2024 NBA Playoffs Series Prices: First Round Matchups

The first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs will commence on Saturday, April 20, 2024, with all matchups now set in stone.

Here's a closer look at the confirmed best-of-seven series pairings and which teams oddsmakers have slated to be the favorites and underdogs.

Updates will be made as each respective series progresses.

NBA Playoff Matchup Hub

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 Miami Heat 

Series Preview: Celtics vs. Heat First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 21

Series: Celtics lead 1-0

The Miami Heat punched their ticket to the postseason by defeating the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament. They'll now have to take on the best team in the Association in the Boston Celtics without their best player as Jimmy Butler has been ruled out for several weeks with an MCL sprain.

No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers

Series Preview: Knicks vs. 76ers First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 23

Series: Knicks lead 2-0

The New York Knicks are making history as just the second No. 1 or No. 2 seed over the last 25 years to enter the first round as an underdog, joining the Phoenix Suns in 2021 against the Los Angeles Lakers, which Phoenix advanced through in six games.

No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers

Series Preview: Bucks vs. Pacers First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 18

Best Bet: Indiana Pacers, -102

The Milwaukee Bucks received a huge blow with the news that superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will not be ready to compete for the start of the team's series against the Indiana Pacers due to a left calf strain. There's still hope that he'll suit up at some point, but that will be determined by how effective his treatment works. Even with Giannis at 100 percent, the Pacers would still maintain the psychological edge having defeated the Bucks four out of five times during the regular season.

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Orlando Magic

Series Preview: Cavaliers vs. Magic First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 23

Series: Cavaliers lead 2-0

The Orlando Magic return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, barely missing out on home-court advantage by just a single game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who qualify for the second year in a row. The two sides split their season series at 2-2, with Cleveland's greater odds perhaps stemming from the necessity to advance in order to keep Donovan Mitchell content as he can enter unrestricted free agency at the end of next season.

Western Conference

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans Or Sacramento Kings

Series Preview: Thunder vs. Pelicans First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 18

Best Bet: Oklahoma City Thunder, -700

The New Orleans Pelicans face an uphill climb after bouncing the Sacramento Kings from the play-in tournament on Friday night. They'll look to pull off a shocking upset by eliminating the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder without their leading scorer Zion Williamson as he's been ruled out for the foreseeable future with a calif injury.

No. 2 Denver Nuggets Vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers

Series Preview: Nuggets vs. Lakers First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 23

Best Bet: Nuggets lead 2-0

The reigning champion Denver Nuggets have had the Los Angeles Lakers' number for quite some time, sweeping the season series 3-0 after sweeping them 4-0 in last year's conference finals. Los Angeles needed to get past the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament to secure the seventh seed.

No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves Vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns

Series Preview: Timberwolves vs. Suns First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 20

Series: Timberwolves lead 1-0

The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of three teams entering their series as an underdog despite holding the higher seed, and therefore home-court advantage. Phoenix emerged victorious all three times against Minnesota during the regular season, with the average margin of victory being 15.6 points.

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks

Series Preview: Clippers vs. Mavericks First Round Preview, Betting Odds

Odds as of April 21

Series: Clippers lead 1-0

Like Minnesota and New York, the Los Angeles Clippers are also facing an uphill climb as the home-court underdogs, likely due to the Dallas Mavericks being one of the Association's hotter teams to close out the campaign. Dallas went 16-2 SU from March 6 through April 10, while the Clippers currently have health concerns surrounding Kawhi Leonard who sat out the final eight games with knee inflammation. 

How to Bet NBA Playoffs Moneyline

Betting the moneyline is also referred to as a "straight-up bet," meaning you're simply picking the winner of a specific series. If the team you bet on emerges victorious, then so do you.

In this example, the Phoenix Suns are considered the favorites in their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, evident by the minus sign (-) displayed in front of their numerical odds. The Timberwolves are the underdogs, which is made apparent by the plus sign (+) next to their respective numerical odds.

If you were to bet on the Suns to defeat the Timberwolves on the moneyline by wagering $100 and Phoenix advanced, you'd receive your original bet back along with $70.42 in profit. If Minnesota moved forward, the profit would be larger - in this case, your original bet and $100 in profit - because it was the underdog in this series