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NBA odds: Are the Lakers in trouble? Odds for NBA championship and Lakers' series vs. Portland have shifted

The top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 1 of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. Milwaukee is still -3334 to win the series at BetMGM, meaning you have to bet $333.40 to win $10.

The Los Angeles Lakers, the top seed in the West, lost Game 1 too. There’s not as much confidence in them rebounding.

The Lakers’ series odds dropped to -182 after a Game 1 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, with the Blazers at +150. Portland was +340 before Game 1.

If you think the Lakers are just fine and will start rolling soon, that’s fair. Now would be your time to pounce, because the betting market isn’t all that optimistic.

Lakers no longer co-favorites to win it all

The Lakers and Bucks have been co-favorites to win the NBA title for a while this season, with the Los Angeles Clippers close behind. The Clippers and Lakers have flipped.

Since the Lakers’ Game 1 loss, the Clippers have taken over as co-favorites with the Bucks. Both teams are +280 to win the NBA championship at BetMGM. The Lakers aren’t that far behind at +350, so it’s not like the market has given up on their chances. The Toronto Raptors are fourth at +850.

Toronto lost its first playoff game last year and won the championship. Losing one game shouldn’t mean too much for the Lakers or the Bucks. But both teams have shown some troubling signs in the bubble at Orlando. Neither top seed has any home-court advantage, of course. And the Lakers have a tough matchup.

LeBron James and the Lakers are down 0-1 in their first-round series. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)
LeBron James and the Lakers are down 1-0 in their first-round series. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)

Trail Blazers have been playing well

Portland has been impressive lately. Damian Lillard is hotter than any player in the NBA. Jusuf Nurkic’s return from injury is massive for their interior offense and defense. C.J. McCollum’s presence means teams can’t sell out to slow down Lillard. This doesn’t feel like a normal No. 8 seed.

The Lakers are having trouble on offense. Their efficiency has plummeted since they got to the bubble. They can’t knock down outside shots and are too reliant on LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers are one hot shooting night away from everyone remembering how good they can be, but the team they were before mid-March hasn’t shown up yet.

Of the eight series in the first round, the Lakers have the lowest odds of every favorite after one game. They are -182 and no other favorite is less than -358 to win their series at BetMGM. It’s very rare to see a No. 8 seed win a series in the NBA. But the odds indicate there’s a decent chance of it happening this year.

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