Which NBA Team Will Take the Top Spot in 2020?

The Clippers, Lakers, and Bucks are all on their way to a possible NBA final and Championship. Which team will take the glory and be crowned the 2020 NBA champion?

(SALEM, Ore.) - With 2019 in the bag, 2020 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the NBA title run. The Raptors beating the Warriors in the 2019 finals was nothing but riveting, and the off-season has thrown many people for a loop as to who will take the title this year.

The team that most people are currently favoring would have to be the Clippers. Not only did they win the pre-season, they also entered the regular season as favorites, dethroning the Warriors who have been the favorites entering the regular season for three years in a row.

Recently, however, they have dropped off the pace with the Lakers now sitting on top of the Western Conference. This isn’t a surprise to some considering the Lakers are one of the best franchises in the NBA, and always have their name in the hat for the Championship.

What are you thinking? The Bucks? Clippers? Lakers? Maybe even the Nuggets to take the championship? How about placing a bet on one of these teams, or even an outsider, you never know.

There is still a strong possibility that the Clippers can make a run to win the Western Conference, as they have been the favorites among the pundits and bookies for a while. The Lakers are going to have a challenge on their hands if they are to make it to the big stage again.

The Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz have also put in strong performances recently, and weren’t even on some people’s radar heading into 2020 as challengers for the title. Only time will tell if they can turn these great performances into a title-winning run.

RIP "We are devastated and have been forever changed by the sudden loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. We send our love to Vanessa, the Bryant family, and to the families of the other passengers. Words cannot express what Kobe means to the Los Angeles Lakers, our fans, and our city. More than a basketball player, he was a beloved father, husband, and teammate. Their love and light will remain in our hearts forever."
-The Lakers

What is interesting about the Clippers is the fact that even though they have slipped and aren’t at the top of the pile anymore, they are still odds on favorites to win, simply due to the great signings they made.

Lebron James is easily one of, if not the best, player to step onto the court, but he’s getting older, and the young guns are starting to take some of the spotlight that James once had all to himself.

The Clippers made a shock signing when Paul George was traded to them, but this wasn’t even the biggest shock. Kawhi Leonard signed on for 4 years and it made waves through the conference.

Lebron James and Anthony Davis are a great combination for the Lakers, but the signings of Leonard and George have edged the Clippers ahead of the Lakers, even though recent performances would make you think otherwise.

The Eastern Conference is just as interesting at the moment too. The Bucks are currently stand out favorites and sitting at the top of their conference. The 76’ers were considered challengers for a while, but have dropped off the pace, while the Celtics are now sitting second.

The Miami Heat are tied on wins with the Celtics, followed by the Raptors, Pacers, and then the 76’ers. The Eastern Conference is currently quite weak compared to the Western Conference.

The teams just aren’t at the same level as those in the West, and if any other team besides the Bucks made it to the final, against the likes of the Clippers or the Lakers, it could simply be a bit of going through the motions for the Western team.

The Bucks are most definitely the standout team to take the Eastern Conference and head to the finals.

Kawhi Leonard leaving the Raptors drastically dropped the odds for the Raptors to get through, and they went from possible favorites to complete outsiders.

The Celtics also have a chance, but losing Kyrie Irving and Al Horford means they definitely don’t have the strength they had. They did bring in Kemba Walker, but the team is young, and probably can’t compete with the might of the Bucks.

Once again though, the Bucks are looking the strongest, the more consistent, and definitely the most competitive team in the Eastern Conference. Whether it be the Clippers or the Lakers, the Bucks will be incredibly tough competition, and could quite easily take the title.

When it comes to the final though, it looks like it will either be the Clippers or the Lakers, obviously depending on who wins the battle of Los Angeles, unless a team like the Jazz or Nuggets pull out a surprise.

The Bucks are still the outright favorites to take the Eastern Conference. A final between the Bucks and the Clippers or Lakers is looking more and more likely considering how their performances are panning out.

In the end, a win for the Bucks would be incredible on the back of their first 60-win season since 1980, but on the other hand, a win for the Clippers will take them out of the shadow of the Lakers for the first time, and finally put them on the map as a giant in Los Angeles.

Whether you’re a Clipper through and through, eat, sleep and breathe Lakers, or a born and bred Buck, this season is sure to turn into one where the puppies become the big dogs.