The 2024 NBA Playoffs begin tonight with the Play-In Tournament, where two teams will claim the bottom two seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences. 18+ NBA betting sites have lines posted for the first four play-in games,
Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Pelicans Betting Line
- Spread: LA +1.5, NO -1.5
- Moneyline: LA EVEN, NO -120
- Over/Under: 225.0
Tonight’s first game favors the Pelicans to win by a narrow margin and claim the seventh seed in the West. If that happens, the Lakers will play the winner of the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings on Friday night to determine who will become the 8th seed.
Golden State Warriors @ Sacramento Kings Betting Line
- Spread: Warriors -2.5, Kings +2.5
- Moneyline: Warriors -140, Kings +120
- Over/Under: 224.0
Right now, Golden State is favored to beat Sacramento and then face the winner of the Lakers and New Orleans.
Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers Betting Line
- Spread: Heat +4.5, 76ers -4.5
- Moneyline: Heat +165, 76ers -195
- Over/Under: 207.0
The first play-in game tomorrow night will pit Miami against Philadelphia for the 7th seed in the East. The 76ers are favored by 4.5 points at NBA Playoff betting sites, and they are on an 8-game winning streak heading into the postseason.
If these NBA odds are accurate, the 76ers will become the 7, forcing the Heat into a Friday game against the winner of the Hawks and Bulls.
Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls Betting Line
- Spread: Hawks +3.5, Bulls -3.5
- Moneyline: Hawks +135, Bulls -160
- Over/Under: 220.0
Both Chicago and Atlanta were well behind the remainder of the Eastern Conference’s playoff-bound teams, so we expect the winner to be an underdog to either the Heat or 76ers.
Here is how the postseason will play out following Friday’s deciding games.
2024 NBA Playoff Schedule
- Play-In Tournament: Tonight through Friday
- First Round: Begins April 20th
- Second Round: Begins Between May 4th and 7th*
- Conference Finals: Begins Between May 19th and 22nd*
- 2024 NBA Finals:
- Game 1: June 6th
- Game 2: June 9th
- Game 3: June 12th
- Game 4: June 14th
- Game 5: June 17th (if necessary)
- Game 6: June 20th (if necessary)
- Game 7: June 23rd (if necessary)
*Start dates will vary depending on how quickly the prior round wraps up.
Current futures odds for betting on the NBA Finals favor the Boston Celtics to go all the way this year. The Denver Nuggets are the defending NBA Champions and are the most likely team to win the Western Conference, according to current futures.
Our betting analysis tells us that the Los Angeles Clippers and the Nuggets will face off in the Western Conference Championships. Boston will most likely face the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, but we’d love to see the Orlando Magic up against the Celtics in the second round.
Why? The Magic match up well against Boston and could be a potential second-round spoiler.
Bets on the Play-In Tournament and known opening round Game 1 matchups can be submitted right now at online eighteen-friendly sportsbooks.
Bovada (Bovada Sportsbook Review), CBS Sports
