But with James still in his prime, the Heat remain favorites to repeat, and to entertain.
Large pickup trucks, large sport utility vehicles and luxury vehicles of all kinds remain favorites of new-car buyers despite their thirst for fuel.
All the Cavaliers had to do to remain favorites in the Eastern Conference finals was to keep LeBron James and most of his supporting cast together, and hope for better health during next season's playoffs.
Whatever releases the year may yet bring, the critics' choices, listed on Pages 24 and 25, can be counted on to remain favorites, if not necessarily unrivaled or unshaken.
While grateful for Guston's approval, he veered from tentative emulations of Old Masters (Veronese and Velázquez remain favorites of his) toward the auras, though not the forms, of Barnett Newman's stark Abstract Expressionism, Donald Judd's minimalist rigor, and the chroma of color-field painting.
While traditional costumes like witches, pirates and cats remain favorites among adults, 574,000 adults said they plan to dress up as a political figure, according to a survey conducted by NRF and BIGresearch, a market research firm.
The remaining favorite, from Jacques Lassaigne, was an extra brut, meaning its dosage was 6 grams or under.
At lunchtime Tuesday after three ballots to pick the next pontiff, Ratzinger remained favorite on two out of the three online betting boards, with Intertops giving him the shortest odds at 5/2.
King Abdullah of Jordan is one of the West's last remaining favorite sons in the Middle East.
If it weren't for the Spurs' crazy week, the current NBA champions would have remained favorites to win again next season.
