NBA Playoffs Picks, Predictions, Odds

NBA Restart
Betting Resources

Seeding Games

• Start Date: Thursday, July 30
• End Date: Friday, Aug. 14
• Total Games: 88
• Location: Orlando, Florida
• Venues: Wide World of Sports Complex

The NBA will have 22 teams travel to Orlando, Florida and those clubs will each play eight seeding games before the NBA Playoffs are set.

The 22 clubs consist of the 16 teams in current playoff positions, eight from the Eastern and Western Conferences. The remaining six teams are currently six games or fewer behind the eighth seed in each conference.

The new twist that the NBA has added will be a possible play-in tournament for the 8th seed in each conference. If a 9th seeded team is within four games of the 8th seed, then those teams will square off in a head-to-head matchup for the 8th seed. The 9th seeded team must defeat the 8th seed twice in order to claim the playoff berth while the 8th seed only needs one victory to advance to the NBA Playoffs.

Odds to be 8th Seed

Eastern Conference

• Brooklyn Nets -110
• Orlando Magic +100
• Washington Wizards +3000

Western Conference

• Memphis Grizzlies -120
• New Orleans Pelicans +275
• Portland Trail Blazers +400
• Sacramento Kings +1200
• San Antonio Spurs +5000
• Phoenix Suns +20000
• Dallas Mavericks +50000

NBA 8th Seed Predictions
Washington Wizards +3000
Portland Trail Blazers +400

It seems like Orlando will grab the 7th seed in the East, as it will be a fight to the finish for 8th between Brooklyn and Washington. The Nets' roster is completely depleted headed to Orlando and while the Wizards won't have leading scorer Bradley Beal to rely on, Washington is worth a shot in a play-in series scenario against Brooklyn to win and advance.

The Blazers were one round short of the NBA Finals last season before losing to the Warriors. Portland still has the best one-two punch of any of the Western teams remaining with the backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to make a run during this eight-game stretch to overtake Memphis for the final playoff seed.

Win Totals Odds

Oddsmakers have posted new Win Totals Odds on a select group of teams for their eight reseeding games.

Win Totals Odds

Eastern Conference
Win Totals Odds

Listed below are teams from the Eastern Conference and how the oddsmakers project they'll do based on wins for the reseeding games.

• Milwaukee Bucks 6.5
• Philadelphia 76ers 5.5
• Boston Celtics 5.5
• Toronto Raptors 4.5
• Miami Heat 4.5
• Orlando Magic 2.5

Western Conference
Win Totals Odds

Listed below are teams from the Western Conference and how the oddsmakers project they'll do based on wins for the reseeding games.

• Los Angeles Lakers 5.5
• Los Angeles Clippers 5.5
• New Orleans Pelicans 5.5
• Dallas Mavericks 4.5
• Houston Rockets 4.5
• Oklahoma City Thunder 4.5
• Utah Jazz 4.5
• Denver Nuggets 3.5
• Memphis Grizzlies 3.5
• Portland Trail Blazers 3.5
• Sacramento Kings 3.5
• Phoenix Suns 2.5
• San Antonio Spurs 2.5

NBA Win Totals Predictions
Over Miami Heat 4.5
Over Houston Rockets 4.5

Under Utah Jazz 4.5
Under San Antonio Spurs 2.5

The Heat face a banged-up Pacers' team in two of the final three games of the restart, but will be tested in the first four games against Denver, Toronto, Boston, and Milwaukee. The Rockets square off with three teams owning losing records and have a matchup with Indiana as Houston has plenty to play for with the Southwest division on the line.

Utah draws San Antonio twice, but the Jazz also face the Thunder, Lakers, Nuggets, and Mavericks as this team could end up splitting their eight games. San Antonio will be without LaMarcus Aldridge and have a huge hill to climb to make the eighth seed in the Western Conference as three wins may be asking too much.

Future Odds to Make Playoffs

Listed below are odds for teams on whether or not they will make the postseason.

• Brooklyn Nets: Yes -10000, No +2100
• Memphis Grizzlies: Yes -143, No +108
• New Orleans Pelicans: Yes +290, No -435
• Orlando Magic: Yes -10000, No +2100
• Phoenix Suns: Yes +6000
• Portland Trail Blazers: Yes +400, No -670
• Sacramento Kings: Yes +1100, No -10000
• San Antonio Spurs: Yes +1300, No -10000
• Washington Wizards: Yes +2100, No -10000

Yes/No Playoff Predictions
Yes - Sacramento Kings +1100
No - Memphis Grizzlies +108

The Kings have a manageable schedule to stay within four games of the eighth spot for a potential play-in series. Sacramento's two key games come against New Orleans, as two victories there can help the Kings jump the Pelicans. The final game comes against the Lakers, who may lock up the top seed in the Western Conference by then.

The Grizzlies are staring a daunting task by closing with the three top teams in the Eastern Conference (Toronto, Boston, and Milwaukee), while also taking on the likes of Oklahoma City and Utah. Memphis had bad luck with the stoppage of the season, as the Grizzlies may not be one of the final top eight clubs in the West when it's all said and done.

2020 NBA Playoffs
Schedules & Start Dates

• Play-In Games: Saturday, Aug. 15 and Sunday, Aug. 16
• First Round: Monday, Aug. 17
• Conference Semifinals: Monday, Aug. 31
• Conference Finals: Tuesday, Sept. 15
• NBA Finals: Wednesday, Sept. 30

The NBA announced that the last possible date for Game 7 of the NBA Finals would take place on Tuesday, Oct. 13

NBA Finals
Matchup Odds

Predicting on who will win the 2020 NBA Finals isn't easy to do and our Futures Market provides all the favorites, contenders and long shots.

If the odds don't fit your betting appetite, then you should check out the NBA Finals Matchup Odds. All you need to do is predict the winner from both the Eastern and Western Conference!

While it may sound tougher, you'll likely find a better return if you have more confidence in at least one conference winner.

For instance, the Milwaukee Bucks are 3/5 favorites (Bet $100 to win $60) to capture the Eastern Conference this summer. If you believe the NBA club from Wisconsin will run through the East, then why not take a shot and pair them up with the Lakers (+300) or Clippers (+370) to meet in the finals?

NBA Finals
Matchup Predictions

Bucks vs. Lakers (+300)

Plenty of star power in this potential NBA Finals when LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo square off. Milwaukee put together the top record in the league at 53-12, while the Lakers owned a Western Conference-best 49-14 mark. Antetokounmpo is the reigning Most Valuable Player, but James has captured the honor three times in his career. The Bucks and Lakers split their season series with the home team winning each time. Milwaukee last made it to the NBA Finals in 1974, while James is seeking his ninth Finals appearance in 10 seasons.

Bucks vs. Clippers (+370)

If not the Lakers, what about the Clippers in the NBA Finals? In the first season of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s arrival in Los Angeles, the Clippers were the second-best team in the Western Conference behind the Lakers. Can Leonard take another team the Finals in his first season with them like he did in Toronto last season? It’s possible, but the Clippers failed to beat the Bucks in two matchups this season, while Los Angeles is trying to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Celtics vs. Lakers (+1900)

Boston and Los Angeles have hooked up 12 times in the NBA Finals, but not since the Lakers won in seven games back in 2010. James has done plenty of damage by eliminating the Celtics in the playoffs over his career, but the Lakers were blown out in Boston earlier this season and won at home by two points. The Celtics were one win away from the NBA Finals two seasons ago before getting bounced in the second round by Milwaukee last season.

Raptors vs. Lakers (+2200)

Lost amongst all the talk of Milwaukee and Boston in the Eastern Conference is the defending champion Raptors. Granted, Toronto is without Kawhi Leonard after capturing the franchise’s first NBA title last season, but the Raptors are still a dangerous team at 46-18. The Raptors had plenty of issues trying to advance past James in his days with the Cavaliers, but will have to do so against him with a new cast of characters this season. Toronto won at Staples Center earlier this season in the lone matchup as the second meeting will likely take place in Orlando in August.

Raptors vs. Clippers (+2600)

Toronto fans won’t be thrilled if they have to see Kawhi Leonard donning another team’s jersey in their quest for a second straight title. But, Leonard is looking for an NBA championship with his third different team as he proved he can take over the Finals and now he has a star sidekick on his side in Paul George. The Clippers had the Raptors’ number this season with a pair of victories, while Toronto was held to 92 and 88 points in the two defeats.

NBA Finals Prediction
Raptors vs. Lakers (+2200)

Milwaukee was on the doorstep of making the NBA Finals last season, but now don’t have the advantage of playing at home in the postseason. As long as James and Anthony Davis are healthy, the Lakers will get over the hump and knock off the defending champion Raptors for the title.

NBA Playoffs
Preseason Predictions

Prior to the the 2019-20 NBA regular season beginning in October, VegasInsider.com asked our stable of handicappers to provide their fearless predictions on who will meet in the Finals next June. We had 25 experts provide their selections and not surprisingly, every team picked by our stables are still alive.

Below is the consensus breakdown for both conferences and the NBA Finals champion.

Eastern Conference

• Milwaukee Bucks 12
• Philadelphia 76ers 10
• Boston Celtics 2
• Indiana Pacers 1

Western Conference

• L.A. Clippers 7
• Houston Rockets 5
• Utah Jazz 7
• Denver Nuggets 4
• L.A. Lakers 2

NBA Finals

• Milwaukee Bucks 7
• Philadelphia 76ers 3
• L.A. Lakers 2
• L.A. Clippers 6
• Houston Rockets 3
• Utah Jazz 3
• Denver Nuggets 1