Warriors have top-five odds to take home 2021 NBA title
In an extremely early look forward to next NBA season, the Golden State Warriors are among the betting favorites to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2021.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who captured their first title in a decade Sunday night, have the shortest odds at the 2021 championship, opening at the Caesars Sportsbook at 15to- 4 odds. But not far behind them are the Warriors at 8-1, good for fourth among all teams.
The Warriors expect to have their All- Star trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green back on the court together for the first time since the 2019 NBA Finals. Since that time, they’ve lost superstar Kevin Durant, replacing him in the starting lineup with Andrew Wiggins — and they’ll also have the No. 2 pick in next month’s draft, provided they don’t swap the pick for a current player who they expect to help more immediately.
In the crowded Western Conference, the Warriors and Lakers must compete with the LA Clippers (4-1 odds), Denver Nuggets (20-1) and Houston Rockets (20-1) just to reach the title.
Baseball
WHITES OX, R ENTER IA AGREE TO SPLIT AFTER BREAKOUT SEASON >> The Chicago White Sox and manager Rick Renteria have agreed to split following a disappointing finish to a breakout season in which the team made the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.
T he White Sox announced Monday that Renteria won’t return after he led them to a 35-25 record in his pandemic-shortened fourth year. They ended a
string of seven consecutive losing seasons with their first playoff appearance since 2008.
Soccer
EARTHQUAKES’ WIN STREAK ENDS IN SHUTOUT >> Jaroslaw Niezgoda scored two goals, and the Portland Timbers ended the San Jose Earthquakes’ three- game win streak with a 3- 0 victory late Sunday night.
The loss broke a good run of form for the Quakes, who were coming off a 3- 0 victory at home Wednesday over Vancouver. The winning streak lifted San Jose (5-7- 5) into the playoff picture, where they remain even after Sunday night’s loss.
Felipe Mora also scored for Portland (9- 4-3), which is tied with the defending champion Seattle Sounders with 30 points atop the Western Conference. It was Portland’s third shutout in its last four games, as the Timbers have won their last five games.
The Earthquakes have not defeated the Timbers at Providence Park in 13 regular-season meetings.
Track
MOORE, 1952 OLYMPIC 400 HURDLES CHAMPION, DIES AT 91 >> Charlie Moore, the 400-meter hurdles cham-
pion at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, has died. He was 91.
Moore died Thursday from pancreatic cancer, according to World Athletics. Cornell University also confirmed the passing of the school’s former athletic director and star athlete.
Moore won the 400 hurdles in the rain in 1952 in 50.8 seconds to tie the Olympic record he set in the quarterfinals. Moore also earned a silver medal in Helsinki on the United States’ 1,600-meter relay team. After the Olympics, he set a world record of 51.6 in the 440 hurdles at the British Empire Games in London.
College football
VANDERBILT AT MIZZOU IS 1ST SEC GAME POSTPONED BY COVID-19 >> Vanderbilt’s football game at Missouri on Saturday has been postponed because COVID-19 issues have left the Commodores without enough players.
The Southeastern Conference announced the game has been tentatively rescheduled for Dec. 12. It is the first SEC game rescheduled due to COVID19-related problems and the 28th FBS game overall to be postponed or canceled since Aug. 26.