Only three games remain in each conference to decide the final four NBA playoff participants. With the NBA play-in tournament set to begin, the stage is nearly set for the electrifying postseason.
Let's dive into the updated NBA playoff picture as we progress towards the NBA Finals.
NBA Playoff Picture
Eastern Conference Favorite: Boston Celtics -190 To win Conference
Boston has been the most dominant team in the NBA this season. Their 64 wins and 122.2 offensive rating both pace the Association.
Jayson Tatum is smack dab in the middle of his prime and ready to banish the ghosts of playoff past. Many prognosticators shook their heads when Brad Stevens traded for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Now, those moves look like masterstrokes for the NBA Championship favorites.
"I'll be shocked if the Boston Celtics don't win the Championship..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 16, 2024
I think they added the missing pieces with Porzingis and Holiday" ~ Charles Barkley #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/mxQFvItfjN
The Celtics are undoubtedly the team to beat as they chase their NBA record 18th Championship banner.
Contender: Philadelphia 76ers +850 to Win Conference
The return of Joel Embiid following surgery on his left meniscus has changed the complexion of the East. There's still no guarantee that the Philadelphia 76ers will survive the play-in tournament, but Nick Nurse' team are favored to beat the Heat and secure the seventh seed. Philly will battle the upstart New York Knicks in the first round with a victory.
Embiid's health is obviously the key factor here, and he's looked like his MVP-caliber self in limited action since coming back to the lineup. If he's anywhere near 100 percent, then that's enough in and of itself to vault Philadelphia into a contender to reach the conference finals.
Western Conference Favorite: Denver Nuggets +135 To Win Conference
While they failed to win the No. 1 seed in the West. Mike Malone and the battle-tested Nuggets won't be bothered in the slightest.
Nikola Jokic is on the verge of capturing his third Most Valuable Player award, and Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are playing some of the best basketball of their young careers. The Nuggets dropped just four games all of last year's playoffs en route to the title, so knocking them four time in seven games will be a tall task for any playoff foe.
Denver will battle the winner of the New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Lakers play-in game in the first round. The Nuggets went 5-1 across six contests against those teams this season, and swept the Lakers in last years' Western Conference Final.
Contender: Dallas Mavericks +650 to Win Conference
As the five-seed, many will write off the Dallas Mavericks in this year's playoffs.
That would be a grievous mistake. Since the NBA Trade Deadline, the Mavs are fourth in defensive rating and 12th in total rebounding. Over the past 15 games, Dallas leads the Association in defensive rating. Luka & Kyrie have transformed the Mavericks fortunes in a little over a season together.
Luka has been unconscious this season, averaging an uncanny 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists per night. He's my favorite value bet to win NBA Finals MVP. The Mavs front office has finally surrounded Doncic with a supporting cast good enough to win in the playoffs.
The questions of how Luka and all-world guard Kyrie Irving would gel have been dispelled. But can their partnership lift Dallas to an NBA Championship?
How to Bet on the NBA Playoffs
Now that you've chosen a few teams to make the postseason, you might want to look into other playoff futures and NBA Finals bets -- no worries, because we've got a wealth of information for you to browse through. Handicappers can use our daily NBA Computer Picks to aid in their quest to beat the books. Make sure you place your futures sooner than later, as the closer we get to the end of the regular season, the tighter the odds get.
