team could use this to their advantage to upset the first game.