How Are The NBA Playoffs Shaping Up?

It has been an incredible season in the NBA this year. With the regular season of 72 games, there have been plenty of surprises, some incredible play and a lot for the 30 teams to contend with. However, as the regular season closes, we now know who the 12 teams are that have qualified directly for the Playoffs.

And we also know the eight teams that will have to earn their spot in the Playoffs through coming through the newly-developed Play In, involving teams that finished 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and 10^th in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

In this article, we will give you a quick recap of how the season went in both of the conferences, which teams were the surprise packages of the season and which ones didn’t quite live up to expectation. We will then give you a rundown of the Play In competition, followed by how the Playoffs will shape up once the Play In is complete.

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Alternatively, if you are following all the latest NBA Playoff action from the United States, then BetRivers PA is a great site for you as it offers an extensive range of bets on the NBA throughout the season and through the Playoffs right until the new NBA Champion is crowned.

Let’s now quickly recap how the Regular Season went in the Eastern and Western Conferences.

NBA Regular Season

Eastern Conference

The Milwaukee Bucks were the defending conference champions from last season and they along with the Brooklyn Nets were expected to be amongst the front-runners in the east. However, in the end, both were pipped to the title by Joel Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers, who won their last two games to finish ahead of the Nets, with the Bucks two games further back.

The Nets though remain the favourites to be the Eastern Conference representatives in the Championship game, chiefly due to them signing James Harden from the Houston Rockets during the season. Teaming Harden up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant meant the Nets had three bonafide NBA Superstars, although injury has meant that the three have rarely played together for the Nets so far during the season.

The remaining three playoff spots were clinched by the New York Knicks, who found some fine late season form to clinch the 4^th seed spot just ahead of the Atlanta Hawks and last season’s surprise team in the playoffs, the Miami Heat.

Despite being in the top six for most of the season, the Boston Celtics late season loss of form saw them drop into the play in along with the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Hornets.

Playoff Picture

• Philadelphia 76ers (1) v Number 8 Seed from Play In
• Brooklyn Nets (2) v Number 7 Seed from Play In
• Milwaukee Bucks (3) v Miami Heat (6)
• New York Knicks (4) v Atlanta Hawks (5)

Play In

• Match 1 – Boston Celtics (7) V Washington Wizards (8) – Winner becomes 7^th Seed, Loser Goes into 8^th Seed Game
• Match 2 – Indiana Pacers (9) v Charlotte Hornets (10) – Winner Goes into 8^th Seed Game, Loser Eliminated
• Match 3 – Loser of Match 1 v Winner of Match 2 – Winner Becomes 8^th Seed, Loser Eliminated

Western Conference

The current NBA Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers were expected to dominate this conference, but a number of injuries to key players at various points of the season has scuppered their hopes of winning the West. Instead, it was the Utah Jazz who produced the best performances and the best record in the NBA to clinch the top spot, just one game ahead of the Phoenix Suns.

The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers were safely in third and fourth in the playoff picture but the final two spots went right down to the wire with the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers sneaking the last two spots ahead of the Lakers, who drop into the Play In due to their head to head record against the Mavs and Blazers.

That sets up a mouthwatering Play In tie between the Lakers with the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, with the winner earning that seventh seed spot.

They are the two form teams in the Western Conference at the moment with the Lakers winning their last five games, while the Warriors have won their last six with Steph Curry being widely touted as the NBA MVP for the current season.

The Grizzlies or Spurs will battle it out for a shot to play the loser of the Lakers – Warriors game and a chance to become the eight seed

Playoff Picture

• Utah Jazz (1) v Number 8 Seed from Play In
• Phoenix Suns (2) v Number 7 Seed from Play In
• Denver Nuggets (3) v Portland Trail Blazers (6)
• Los Angeles Clippers (4) v Dallas Mavericks (5)

Play In

• Match 4 – Los Angeles Lakers (7) V Golden State Warriors (8) – Winner becomes 7^th Seed, Loser Goes into 8^th Seed Game
• Match 5 – Memphis Grizzlies (9) v San Antonio Spurs (10) – Winner Goes into 8^th Seed Game, Loser Eliminated
• Match 6 – Loser of Match 4 v Winner of Match 5 – Winner Becomes 8^th Seed, Loser Eliminated

The Play In will be played to completion by Saturday 22^nd May, with the Playoffs starting on Sunday 23^rd May.

Who Are The Favourites To Win Their Play In Games?

Bet365 Sport have odds available for all the Play In games and they have the Indiana Pacers as the 4/6 favourites to beat the Charlotte Hornets (13/10). There’s no doubt the Pacers have had the better wins this season in the Eastern Conference, but they are inconsistent and that will be a concern for their fans here in case they have an off night.

The Celtics are the narrow 10/13 favourites to win over the Washington Wizards, but with injuries to key players, I fancy the Wizards (11/10) to land a surprise victory in that game and clinch the seventh seed spot.

If the Pacers make it through, I’d back them to beat the Celtics in the final Play In game in the East to earn that eighth seed spot.

In the West, the Lakers are the favourites (1/2) to beat the Warriors (17/10) but I think this is a much closer game to call than the prices suggest and I would be tempted to take the Warriors here at those odds to land the seventh seed spot.

The Lakers though should be able to beat either the Spurs or Grizzlies in the eight seed playoff game and whoever comes through that first game, I think will finish second best to the Lakers who will clinch that eighth seed spot.