Lakers NBA Finals Odds Favorites

It's official - the Los Angeles Lakers are strong odds favorites to defeat the Orlando Magic in the NBA finals, which begins this week.

The Lakers are currently 1.35 favorites at UK bookmaker Ladbrokes to win the best-of-seven series, with Orlando way back at 3.40. The odds at William Hill are similar: LA, 1.33, Orlando, 3.25.

The most likely option in series betting is a 4-2 win to LA, for which Ladbrokes is offering odds of 3.30. Close behind is a 4-3 Lakers victory, at 3.60.

The odds of the series reaching a seventh and deciding game (regardless of which team wins), are 2.75. Ladbrokes is offering odds of 1.40 to those who think the series won't reach a seventh game.

Team comparison
The two teams come into the series with similar form.

The Lakers, who finished first in the West with an overall second-best record of 65-17, beat second seed Denver 4-2 in the Western Conference final. Their toughest test came in the second round with a nail-biting 4-3 victory over Orlando, while they easily accounted for Utah 4-1 in the first round.

Orlando comes into the finals on the back of two huge upsets. The Magic, third in the East with a 59-23 record, beat LeBron James and the seemingly unbeatable Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference final, following a similarly surprising 4-3 win over defending champions Boston in the second round. The Magic beat Philadelphia 4-2 in round one.

Historically, however, the two teams could not be more different. Los Angeles is aiming for its 15th championship and first since 2002, which would bring it back within two of Boston's NBA record. Orlando has never won an NBA championship. It has been in the finals once since entering the competition 20 years ago - in 1995 when it was swept 4-0 by the Houston Rockets.