Going into the last weekend of the 2023-24 NBA regular season, we know a lot of the playoff picture – but we don’t know everything. In the Western Conference, five teams have clinched first-round series and three are locked into the play-in tournament, but New Orleans and Phoenix sit just a game apart, with the Pelicans holding the sixth slot and the Suns sitting in seventh. In the Eastern Conference, only three teams have clinched first-round series, and two teams are locked into the play-in tournament. Cleveland, Orlando, Indiana, Philadelphia and Miami hold the fourth through eighth slots, respectively, with just three games separating the Heat from the Cavs. Let’s look at clinching scenarios that are still in play as you consider your online betting for the NBA postseason.
NBA Betting Anlysis: Who’s In, Who’s Out? Betting the NBA Playoffs Hunt with Odds & Picks
Western Conference
- Denver Nuggets (56-24)*
- Minnesota Timberwolves (55-25)*
- Oklahoma City Thunder (55-25)*
- L.A. Clippers (51-29)*
- Dallas Mavericks (50-30)*
- New Orleans Pelicans (48-32)
- Phoenix Suns (47-33)
- Sacramento Kings (45-35)**
- Golden State Warriors (45-35)**
- L.A. Lakers (45-35)**
*-clinched first-round series
**-locked into play-in tournament
NBA Playoffs Clinching Scenarios going into April 12 games
Denver would clinch the Northwest Division and the West’s top record with a win AND losses by Oklahoma City and Minnesota.
New Orleans clinches a first-round playoff series with a win AND a Phoenix loss.
Phoenix is locked into the play-in tournament with a loss AND a New Orleans win.
NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament Implications
Sacramento, Golden State and the Lakers all have 45-35 records. None of those teams is atop the Pacific Division, so if they stay tied, the next tiebreaker would be the best winning percentage in games played against each other.
- Sacramento is 6-2 (4-0 vs the Lakers, 2-2 vs the Warriors)
- Golden State is 5-3 (3-1 vs the Lakers, 2-2 vs the Kings)
- The Lakers are 1-7 (1-3 vs the Warriors, 0-4 vs the Kings)
Bet On the NBA Western betting Odds to Win
Eastern Conference
- Boston Celtics (62-18)*
- Milwaukee Bucks (49-31)*
- N.Y. Knicks (48-32)*
- Cleveland Cavaliers (47-33)
- Orlando Magic (46-34)
- Indiana Pacers (46-34)
- Philadelphia 76ers (45-35)v
- Miami Heat (44-36)
- Chicago Bulls (38-42)**
- Atlanta Hawks (36-44)**
*-clinched first-round series
**-locked into play-in tournament
NBA Playoffs Clinching Scenarios
Cleveland clinches a first-round playoff series with a win OR a Philadelphia loss
Indiana clinches a first-round playoff series with a win OR a Philadelphia loss
Miami is locked into the play-in tournament with a loss OR an Orlando win
Milwaukee clinches the Central Division crown with a win OR a Cleveland loss
Orlando clinches a first-round playoff series with a win. They also clinch the Southeast Division crown with a win OR a Miami loss.
Philadelphia is locked into the play-in tournament with a loss
Bet On the NBA Eastern betting Odds to Win
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