The NBA's play-in tournament exists as a means to allow more teams the opportunity to qualify for the postseason, as the No. 7 through No. 10 seeds in both the Eastern and Western Conferences compete in a tournament to determine the final two spots.
With just under a month and half remaining of the 2024-25 regular season, here's a look at the updated betting odds are the safest bets to ultimately compete in the sixth-ever play-in tournament with a chance of punching their ticket to the playoffs.
Eastern Conference Play-in tournament odds: N/a
Western Conference Play-In Tournament Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Clippers | -260 |
| Phoenix Suns | -220 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | -170 |
| Golden State Warriors | +115 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +135 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +280 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +900 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +1300 |
Odds as of March 24, 2025 courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Western Conference Play-In best bet: Los Angeles Clippers, -260
A clean bill of health has never been easy to come by for the Los Angeles Clippers, but with superstar forward Kawhi Leonard playing consistent minutes and Norman Powell back in the fold trying to get his groove back offensively, all of the pieces are in place for this team to not just get through the play-in bracket, but to ultimately be a menace to one of the top-two seeds in the West in the opening round.
Los Angeles is 0-3 this season against the Minnesota Timberwolves, though, which looms as a possible No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup. The Phoenix Suns are also a perfect 4-0 against the Clippers, as well, but as far as this wager is concerned, it's not a matter of advancing, but whether or not the team qualifies which secures a winning bet. Los Angeles is a full six games ahead of the No. 11 spot, so it's not at risk of dropping out barring a catastrophic finish to the campaign.
Western Conference Play-In question mark: Phoenix Suns, -220
The working relationship between Kevin Durant and the Suns organization will supposedly come to an end this summer as the team looks to find the former league Most Valuable Player a new home to close out his career. With that being said, since these are the cards they've been dealt, there's been no indication by anyone around the Suns that they'll be mailing it in, as qualifying for the postseason remains the ultimate goal with the investment that's been made in Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.
Phoenix has slipped into the 10th seed despite having an identical win-loss record to that of the Dallas Mavericks, who could have Anthony Davis return to the lineup as soon as March 24 against the Brooklyn Nets. It's the only team with a strength of schedule exceeding .600, so even with Dallas still banged up, the Suns holding onto the tenth spot isn't close to being a lock as of yet.
How Does The NBA Play-In Tournament Work?
The NBA Play-In Tournament setup can be quite complicated for new bettors and even professional ones trying to wrap their heads around it. Below, we break down key dates, how the schedule will unfold and important factors to consider before placing your bets on these props.
When Is The NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA play-in tournament for the Eastern and Western conferences will begin on April 15, 2025 and end on April 18, 2025. The playoffs will begin on April 19, 2025 with first-round action.
NBA Play-In Tourney Format
Eight teams will be part of the NBA play-In tournament, with four from each conference. There will be six total games played involving only the teams that finish seventh to 10th in each conference at the conclusion of the regular season.
Here’s a breakdown of how the play-in schedule will unfold in each conference:
- Game 1: The No. 7 team in the standings will host the No. 8 team. The winner of this game earns the No. 7 playoff seed and the losing team will get another chance to earn the 8 seed in the third game.
- Game 2: The No. 9 team in the regular-season standings gets to host the No. 10 team, with the winner moving on to Game 3. The loser is eliminated from playoff contention.
- Game 3: The loser of the No. 7 vs No. 8 matchup will host the winner of the No. 9 vs No. 10 matchup, with the victor grabbing the conference’s No. 8 seed in the postseason. The loser of Game 3 also enters the lottery.
This means that the No. 7 and No. 8 teams each have two shots to earn a playoff spot. The No. 9 and No. 10 teams have to win two straight games in order to clinch a spot in the postseason.
