From the Play-in Tournament to the NBA championship, let’s establish what’s at stake down the stretch with an assist from FanDuel Sportsbook.
We’ve only got 13 days left of the NBA regular season, and we’ve still got a lot to be decided in terms of who makes the postseason, which teams reach the Play-in Tournament, division winners, conference champs, and your 2021-22 NBA champion.
Thanks to our friends at FanDuel, we’ve got up-to-date NBA futures odds for every betting scenario.
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Eastern Conference Odds to Make the Play-in Tournament
With between six to eight games left for each Eastern Conference team, Miami, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Boston are within one game of one another for the top seed. Chicago, Toronto, and Cleveland below them are within one game of each other between No. 5 and No. 7.
Of course, whichever team finished last among that trio has to win a home game to make the playoffs.
Brooklyn is three games back from Cleveland at No. 8, with Charlotte a half-game back of the Nets and Atlanta, a half-game behind the Hornets for 10th. Naturally, the difference between eighth and ninth is enormous because the No. 9 place team has to win twice to make it in:
All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook entering March 29 games.
1. Brooklyn Nets: -2100
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: -280
3. Toronto Raptors: +280
4. Chicago Bulls: +550
5. New York Knicks: +5500
Brooklyn is pretty locked into either No. 8, 9, or 10 at this point, with the Cavs, Raptors, and Bulls fighting for fifth and sixth. The Knicks aren’t technically eliminated — they’re 4.5 games behind Atlanta for 10th — but it would take a miracle to overcome +5500 odds.
Eastern Conference Odds to Make the NBA Playoffs
Let’s quickly break down some East odds to make the actual postseason bracket (not just the Play-in) in alphabetical order:
Atlanta Hawks
- Yes: +210
- No: -265
Brooklyn Nets
- Yes: -600
- No: +410
Charlotte Hornets
- Yes: +370
- No: -520
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Yes: -290
- No: +225
Toronto Raptors
- Yes: -1800
- No: +880
In the Western Conference, the 61-14 Phoenix Suns are 8.5 games clear of the Memphis Grizzlies; both teams have already clinched playoff berths. Golden State is five games ahead of the 7-seed and will soon clinch a spot, too. Just 1.5 games separate Dallas, Utah, and Denver between fourth and sixth, with Minnesota two games behind the Nuggets in the chase for No. 7. The LA Clippers are 6.5 games behind the Wolves and four games ahead of New Orleans for eighth, and LA anticipates finally getting All-Star Paul George back from injury Tuesday.
Spots nine through 11 in the West, however, are the most fascinating storyline in the league by far.
The New Orleans Pelicans’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday put them a half-game ahead in ninth place, with LeBron James spraining his ankle in the loss. The Purple and Gold have lost seven of 10 and are only a half-game ahead of San Antonio for 10th. They’re in grave danger of missing the Play-in Tournament entirely.
Portland and Sacramento are also mathematically in the running for the Play-in, but are Knicks-level long shots at this point.
Western Conference Odds to Make the Play-in Tournament
1. New Orleans Pelicans: -2100
2. Minnesota Timberwolves: -390
3. San Antonio Spurs: -165
4. Los Angeles Lakers: -125
5. Denver Nuggets: +310
New Orleans and Minnesota are likely not changing their positions right now, with the Spurs now having better odds than the Lakers to reach the play-in. Denver and Dallas would like to avoid this list, of course.
Western Conference Odds to Make the NBA Playoffs
Let’s quickly break down some West odds to make the playoffs (not just the Play-in) in alphabetical order:
Los Angeles Clippers
- Yes: -400
- No: +300
Los Angeles Lakers
- Yes: +570
- No: -900
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Yes: -1250
- No: +710
New Orleans Pelicans
- Yes: +390
- No: -550
San Antonio Spurs
- Yes: +1120
- No: -3000
NBA Division Winner Odds
For winning one’s respective division, FanDuel currently offers two markets, the Atlantic and Northwest:
Atlantic
- Philadelphia 76ers: -160
- Boston Celtics: +120
Northwest
- Utah Jazz: -390
- Denver Nuggets: +290
- Minnesota Timberwolves: +4100
Eastern Conference Championship Odds
It should come as no surprise that Milwaukee is favored to reach the Finals for a second straight year, but check out who’s right below them:
1. Milwaukee Bucks: +270
2. Brooklyn Nets: +280
3. Philadelphia 76ers: +440
t-4. Boston Celtics: +500
t-4. Miami Heat: +500
6. Chicago Bulls: +2700
7. Toronto Raptors: +4200
8. Cleveland Cavaliers: +5500
9. Atlanta Hawks: +10000
10. Charlotte Hornets: +16000
Brooklyn may not even make the playoffs, but have the second-best odds to reach the Finals due to the abilities of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and perhaps Ben Simmons. Those odds are even better than Philadelphia’s, a team that boasts a leading MVP candidate in Joel Embiid and a former MVP James Harden. Boston and Miami are right in there as well.
Western Conference Championship Odds
Out in the West, Phoenix and Golden State are leading the pack, with Memphis lurking at an appealing +650. Here’s the current top 10:
1. Phoenix Suns: +115
2. Golden State Warriors: +340
3. Memphis Grizzlies: +650
4. Utah Jazz: +900
5. Dallas Mavericks: +1200
6. Denver Nuggets: +1500
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: +2400
8. Los Angeles Clippers: +3000
9. Los Angeles Lakers: +8000
10. New Orleans Pelicans: +13000
Utah, Dallas, and Denver are also in the periphery of the mix, with the Clippers an interesting possibility if they can possibly get George and Kawhi Leonard back from injury.
2022 NBA Championship Odds
Finally, here are the latest NBA futures odds for who’s going to win it all, setting aside teams beyond 10-to-1 (+10000):
1. Phoenix Suns: +300
2. Brooklyn Nets: +550
3. Milwaukee Bucks: +600
4. Golden State Warriors: +700
5. Philadelphia 76ers: +850
t-6. Boston Celtics: +1000
t-6. Miami Heat: 1000
8. Memphis Grizzlies: +1500
9. Utah Jazz: +2100
10. Dallas Mavericks: +2800
11. Denver Nuggets: +3100
12. Minnesota Timberwolves: +6500
t-13. Los Angeles Clippers: +6500
t-13. Chicago Bulls: +6500
15. Toronto Raptors: +10000
With by far the best record in the league, you expect the Suns to have the best title odds. But the Nets at +550 ahead of the Bucks and Warriors? That speaks volumes about just how bullish the experts are on Steve Nash’s team. Meanwhile, despite the league’s third-best record, Ja Morant and Memphis have the eighth-best title odds.
And if you’re still a big believer in LeBron and the Lakers, get them at +18000 while you can.
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