It's playoff time in the NBA. With the eight first-round playoff ties getting underway on 20 April, we're going to take a look at the seedings, the match-ups and the betting odds in an attempt to assist fans and sports bettors in deciding which franchises have the best chance of making it through to the best-of-seven NBA Championship Finals starting on 6 June.
With the NBA's Play-In Tournament that decides the final four teams for the NBA playoffs a thing of the past and the playoffs underway, the sixteen franchises involved will be looking to gain early advantages in their ties, with the first to four wins in each progressing to the Conference semi-finals. Let's look at the first-round playoff match-ups, complete with futures odds of winning the NBA Championship for each team.
Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (8)
The Thunder (16/1) is favoured to defeat The Pelicans (125/1) according to the NBA Championship odds on offer, but bookmakers and fans using new AI predictions in betting don't expect Oklahoma to go all the way to the NBA Championship. The Thunder only has the joint fourth-best odds according to most bookies.
LA Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)
The Clippers (12/1) are third-ranked to win the 2024 NBA Championship, also making them favourites to defeat The Mavericks (20/1) in this tie. A convincing 109-97 win in the first game of the series substantiates the bookmakers' belief in the Los Angeles franchise.
Minnesota Timberwolves (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (6)
With a 25-point victory in Game 1 of the tie, The Timberwolves (20/1) look too strong for The Suns (30/1) at this early stage. While their odds suggest they aren't the weakest teams in the playoffs, both franchises will have to up their games to challenge for the Championship.
Denver Nuggets (2) vs. LA Lakers (7)
The defending NBA Champions, The Nuggets (3/1) are again favoured to reach the Championship finals, with bookmakers ranking listing the Denver team second in the futures odds. After winning the first game with The Lakers (40/1) by 114-103, signs of progressing through the playoff first round look good.
Eastern Conference
Boston Celtics (1) vs. Miami Heat (8)
Overwhelming NBA Championship favourites amongst online gambling sites, The Celtics (8/5) started well with a 20-point win over the rank outsiders, The Heat (300/1), in Game 1. At the time of writing, all signs point to a potential 4-0 tie result in this match-up.
Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Orlando Magic (5)
Bookies don't expect either of these franchises to progress further than the Conference semi-finals, with The Cavaliers (50/1) holding an advantage over The Magic (250/1) in the betting and on the basketball court, after a 97-83 first-game win. Punters shouldn't expect much more from either team following this tie.
Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (6)
The Bucks (16/1) join The Thunder as a franchise that the online sportsbooks expect to be a potential Conference finalist but, with two Eastern Conference teams ahead of Milwaukee on the betting boards, even oddsmakers aren't guaranteeing this. The Pacers (150/1) shouldn't prove its obstacle though.
New York Knicks (2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7)
After a narrow seven-point win in this playoff's first game, the highly-seeded Knicks (20/1) will seek improvement against the 76ers (30/1) through the tie's remaining games. Despite its high seeding, betting sites don't favour the Knicks and this could prove the closest tie of the first-round playoffs.
