Most of the NBA’s 30 teams have either 10 or 11 games remaining on their regular season schedule for 2020-21. As a result, we have an idea of how teams may finish. However, there is still a lot of movement; in the Eastern Conference, for example, only two games separate the fourth-place New York Knicks from the seventh-place Miami Heat. The top six teams are guaranteed playoff spots, while the 7-10 seeds enter a play-in tournament for the last two slots. Also, only 1 ½ game separate tenth-place Washington from 12th-place Toronto. In the West, sixth-place Dallas is only 3 ½ games ahead of tenth-place Golden State — but they are just two games behind the Lakers for fifth place. As you can see, things still could change significantly in both conferences before the end of the season.
Let’s look at the matchups as they stand today as you start thinking about your NBA betting for the postseason.
NBA News: Possible Playoff Matchups
Eastern Conference
Brooklyn Nets (1, 42-20) vs Charlotte Hornets (8, 30-31)
Brooklyn: 10 games remaining (4 home), 6 against teams above .500, 6 against East foes
Charlotte: 11 games remaining (7 home), 5 against teams above .500, 8 against East foes
Nets lead season series, 2-1
Philadelphia 76ers (2, 40-21) vs Miami Heat (7, 32-30)
Philadelphia: 11 games remaining (6 home), 4 against teams above .500, 8 against East foes
Miami: 10 games remaining (4 home), 6 against teams above .500, 7 against East foes
76ers lead season series, 2-0
Milwaukee Bucks (3, 38-23) vs Boston Celtics (6, 32-30)
Milwaukee: 11 games remaining (6 home), 4 against teams above .500, 8 against East foes
Boston: 10 games remaining (5 home), 5 against teams above .500, 7 against East foes
Celtics lead season series, 2-1
New York Knicks (4, 34-28) vs Atlanta Hawks (5, 34-28)
New York: 10 games remaining (4 home), 7 against teams above .500, 3 against East foes
Atlanta: 10 games remaining (7 home), 4 against teams above .500, 7 against East foes
Knicks lead season series, 3-0
Western Conference
Utah Jazz (1, 44-17) vs Memphis Grizzlies (8, 31-29)
Utah: 11 games remaining (6 home), 5 against teams above .500, 10 against West foes
Memphis: 12 games remaining (7 home), 3 against teams above .500, 7 against West foes
Jazz lead season series, 3-0
Phoenix Suns (2, 43-18) vs Portland Trail Blazers (7, 33-28)
Phoenix: 11 games remaining (4 home), 8 against teams above .500, 8 against West foes
Portland: 11 games remaining (4 home), 9 against teams above .500, 7 against West foes
Suns lead season series, 2-0
L.A. Clippers (3, 43-20) vs Dallas Mavericks (6, 34-27)
Clippers: 9 games remaining (4 home), 4 against teams above .500, 5 against West foes
Dallas: 11 games remaining (6 home), 3 against teams above .500, 4 against West foes
Mavericks lead season series, 2-1
Denver Nuggets (4, 40-21) vs L.A. Lakers (5, 36-25)
Denver: 11 games remaining (4 home), 6 against teams above .500, 6 against West foes
Lakers: 11 games remaining (6 home), 5 against teams above .500, 7 against West foes
Season series tied, 1-1
Which series are primed for upsets? You have to think the Lakers will bounce back, with LeBron James remains officially uncertain as far as a time line for a return from his high ankle sprain, but point guard Dennis Schroder said that King James is “close” on Monday. Once LeBron is back, can the Lakers flip the switch and start winning big again? Denver has lost Jamal Murray for the season and could go down against a rested LeBron.
The Clippers are slightly less consistent than they were a year ago, and few teams have a higher ceiling than the Mavericks. They went on a 28-0 run against Golden State across the first and second periods on Tuesday night, a night after they lost in Sacramento. That’s two losses to the Kings in the last week and a half, bookended around two wins over the Lakers. The young Mavericks need to figure out consistency in terms of effort; once they do that, they have the offense to throttle a lot of teams.
In the East, the Heat are a sneaky team that can surprise teams that look a lot better on paper, and Philadelphia has taken on some water in the last couple of weeks, with four tough losses. If the 76ers can’t get their heads back on straight, Jimmy Butler is ready to lead the Heat on another playoff rampage.
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