Scrimmages have already begun to warm teams back up for the NBA’s 2020 playoffs. Of the 30 teams, 22 were deemed eligible to compete for the title. The 22 teams include the top eight teams from the Eastern and Western ConferencesAll of the games will take place in Orlando, Florida. The other six teams will be the teams that were within six games of the ninth seed in each conference. The teams play eight games that will add to the existing 2019-20 season standings and finalize the playoff seedings. At that point, if the ninth seed in a conference is within four games of the eighth seed, then there would be a best-of-three play-in series between the eighth and ninth seeds, with the eighth team entering with a 1-0 lead in games. After that, the teams will start a traditional 16-team bracket, with four best-of-seven series. Take a look at the standings and three things to consider as you start thinking about those NBA betting odds.
NBA News: 3 Things to Know about the Rest of the 2020 Season
Western Conference |
||
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | L.A. Lakers* | 49-14 |
| 2 | L.A. Clippers* | 44-20 |
| 3 | Denver Nuggets* | 43-22 |
| 4 | Utah Jazz* | 41-23 |
| 5 | OKC Thunder* | 40-24 |
| 6 | Houston Rockets* | 40-24 |
| 7 | Dallas Mavericks | 40-27 |
| 8 | Memphis Grizzlies | 32-33 |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 29-37 |
| 10 | New Orleans Pelicans | 28-36 |
| 11 | San Antonio Spurs | 27-36 |
| 12 | San Antonio Spurs | 27-36 |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | 26-39 |
Eastern Conference |
||
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee Bucks* | 53-12 |
| 2 | Toronto Raptors* | 46-18 |
| 3 | Boston Celtics* | 43-21 |
| 4 | Miami Heat* | 41-24 |
| 5 | Indiana Pacers* | 39-26 |
| 6 | Philadelphia 76ers* | 39-26 |
| 7 | Brooklyn Nets | 30-34 |
| 8 | Orlando Magic | 30-35 |
| 9 | Washington Wizards | 24-40 |
* clinched playoff spots, seeding subject to play
Philadelphia could be the sleeper in the East. The 76ers had a monster home record….and were well below .500 on the road. That home record is the only reason they were in the top eight in the East. The bad news is that the NBA’s bubble is all the way down at the south end of the East Coast, a long way from Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. However, the 76ers have shaken up their starting lineup, adding SMU standout Shake Milton to run the point (and knock down some threes) and moving Ben Simmons to the three. Milton nailed 52 percent of his three-point shots in the last 17 games before the COVID-19 hiatus. He’s unlikely to keep nailing shots at that clip, but he did shoot 43 percent from downtown in college and is reliable from the free throw line. That adds an offensive component to the starting lineup that Simmons has simply been unable to provide. When Philadelphia encounters Milwaukee, they can put Joel Embiid or Al Horford on Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the solution last year in the playoffs was simply to clog the middle. The Lakers showed that they could do this in their matchup with Milwaukee shortly before the shutdown. So if there is a team that can stop the Bucks in the East this year, it could well be Philadelphia.
Philadelphia 76ers | Check the Odds
Houston’s small ball experiment will not pay off
Golden State and Cleveland won titles without having a big-man option. Toronto did the same thing last year. However, Houston’s small ball variety is a different option. The reason for this is that Golden State (Kevin Durant / Draymond Green), Cleveland (LeBron James) and Toronto (Kawhi Leonard) all had a transcendent player who could go to the three or four and lead in shutdown defense in the lane. Houston really doesn’t. They did look good against the Lakers in a scrimmage. Their offense either drains threes or makes layups at the rim, making defending it a challenge. Russell Westbrook, who had tested positive for COVID-19, ended up clearing the protocol and has joined his teammates. He’s the one crashing the paint, while the rest of the team hoists three-balls. On the defensive end, they will pay inside. Their style is great for putting together a strong regular season, but the game slows down in the playoffs over a long series, and teams that can get stops inside end up winning. Those who don’t, go home early.
Keep your eyes on the Clippers to win it all
The Lakers are the team with the top seed. However, the Clippers were playing better ball going into the COVID-19 hiatus. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are both healthy — and both playing strong ball. Before the shutdown, they demolished Houston, Denver and Oklahoma City. Some people like to say that the Clippers are too small, but they rank fourth in the league for rebounding rate, and only six teams permit fewer shots within three feet of the basket. Leonard was able to shut down Giannis in their Eastern Conference showdown last year. Giannis has added a turnaround shot to go over defenses that try to clog the lane. If the Clippers meet the Lakers in the playoffs, we will see whether Leonard can keep shutting down LeBron like he has in the regular season this year. The rest of the Laker roster is not as good as the Clippers are when you take Kawhi out of the equation.
L.A. Clippers | Check the Odds
